Karak temple attack: Pakistan's Hindu community decides to pay fine imposed on accused

The Express Tribune quoted a local resident as saying, “The Hindu Council decided to pay the fine of Jamait Ulemai-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) district Amir Maulana Mir Zaqeem, former district nazim Karak Rehmat Salam Khattak, Maulana Sharifullah and eight other leaders and Rs268,000 per person have already been paid.

“There are a total of 123 accused nominated in the FIR by police many of whom were nominated with the help of video footage of the attack."

Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had ordered the recovery of Rs 30,30 million from the accused named in the FIR for reconstruction of the temple.

The temple is being rebuilt by the government but a local cleric and a local resident objected to the expansion of the temple and ‘directed’ the contractor to construct a boundary wall in front of the verandah just to enrage the Hindu community, the Pakistani daily reported.

Though the district administration had sent notices to 123 accused to pay their share of fines on October 26, a local Hindu leader told The Express Tribune that despite the government's directive, the Deputy Commissioner has refused to help the community in the expansion of the temple fearing the local clerics.

He said, “The DC refused even to take action against a local cleric who said that the word ‘Hindu Temple’ will not be inscribed on the front of the building. “The amount has already been paid but now all the 123 accused are demanding that their fine should also be paid by the Hindu community which is not possible."

Last week, the police and district administration had once again told the accused to pay the amount within 14 days or face stringent action.

The accused have also been asked to submit affidavits with the local police stations stating they will pay the amount.

On Dec 30, the Karak temple was attacked as some locals were offended by a planned extension of the temple that had been under renovation for past several years.

The temple was badly damaged in 1997 and the provincial authorities had done a limited renovations. However, the Supreme Court ordered full facelift in 2015.