Pakistan: Committee to probe attack on Hindu temple

Karachi: An arbitrary committee will probe the arson attack against a Hindu place of worship in Lakrakana, with communal tensions between minority Hindus and majority Muslims gripping the city.

The committee comprising Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Ayaz Soomoro and Ramesh Lal, a representative of Hindu community, would make efforts to calm their respective communities down and reach rapprochement.

Police said that their forces, as well as paramilitary rangers, would be heavily deployed around the Hindu temples for their protection.

Allama Tarhir Ashrafi, the chief of Pakistan Ulema (religious scholars) Council, condemned the incident saying it was a failure of the government that it could not protect the place of worship of minorities. He demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident so that the real culprits could be punished.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain also condemned the incident and demanded the government provide protection to minorities.