Pakistan Hindu Temple Controversy – Free PDF Download

A new temple in Islamabad

• A proposed temple – Shri Krishna Mandir – will be the first Hindu temple to be granted permission to be built in Islamabad Capital Territory.
• It will be a place of worship for the 3,000Hindus living in Islamabad.
• The construction of this temple has been stopped due to many factors.

No place for worship

• There were several pre-1947 era temple structures in Islamabad and its adjoining areas.
• However, they have been abandoned due to migrations (partition) and not used anymore as active places of worship.
• The Hindu community has been demanding the allocation of land where they could build a temple.

Demand granted

• In 2016, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) of Islamabad allocated half an acre in sector H-9 to Hindu Panchayat for building a temple.
• In the proposed site, in addition to the main Temple, there will be a community hall, a crematorium, accommodation space for visitors and parking space.
• However, the small Hindu community of Islamabad was unable to collect the money required to build the temple.

State funds granted for construction

• Unable to raise money, the Hindu Panchayat approached the government of Pakistan to sanction money for temple construction (Religious minorities funds)
• Prime Minister Imran Khan sanctioned a grant of Rs.100 million (10 crore) for the temple construction in 2020

Problems Faced during Temple construction 

• Encroachment upon the allotted land by miscreants
• Fatwa issued against temple constructions by an Islamic seminary.
• Some political parties like PML-Q came out in opposition to the temple
• Court Cases filed in Lahore and Islamabad High courts

Temple Construction work starts

• In June 2020, the groundbreaking ceremony for the temple was performed by Parliamentary Secretary on Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi.
• Work began on boundary wall (via Hindu Panchayat funds).
• Pakistan govt. reiterated that Rs. 10 crore fund will be provided for construction.

Construction halted

• Succumbing before many religious pressure groups, City District Administration stopped work.
• On 5^th July 2020 , Trespassers desecrated the construction site, vandalised the temple’s foundation, chanted slogans and shot videos of themselves offering namaz on the site.

Courts ruled in favour

• The Islamabad High Court rejected the petition to stay the temple construction and the Court said that the rights of minorities are protected in the Constitution and it must be protected.

Minorities In Pakistan

• Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Ahmadis
• According to the 1998 Pakistan Census, Hindus made up 1.85% of Pakistan’s population
• Non –Muslims/ Minorities – 3.75%
• 2017 census data ??
• Hindus in Pakistan nowadays make ~2% of the total population – 4 million people.
• Hindus are mainly concentrated in the Province of Sindh where they form around nearly 8% of the population.

Shrinking Religious Freedom for minorities

• The space for religious freedoms is shrinking in Pakistan.
• Forced religious conversionshave brought down the number of Hindus. According to the National Commission of Justice and Peace and the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) around 1000 non-Muslim minority women are converted to Islam every year and then forcibly married off.
• Blasphemy
• Discrimination in jobs.

Political space

• The Hindu minority has reserved seats in the National Assembly and can also vote for their local candidate.
• 10/342 seats are reserved for minorities, to be filled by proportional representation among parties .
• If any national leader mentions religious freedom, their beliefs are questioned at once.
• Their reaching out to the minorities is seen as a sign of shame and appeasement.

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