Pakistan: Hindu Temple in Karachi Demolished for Shopping Plaza; Community Tense

A Hindu temple was allegedly demolished and sold for a shopping mall in Karachi in Pakistan, which has led to tensions within the community.

A video, accessed by News18, shows the Hindu temple – Mari Mata located at Soldier Bazar in Karachi, razed on Friday night by an unknown builder to make way for a shopping plaza.

According to sources, the land was sold for Rs 7 crore to a shopping plaza promoter but the temple was bulldozed in the presence of police personnel at midnight.

News18 has been constantly reporting about how minorities are unsafe in Pakistan.

According to sources, Trustees and NGOs associated with the temple have also not come forward to object the demolition.

Last year in June, the idols of Hindi deities at Mari Mata temple were destroyed.

The Express Tribune reported that the incident caused panic and fear among the Hindu community members living in Karachi. Sanjeev, a Hindu from the Korangi area, told the newspaper that six to eight men on motorcycles came there and attacked the temple.

Temples have often been the target of mob violence in Pakistan. Dozens of temples have been destroyed located on the banks of Indus River in Kotri, town of Bhong, and Sukkur-Multan motorway.

According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. Most of them reside in Sindh province and have often complained of harassment by extremists.