Sindh minister urges dacoits not to harm Hindu community

• Minister says dacoits announced attacking Sindh's Hindu temples.
• Sindh police chief beefs up security for province's temples.
• 100-year-old temple secured by police in Ghouspur town.

Giyanchand Essrani, Sindh minister for minorities affairs, has urged dacoits in the province's riverine belt to not harm its Hindu community that has been peacefully residing in the region for the past several centuries.

The minister's appeal came when responding to a point of order on the provincial assembly's floor on Monday. Meanwhile, commenting on the point of order, a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmaker Mangla Sharma said that heavily armed bandits belonging to the riverine areas used rocket launchers to attack a temple in Sindh.

Sharma said the concerned community had become very frightened after the incident. Essrani, on the other hand, told the house that dacoits had also announced attacking the province's temples belonging to the Hindu community.

He added that the bandits were, after all, the natives of this country and should refrain from an act that could defame Pakistan. Essrani feared that Pakistan would be defamed all over the world if any harm was done to Hindus living here.

The minister said that the Muslim majority in Pakistan had maintained friendly ties with the religious minorities in the country and did their best to provide protection to their members.

"Our life and death both are associated with Pakistan," he pointed out. He said the Hindu community in Pakistan had done no wrong, so their worship places should not be harmed.

Temples' security on high alert in Sindh

Sindh police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon has ordered a security high alert at temples situated throughout the province.

According to officials, 400 police officers have been deployed at different ranges and districts to ensure the security of temples. 

The police personnel will perform security duties on administrative grounds, and all deployed at the temples are being tasked with security duties for two months.

Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Memon requested Hindus to ensure all possible cooperation with the personnel deployed for security duties at their temples, saying that it is the responsibility of the police to protect minorities and other communities living in the province.

FIR filed against temple attack in Ghouspur

The Kashmore-Kandhkot Police registered a case against unknown assailants under the sections of Anti-Terrorism Act on Monday over an attack on a temple of the Hindu community in the kutcha area of Ghouspur — a small town in the same district.

A case against the unknown attackers was lodged on the complaint of the State of Pakistan at Ghouspur Police Station.

Refuting the news of the temple attack, Kashmore-Kandhkot Senior Superintendent of Police Irfan Samo told The News that no temple in the area came under attack; in fact, what got attacked was the house of Narand, a member of Hindu community and the residence of Balochistan religious leader Sanwal Shah who has some followers in Hindu community along with his Muslim disciples, located in Mastar Ogahi village of Kutcha area.

He said unknown attackers fired some bullets upon the residences of Shah and Bagri and dropped one unused rocket in the same area, apparently to create terror among the people, especially Bagri (Hindu) community.

The police official further said that a search operation has been initiated and culprits would be apprehended, adding that in Ghouspur town, there was a century-old temple, which is properly secured by the police.