Tag: Hindu

Is any Hindu left in Pakistan: Twitteratis ask Imran Khan as he extends Diwali greetings
Asia

Is any Hindu left in Pakistan: Twitteratis ask Imran Khan as he extends Diwali greetings

Social media platform Twitter was filled with sarcastic comments after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan extended his greetings to the country's minority Hindu community on the occasion of Diwali on Saturday."Is any Hindu left in Pakistan? I thought all are already converted, anyways, Happy Diwali," said a Twitter user.Another Twitter user stated that Pakistan has as many Hindus as the number of letters in Khan's tweet."Do you still have any left, in Pakistan?" asked another Twitterati.Meanwhile, Pakistani Hindus celebrated Diwali across the country with zeal and fervour, with families decorating their houses and temples with colourful lights."We have come here to celebrate this festival with colourful rangolis. I feel instead of playing with blood, it is so much better to celebrate our f...
In Pakistan’s Islamabad, a centuries-old temple where Hindus are not allowed to pray
Asia

In Pakistan’s Islamabad, a centuries-old temple where Hindus are not allowed to pray

For centuries, Hindus traveled a long way just to worship at a tiny sixteenth century temple built against the foothills of the Himalayas in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad where Hindus believe ancient god Ram lived with his family during 14 long years of exile.  To continue their journey, Hindus used to stay peacefully in an adjoining dharamshala, or rest house for pilgrims, in what is today called Saidpur Village.According to official records dating as far back as 1893, a fair was held each year at a pond near the site to commemorate that Ram and his family had once sipped water from it.But since 1947, Hindus have not been allowed by authorities to worship at the temple and the compound in which it is housed.Visitors can tour the temple, but all idols have been removed and the shrine
Pakistan must protect religious freedom for Hindus: Human Rights group
Asia

Pakistan must protect religious freedom for Hindus: Human Rights group

A human rights panel has called on the Pakistani authorities to protect the right to freedom of religion and belief for the country’s beleaguered Hindu community, including the construction of temples to exercise that right.“The respect for the right to freedom of religion was promised to Pakistan’s Hindus by the country’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Those who deny a long-marginalized community the right to practise their faith freely not only betray his legacy, but also violate the human rights of religious minorities protected under Pakistan’s constitution and its international human rights obligations,” said Omar Waraich, Head of South Asia at Amnesty International.The human rights organization’s call came as authorities in Islamabad capitulated to pressure from a discriminatory campa
Opinion

New domicile law in Jammu & Kashmir

In view of the removal of Article 370 of Indian constitution by the Indian parliament on August 5 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs recently issued an order that substitutes the term “permanent resident” with “domiciles of UT of J&K” (new Kashmir domicile law). This has become a matter of concern in both Jammu region and Kashmir valley, which are now constituent parts of the newly created Union Territory of J&K.The new Kashmir domicile law, effectively speaking, takes the power of defining “permanent resident” from the erstwhile assembly of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, and introduces a new category of “domiciles” of the Union Territory of J&K.The new law allows entry of nonresidents (defined by the now revoked Article 35A) into the state along with giving them access to t