Communal Riots Hit Pakistan: Mob Targets Temples, Gurdwaras Over Alleged Blasphemy

[Mehtab Singh]

A tense calm prevailed in some Sindh and Balochistan provinces after mobs set on fire to shops, dharamsalas and damaged some statues of Hindu deities in temples on Saturday night in protest against alleged desecration of a holy book

Karachi: An angry mob attempted to set ablaze temples and gurdwaras in a southwestern Pakistan province over alleged desecration of a holy book in Sindh, local media reported on Monday.

Security personnel in the restive Balochistan province ensured that no damage was done to religious places belonging to the two minority communities.

Protests were held across Balochistan on Sunday.

The mob set afire a number of shops in Jaffarabad.

A large number of people tried to attack temples and gurdwaras, Dawn daily said in a report on its website.

They also tried to enter Hindu localities, but police and security personnel foiled the attempt. Police fired in the air to stop the protesters from attacking a temple in Dera Allahyar area.

All shops, markets and commercial centres were closed in the districts of Jaffarabad, Nasirabad and Sobatpur bordering Sindh.

Security has been beefed up in and around temples and gurdwaras while police is patrolling Hindu and Sikh localities.

The mob on Sunday attacked a temple in Larkana city, the hometown of the Bhutto family and the stronghold of the Pakistan People's Party.

The Hindu man, who was accused of blasphemy, has been taken into protective custody.

http://www.mid-day.com/articles/communal-riots-hit-pakistan-mob-targets-temples-gurdwaras-over-alleged-blasphemy/15163088

[genie]

Time for SGPC and sri akal takht jathedhar to wake up or move out the way for REAL sikh leaders to take their place and ensure Sikhs, gurdwara's and institutions are protected.

[chatanga]

The SGPC and Sri Akal Takht jathedar cannot do anything. I would guess they are not even known in Balochistan. Only the CM of Indian Panjab, and Pm of India can do something.

[sikhiseeker]

WJKK WJKF

The SGPC, Indian government/officials and unfortunately the fraudulently led Shri Akal Takhat are not going to do nothing about this situation.

Realisticly, our sikh brothers and sisters living in other countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and even Gujrat need empowerment within themselves, within the countries in which they live in, as the three above mentioned institutes do nothing to protect sikhs within India, why would they help sikhs living abroad? It is now the sikh sangat who live in India and all over the world who have to display to these institutes how us sikhs should live and support one another where ever we are living in the world geographically.

People in Pakistan also need to realise the world is a big place with many colours and religions. Just how a Muslim has the right to build a mosque in India or here in the UK, other faiths have the right to worship freely within Pakistan, if someone or a representative of a group dishonours their religious practice, they should deal with that person and the associated party within the law of the land, not then just go round trying to once again burn and plunder other innocent people and their establishments of faith as we are not in 1947, it's actually 2014!

WJKK WJKF

[DeccanSingh]

Ironically this has nothing to do with Sikh religious institutions but with the mindset promoted by Islamic fanatics. It is time Pakistan wakes up and realises that any state benefit to Islam is only spreading more terrorism and fanaticism. The infidel has rights too.