Pakistan is facing one of the worst floods in its history. The death toll has reached as high as 1400 while a large population has been forced to leave their homes and lands for safer areas. In these perilous times, a Hindu temple in in the Jalal Khan village of the Balochistan province has extended a helping hand to the majority Muslim community .
The Temple Opens Gates For Flood Victims
The Baba Madhodas Mandir in Jalal Khan hamlet is providing food and shelter to almost 300 flood-affected individuals.
Due to its elevated location and relative safe from the gushing floodwaters, the Baba Madhodas Mandir now serves as a haven for flood-affected people during their darkest hours of their lives. According to the Dawn, The local Hindu community welcomed flood victims and their livestock into the Baba Madhodas Mandir.
According to Israr Mugheri, not only people but even goats, sheep and other animals have been sheltered inside the temple. He further added, “Local Hindus made announcements over the loudspeaker, urging inviting Muslims in distress to come to the temple for refuge”.
However, despite the benevolent acts of the minority Hindu community, they are still subjected to forced conversions, harassment, rapes and violence.
Persecution of Pakistani Hindus
The Religious minorities in Pakistan include Hindus, Christians, Ahmadis and Sikhs. According to the 1998 Census, Hindus are 1.6% of the total population in Pakistan.
Pakistani Hindus face rape, forced conversions and suppression. Hindu women are kidnapped and forcibly married to Muslim men. According to an India Today report, in the month of July this year, a 16-year-old Hindu girl in Sindh, Pakistan was kidnapped and then converted to Islam. Following which, she was married to a Muslim man in Sindh.
Reena Meghwar, a Hindu woman was rescued in 2021 after she was forcibly married to Muhammad Qasim. She was forced to embrace Islam and her name was changed to Maryam. The Pakistan police managed to return the woman to her family after a video of her went viral on social media.
Recently, a Hindu sanitation worker in Pakistan’s Hyderabad was attacked by a frenzied mob over a blasphemy allegation. Later, the blasphemy allegation turned out to be false, as reported by the local media.
The Hindu community despite being poverty stricken has always been at the forefront of helping others in times of national emergencies in Pakistan, a country which has been persecuting Hindus since 1947!
