Dozens of Muslims vandalized a Hindu temple in central Pakistan, where religious minorities are often targeted by violence, local police reported on Thursday. The temple located in the city of Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab province was attacked on Wednesday afternoon in response to allegations of blasphemy against a child of the Hindu faith. Regional police spokesperson Ahmed Nawaz told AFP that "70 to 80 protesters attacked the temple and broke the windows." He explained that the child's release on bail after being accused of blasphemy led to the incident.
Videos circulated on social media showed a group of men smashing the temple with iron rods. Local official Riyast Ali stated, "There were no serious losses. The building was partially damaged," noting that security forces were deployed to protect Hindus in the area. Incidents of discrimination and violence against religious minorities are recurrent in Pakistan, where Muslims make up 97 percent of the population, while Hindus account for around 2 percent. Multiple attacks have targeted Hindu places of worship in recent years in Pakistan. Last year, hundreds of people burned a Hindu temple in the northwest of the country.
Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in conservative Pakistani society, where even unproven allegations can incite angry crowds, potentially leading to extrajudicial killings of the accused. Pakistani law prescribes penalties including the death penalty for anyone convicted of insulting Islam or the Prophet. However, opponents of this law criticize it, claiming it is used arbitrarily to settle personal grievances or to violate the rights of religious minorities. Late last year, the United States placed Pakistan on its list of "countries of concern" regarding violations of religious freedom.
