Hindu community of Bhong Sharif scared to return home after the Ganesh temple attack

The Hindu families affected by the Ganesh temple attack on August 4th are still scared to return to their homes in the area, as reported by The Times of India (Rana, 2021). During an interview with Bhong Sharif Jail Chhabria, he stated “About 150 to 200 families of Hindus of Bhong Sharif had abandoned their houses and have gone to their relatives in other cities after the attack on Sri Ganesha Temple and they are scared to return or even open their businesses” (Rana, 2021, par. 3). The Muslim fundamentalists mob that assaulted the Sri Ganesha Temple also attacked the residential area and commercial complexes of Hindus (Haq, 2021). 

Although the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) already condemned the attack, considering it a clear violation of Islamic and Pakistani laws (Ali, 2021), these people still feel threatened to come back to their previous lives, in a region where Hindu and Muslims have peacefully coexisted for centuries. Hence, the National Commission for Minorities delegation asked the police to ensure the Hindus return, asking the civil and police administration to provide a sense of security among the Hindu community of Bhong Sharif (Rana, 2021).

Members of Pakistan’s national commission for minorities. Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/hindu-families-of-bhong-sharif-are-scared-to-return-says-pakistans-national-commission-for-minorities/articleshow/85279302.cms

Sources

Haq, Irfanul (2021, August 5).  Mob ransacks temple after minor boy gets bail in desecration case. In The Times of India https://www.dawn.com/news/1638816 

Rana, Yudhvir (2021, August 12). Hindu families of Bhong Sharif are scared to return, says Pakistan’s national commission for minorities. In dawn.com https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/hindu-families-of-bhong-sharif-are-scared-to-return-says-pakistans-national-commission-for-minorities/articleshow/85279302.cms

Ali, Kalbe (2021, August, 10). Council of Islamic Ideology condemns mob attack on Hindu temple. In dawn.com https://www.dawn.com/news/1639787