Pak provincial government apprehensive to take action against illegal occupants of Hindu shrine

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) is reportedly apprehensive of taking action against local extremists, who have illegally occupied the land of Hindu shrine in district Karak.

In a report submitted by the Advocate General K-P Latif Yousufzai on behalf of Deputy Commissioner Karak in the Supreme Court over the alleged illegal occupation of the shrine, the provincial government has expressed its reluctance to take any action against the encroachers.

According to the Express Tribune, the K-P government in its report has expressed apprehension that Oil and Gas Exploration companies are in field at various places for symmetric survey, therefore, any action against the illegal occupation of Hindu shrine land will likely to aggravate the un-rest amongst the people under the influence of local Aalim Molana Muhammad Sharif, who is opposing the construction/eviction of Hindu temple.

The report has further revealed that local politician and ex-MNA of Jamaat-e-Islami, Maulana Shah Abdul Aziz, was also not in favour of the implementation of nine year old Jirga's decision, favouring the Hindu community.

According to the report, the shrine came into being after the death of a Hindu sage named Shri Param Hans Ki Mehaj in 1919.

The sage, who lived in Teri village, was buried there as his followers often visited the shrine after his death and this practice continued till 1997 until it was 'dismantled' by some local extremists.

The issue garnered much attention when some Hindu followers of Param Hans attempted to restore the old path leading to the shrine which, despite being an evacuee property, was occupied by one local Mufti Iftikharud Din, the report said.