Pakistani Hindus seek security for Shivaratri

ISLAMABAD - A Hindu rights group is seeking action against an official in Pakistan’s Punjab province for refusing to provide security for the Shivratri festival next month.

Haroon Dayal, chairman of the All Pakistan Hindu Rights Association, told a television channel Sunday that the community’s repeated requests for security had been turned down.

Dayal demanded the removal of the district coordination officer of Chakwal, Tariq Bakshi.

“Thousands of devotees are scheduled to attend the festival in Chakwal and … their lives (will be) at risk if proper security arrangements are not made,” Dayal said.

Bakhshi could not be reached for comments. His aides dismissed Dayal’s complaint as baseless.

A large number of Hindus and Sikhs live in Chakwal and adjoining areas where several old temples exist. Gah village, where Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was born, is also located in Chakwal district.