Islamabad: A Hindu temple in the northwest Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that was destroyed by a Muslim mob earlier this week will be rebuilt using provincial government funds, its information minister said on Friday.
Police have arrested dozens of people, including the local Muslim leader, for their involvement in Wednesday’s attack on the Shri Paramhans Ji Maharaj Samadhi temple in the town of Karak, some 100km (62 miles) southeast of the provincial capital, Peshawar.
“We regret the damage caused by the attack,” said Kamran Bangash, the provincial information minister belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“The chief minister has ordered the reconstruction of the temple and adjoining house,” he told AFP news agency.
About 1,500 people descended on the temple in the remote village after protesting against renovations being made to an adjoining building owned by a Hindu group. They used sledgehammers to knock down walls before setting the building ablaze.
Construction will start as soon as possible with the support of the Hindu community, Bangash said, adding security would be provided at the site.
