A group of dacoits on Sunday attacked a temple belonging to the Hindu community in the Kashmore area of Pakistans Sindh province, marking the second act of temple destruction in Pakistan in less than two days, Pakistan-based news outlet Dawn reported.This attack on a Hindu place of worship comes a few days after a video surfaced from Pakistan where armed dacoits threatened to destroy temples if Pakistani citizen Seema Ghulam Haider – who is currently embroiled in a controversial love story in India – is not returned to her home country.#BREAKING: Hindu Temple attacked by Bandits in Pakistan in revenge for Pakistani citizen Seema Haidar fleeing to India to marry a Hindu man. Bandits attacked Ghoshpur temple in Kandhkot, Sindh. No casualties reported. Ammunition recovered. Pakistan fails to protect minorities. pic.twitter.com/wOc9x0taku— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) July 16, 20238 to 9 gunmen fire on temple, use rocket launchers in Sindh: PoliceAccording to media reports coming out of Pakistan, an estimated eight to nine armed gunmen attacked a small temple in the area in Kashmore which falls under the jurisdiction of Ghouspur police station. The assailants fired indiscriminately upon the temple, which was built by the local Hindu community in Sindh, and the nearby houses of Hindu residents.The violence prompted a team of law enforcement officers, led by Kashmore-Kandhkot SSP Irfan Sammo, to reach the scene.“The attack happened in the early hours of Sunday. They fired indiscriminately and fled when a police party reached the spot. We are conducting a search operation in the area,” SSP Sammo said, adding that they are tracking the attackers along the riverine areas.The dacoits reportedly fired a rocket launcher at the temple, which is used by the local Hindu Bagri community. The temple was closed at the time of the attack.There was no loss of life reported, since the temple was closed and because the rocket launchers fired by the assailants failed to explode, as per a Bagri community member Dr Suresh.A Hindu temple was attacked with rocket launchers in Sindhs Kashmore region, Pakistan.Assailants not only attacked the temple but also attacked adjoining homes belonging to the Hindu community. pic.twitter.com/qoyHXBrucO— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) July 16, 2023Suresh added that the Hindu community is in a state of panic because of the incidents, and called on the police to provide protection.Surendar Valasai, a minority MPA and the Sindh Chief Ministers Special Assistant for Human Rights said that the authorities are in the process of collecting facts about the attack. “I have visited the spot and met the Hindu community. Inquiry into the matter and legal proceedings are being done,” Valasai told Dawn.The attack comes after the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said on Sunday that it was “alarmed by reports of deteriorating law and order in the districts of Kashmore and Ghotki in Sindh, where some 30 members of the Hindu community — including women and children — have allegedly been held hostage by organised criminal gangs”.“Moreover, we have received disturbing reports that these gangs have threatened to attack the communitys sites of worship, using high-grade weapons. The Sindh Home Department must investigate this matter immediately and take steps to protect all vulnerable citizens in these areas,” the Commission said in a statement.Moreover, we have received disturbing reports that these gangs have threatened to attack the communitys sites of worship, using high-grade weapons. The Sindh Home Department must investigate this matter immediately and take steps to protect all vulnerable citizens in these areas— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) July 16, 2023
