Karachi temple demolition: Plot owner says media distorting facts

Karachi: The builder who allegedly demolished a century-old Hindu temple in the city’s Soldier Bazaar on Saturday has gone to court against the media for ’distorting the news in favour of the community.’

Builder Ameen Lakhani; his partner, Muhammad Shoaib; and a man who claimed to be the owner of the plot, Ismail Gora, went to the Sindh High Court (SHC) to lodge their protest, reports The Express Tribune. Ismail alleged that Ram Chander, Jay Prakash and Panchoo Shankar, who claimed to be priests of the temple, have encroached upon his land on the pretext of the temple and are blackmailing the petitioners and the administration, including the police. He alleged that the three men misled the Hindu community and the rest of the residents in the name of religion and took over his property. He said the encroachers portrayed it as a religious dispute on television channels. "The way the media has reported the issue, it has given an impression that this is a religious dispute. It gives Pakistan a bad name in the world," Shoaib was quoted, as saying. Earlier on Saturday, the residents went to the court and requested the judges to restrain the builders from demolishing Shri Rama Pir Mandir, which is reportedly located on the same plot. The judges granted the stay order while the builders went ahead and demolished the alleged encroachments. Members of the Hindu community had accused the builder of demolishing the temple as well as its adjoining houses, which left more than 40 people homeless. ANI