Hindu community will welcome construction of Krishna temple in Pak: lawmaker

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly member raises the alleged derogatory remarks against the Hindu deities on social media on the issue of the construction of the Krishna temple.

In this file picture, a Pakistani Hindu woman rings a bell to celebrate Diwali at a local temple in Lahore.

A Hindu lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday told the provincial assembly that the minority community in the country would welcome the construction of a Krishna temple in Islamabad.

Speaking in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, MPA Ravi Kumar said the minorities were enjoying equal rights and living in peaceful coexistence with the majority community in Pakistan.

The Pakistan government has approved ₹10 crore for the Krishna temple, the first temple in Islamabad which will come upon a 20,000-square feet plot in the H-9 administrative division.

“We would welcome the decision of the government as it would be according to law and the Constitution of the country. The minorities are enjoying equal rights and living in peaceful coexistence with the majority in Pakistan,” he said.

He said action should be taken against those who are trying to wedge differences between Muslims and Hindus.

Mr. Kumar submitted a resolution in the provincial assembly secretariat this week condemning the alleged derogatory remarks against the Hindu deities on social media on the issue of the construction of the temple.

“This negative propaganda against Hindu religion has hurt the feelings of the Hindu community not only in Pakistan but all over the world,” the resolution stated.

Anti-state elements were damaging inter-faith harmony and promoting hatred among the various sects, it said.

On July 8, a Pakistani court dismissed three identical petitions challenging the construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad.

A single bench of the Islamabad High Court delivered the judgment, making it clear that there was no bar on the Institute of Hindu Panchayat from building the temple on the land allotted to it by using its own funds.

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan.

According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country.

The majority of Pakistan’s Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions, and language with Muslims.