In an alarming wave of religious intolerance, as many as 18 persons lost their lives in the first three months of this year, statistics compiled by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) said in a report.
The CRSS figures revealed that some 10 places of Muslim worship such as mosques, seminaries, imambargahs, sufi shrines, and three Hindu temples were desecrated during the period.
“This alarming trend of attacks on religious places of works poses serious risks to social cohesion and the religious freedoms envisaged in Constitution of Pakistan,” a CRSS statement said. It said the acts were in clear violation of the PPC 295 (Injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class).
The article says that anybody involved in destroying, damaging, or defiling any place of worship, or any object held sacred by any class of persons with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of persons “shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both”.
Perpetrators of most of these crimes remain unidentified. However, a Hindu has been identified for allegedly desecrating Holy Quran in Larkana.
“Alarmingly, almost all religious parties and organisations – even those sitting in Parliament – continue to stay mum on these faith-related murders and acts of desecration that are clearly covered by the Blasphemy Law( PPC 295),” the CRSS statement pointed out.
