Irrespective of what PM Khan may say about Naya Pakistan being all inclusive and caring for its minorities, the latest blasphemy incident in Ghokti, Sindh, has demonstrated once again why most human rights watch dogs call Pakistan one of the worst human rights offenders.
On Saturday September 14, 2019, protests began in Ghotki when an FIR (first information report) was filed against a principal, who is a Hindu, of Sindh Public School based on the complaints of Abdul Aziz Rajput – the father of a student – who claimed that the Hindu principal had committed blasphemy. This led to protests by local residents demanding the policy arrest the principal, calling for a shutter-down strike and massive street protests.
As Dawn reported, “Videos of stick-wielding protesters were shared on social media on Sunday, in which they were seen vandalising a Hindu temple and damaging the school where the alleged incident took place. Ghotki Senior Superintendent of Police Farrukh Lanjar, while talking to local reporters, said that police were controlling the law and order situation in the area.”
PTI MNA Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, head of the Pakistan Hindu Council, said that “the case has been handed over to Hyderabad Deputy Inspector General Naeem Shaikh who will further investigate the matter. He added that the principal was at an undisclosed location for safety reasons and will be handed over to Shaikh. “I have talked to Sindh Inspector General of Police Kaleem Imam who has assured me the police will fully protect the accused, therefore, I am going to hand [the principal] over to police either in Karachi or in Hyderabad today,” he said. The MNA said that the protesters had vandalised three temples, a private school and multiple houses belonging to the Hindu community and added that he had asked police to register an FIR against people involved in the riots.”
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also shared a video of protesters breaking the infrastructure of the school and expressed concern over the situation.
