Pakistani police have arrested 26 people belonging to a radical Islamist party after a Hindu temple was vandalised and set on fire by a mob protesting its renovation in northwest Pakistan.
A central leader of radical Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, Rehmat Salam Khattak, is among 26 arrested in raids following the attack on the temple in Terri village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”s Karak district on Wednesday, Station House Officer Rehmatullah Khan told PTI.
The mob, led by the supporters of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party (Fazal ur Rehman group), ptotesting the expansion work of the temple, demolished the newly constructed work alongside the old structure.
The incident drew condemnation from human rights activists and the minority Hindu community.
Pakistan’s federal Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi strongly condemned the attack on the temple.
Noting that some groups are active in carrying out such anti-social activities to defame Pakistan, Malhi said the government will not tolerate such incidents.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan termed the attack on the temple as “an unfortunate incident.” He ordered immediate arrest of those involved in the incident.
Khan vowed that his government will protect worship places from such incidents.
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