10-18-2006, 03:57 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10075436.htmlÂ
<b>Rights group says cleric forcibly seized Shiva temple</b>
10/18/2006 6:10:37 AMÂ Gulf News
Karachi: Butchers and a self-proclaimed Muslim cleric have encroached upon a historic Hindu temple and part of its compound, located in Karachi's low-income locality of Lyari, said Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
<b>The cleric and his followers have seized the Shiv Mandir (temple), claiming that it used to be a mosque in the past, Iqbal Haider, general secretary of the HRCP</b>, told Gulf News.
<b>"They have erased the pictures of Hindu deities from the tiles of the temple, and forced Hindu worshippers to move to a small nearby room, where not more than two people can worship at a given time," </b>he said.
And as if it is not enough, the local butchers have occupied temple's compound and are using it to slaughter animals, including cows - considered scared by Hindus, he said.
A number of Hindu families, which stayed on in Muslim-majority Pakistan, after the Partition of subcontinent live in the almost 100-year-old Pandavas Compound where this temple is located.
<b>Evicted</b>
Residents said that butchers forcibly evicted more than two dozen families out of the compound and they continue to harass and intimidate the remaining ones who live here.
<b>"We conducted our investigations regarding the controversy and have been shocked by the indifferent attitude of the authorities,"</b> Haider said.
<b>"In fact the self proclaimed cleric is a land grabber. The authorities have not tried to force him out of the compound nor to restore the sanctity of the temple," </b>he added.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10075436.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We won't hear anything out of Moron Singh Committewala on this issue, he can only voice his concern for Cartoon. <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<b>Rights group says cleric forcibly seized Shiva temple</b>
10/18/2006 6:10:37 AMÂ Gulf News
Karachi: Butchers and a self-proclaimed Muslim cleric have encroached upon a historic Hindu temple and part of its compound, located in Karachi's low-income locality of Lyari, said Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
<b>The cleric and his followers have seized the Shiv Mandir (temple), claiming that it used to be a mosque in the past, Iqbal Haider, general secretary of the HRCP</b>, told Gulf News.
<b>"They have erased the pictures of Hindu deities from the tiles of the temple, and forced Hindu worshippers to move to a small nearby room, where not more than two people can worship at a given time," </b>he said.
And as if it is not enough, the local butchers have occupied temple's compound and are using it to slaughter animals, including cows - considered scared by Hindus, he said.
A number of Hindu families, which stayed on in Muslim-majority Pakistan, after the Partition of subcontinent live in the almost 100-year-old Pandavas Compound where this temple is located.
<b>Evicted</b>
Residents said that butchers forcibly evicted more than two dozen families out of the compound and they continue to harass and intimidate the remaining ones who live here.
<b>"We conducted our investigations regarding the controversy and have been shocked by the indifferent attitude of the authorities,"</b> Haider said.
<b>"In fact the self proclaimed cleric is a land grabber. The authorities have not tried to force him out of the compound nor to restore the sanctity of the temple," </b>he added.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10075436.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We won't hear anything out of Moron Singh Committewala on this issue, he can only voice his concern for Cartoon. <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif' /><!--endemo-->