Encroachment spree: Hindu cremation ground too under threat

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on September 27 took suo motu notice of the acquisition of a Hindu cremation ground in Karachi and sought a report from the Sindh government within two weeks.

The notice was taken on the application of Shri Ram Nath Maharaj, who said that the provincial government had acquired the land for construction of Lyari Expressway in 2008. No alternative land or compensation had been awarded despite a lapse of nine years, Mr Maharaj said.

This centuries-old Hindu cremation ground located in downtown area of Metropolis’ Lyari town.

Other dilapidated facilities in Karachi

The Gujjar Hindu Community Burial and Cremation Ground, located in old Golimar (also known as Old Dhobi Ghat), near a Muslim graveyard, is still used by local Hindus to cremate the bodies. It is Karachi’s biggest and oldest cremation ground, but due to lack of renovation and repairs, it is in a dilapidated condition. This was constructed during British era and was meant to cater to the local Hindus only.

The architect and the structure of this historical cremation facility reflect that it happened to be a model premises in the past used by the rich Hindus. Various portions were built using donations from different personalities. Donors’ names can be seen engraved in marble plaques.

There used to be a huge library inside boundary walls, where they used to keep the books on almost every subject. Six years ago, the roof of the room harboring the catalog caved in and was never reconstructed.

The storm of intolerance has been spreading like wildfire across the Pakistan, you can read chapters of intolerance in many headlines - Ahmedis are targeted, Christians' villages are being set on fire, Shia, Hazara community have it equally difficult et al. Hindus face the same problems as other non-Muslim communities. They have a majority in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Many Hindu and Christian girls are kidnapped and converted.

While Pakistan was created as a Muslim state in 1947, the country’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, said that religious minorities should have the freedom to live there and practice their faith. But today Pakistan’s identity is that of an Islamic nationalist state, hardline religious groups are a formidable force, and religious minorities have little voice in society. As influential Islamic shrines and religious groups work to convert people to Islam, some Hindus are leaving their villages and moving to cities in Pakistan, or leaving Pakistan altogether and moving to India.