Hindu temple attack case: SC wants riverine area in Rahim Yar Khan cleared of dacoits

• Supreme Court hears Rahim Yar Khan Hindu temple vandalism case.
• SC summons commissioner and deputy commissioner to next hearing.
• Issues order to clear riverine area of Rahim Yar Khan of dacoits.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court issued on Friday an order to clear the Katcha area in Rahim Yar Khan of dacoits during a hearing of the suo motu case on the attack at a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan last week.

Last week, over a dozen men, armed with sticks, had vandalised a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan, shouting slogans and desecrating idols in the place of worship. The video clip of the incident went viral on social media, drawing sharp criticism from rights activists in Pakistan.

The Rahim Yar Khan temple attack suo motu notice hearing was headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed.

During the hearing on Friday, the court expressed frustration with the concerned authorities for arresting an 8-year-old after the attack and ordered that action be taken against the SHO who arrested the child.

The court ordered to complete the identification of the suspects involved in the attack on the temple within a week and said that after the suspects were identified, the arrested persons should be released and challans should be presented in a trial court. 

The court said a decision should be made by the trial court in four months without any delay.

Restoration work on exterior of Hindu temple should be completed in a month: SC

The apex court said that it has been informed that restoration work inside the temple has been completed, ordering that work on the exterior of the temple should also be completed within a month.

The Supreme Court gave orders to maintain the deployment of security personnel in Bhong village of Rahim Yar Khan and said that it has been informed that the dacoits present in the Katcha are threatening people and damaging property along with the threats of kidnapping.

The court ordered to restore peace in the area by clearing the riverine area in Rahim Yar Khan of dacoits and said that the Punjab government and IG should ensure law and order in the area.

The SC said that it has been so long since Pakistan was made, but that we still have not been able to rid the country of dacoits.

The Punjab additional advocate-general told the court that the riverine area had a border with Sindh on one side. At this, the CJP asked how the task couldn't be completed if all sides work together.

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail remarked that this was not a Hindu-Muslim issue, but an issue of the intention of the administration. "Temples were restored in Zhob and local scholars were special guests," he said.

The apex court also directed to recover the suspects named in the temple attack case within a month and pay damages to the temple administration.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case for a month and summoned the Bahawalpur commissioner and Rahim Yar Khan deputy commissioner  to the next hearing.

CJP Gulzar orders police to arrest all culprits

Last week, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed had reprimanded the Punjab police chief for failing to take action to safeguard the Hindu temple from a mob in Rahim Yar Khan, directing him to arrest all culprits involved in the incident.

Chief Justice Gulzar had taken suo moto notice of the attack on the temple in village Bhong, after meeting with Ramesh Kumar, MNA and Patron-in-Chief Pakistan Hindu Council.

Justice Gulzar had shown concern over the tragic incident and summoned the chief secretary Punjab and IGP Punjab to appear at the apex court and submit a report on the incident.

During the hearing, the CJP had expressed displeasure over the incident and reprimanded the officials, saying the attack has done serious damage to Pakistan's reputation around the globe.

He said the police acted as a silent spectator while the mob vandalised the temple. “What were the police and administration doing?” the CJP asked.

To this, IGP Inam Ghani said the assistant commissioner and ASP were present at the scene, and that the administration’s priority was to provide security to the 70 Hindu families near the temple.