PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced to rebuild the Hindu temple which was demolished by an angry mob in Karak on Wednesday.

KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said on Friday that the provincial government will make sure that the temple is rebuild as quickly as possible. He said directions have been issued to concerned authorities in this regard.

The chief minister said the people involved in attack on temple have been arrested and they will be dealt according to law. He said no one will be allowed to take law into own hands and rights of minorities will be protected at all costs. He said the government will ensure security of worship places of minorities.

Senate Committee on Human Rights has also taken notice of the mob attack on temple and sought a briefing from concerned officials. The Senate committee members said a strategy will be made for protection of rights of minorities in consultation with all stakeholders.

Karak Police has arrested 35 accused nominated in the first information report (FIR) pertaining to razing and setting fire to the temple. Police said the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Rehmat Salam Khattak is also among the arrested persons. It said the arrest of more accused will also be made soon. Media reports said about 350 persons have been booked in the case.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed has also taken notice of the temple demolition in Karak. The chief justice, while issuing the notice, also directed the chairman of the minority rights commission, inspector-general of police and chief secretary KP to submit a report on the incident by January 04.

The chief justice also met Pakistan Hindu Council chief patron Dr Ramesh Kumar and deplored the incident. During the meeting, Ramesh Kumar informed the CJP about the torching of the temple. He said he has full confidence in the judiciary for providing justice in the case.

The Krishna Dwara temple, which is situated in Karak’s Teri union council, was razed by a mob of hundreds of people against the plan to expand the temple. Police were helpless against the mob which was razing and vandalising the temple for several hours.

Muslim residents of the area said the Hindu community was secretly expanding the temple building. They said the matter was reported to the police too, but no action was taken.