Work begins on first Hindu temple in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday approved the release of funds for the construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad.

In a meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs Jay Parkash, Shanila Ruth, Laal Chand, Ramesh Kumar and Jamshed Thomas, the prime minister issued directives for accelerating the legislation process to protect minorities’ rights.

Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noor-ul-Haq Qadri and PTI’s Chief Whip in the National Assembly Malik Amir Dogar also attended the meeting.

The temple is being constructed in the federal capital’s H-9/2 sector on a four-kanal plot of land allocated especially by the government.

The parliamentarians apprised the prime minister of the problems concerning their respective constituencies, particularly minorities.

The prime minister lauded the contribution of the minority community in the progress and prosperity of Pakistan and said it was the government’s priority to ensure the provision of equal opportunities for minorities and to protect their rights.

“We had to take the country forward through unity and interfaith harmony,” PM Imran said.

The foundation stone for the construction of the temple was laid on Tuesday in a ceremony with MNA Lal Malhi as the chief guest.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had allotted the plot to the Hindu Panchayat on the orders of the National Commission for Human Rights in 2017 for constructing the first temple in the federal capital after 1947.

There is currently no Hindu temple in the federal capital where the Hindu community can perform their religious ceremonies.

Speaking on the occasion, Malhi said India did not allow minority Muslims to go to mosques, and here Pakistani Hindus were constructing a temple for themselves.