MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Supreme Court hasdirected the head of the tourism and archaeology department and deputy commissioner of Kotli district to submit a detailed report within two weeks on alleged grabbing of land of four Hindu temples in the town of Kotli.

The direction was given by Chief Justice Chaudhry Mohammad Ibrahim Zia at Mirpur circuit while takingsuo motu notice under the provisions of Supreme Court Rules, 1978, on a news item in a local daily.

The report had alleged that not only the land along with four temples was grabbed by [some] people but the temples themselves had also been converted into residential places, “in collusion with the revenue department”.

It may be mentioned here that after the liberation of the AJK territory in October 1947, Hindu and Sikh population of this area had moved across the Line of Control.

The temples, mainlymandirsof Hindus andgurdwarasof Sikhs, were supposed to be administered by the AJK government through its evacuee department, as the archaeology department was not established by then.

However, no proper attention was paid to this effect, thus leading to occupation of the building and land of worship places by migrants from across the LoC and local residents, alike.

The CJ observed that,prima facie, such an act amounted to violation of at least two previous judgments of the apex court wherein the then government was directed to ensure the protection of religious rights of the minorities in accordance with the injunctions of Islam as well as restoration of their sacred religious places.

Quoting an excerpt from one of those judgments, the CJ clarified that the land along with and permanently dedicated to the temples was neither an evacuee land available for allotment to any person, nor it could be utilised for any other purpose.

He recalled that the apex court had already issued directions for restoration of suchlike places to their original position.

“Islam, the official religion of AJK, is the most modern and progressive religion of the world having full regard and respect for the rights of the minorities including their right in the property and religious rights,” he observed.

“Thus, it is duty of the state and the government to take all the necessary steps to ensure the protection of religious rights of the minorities according to the injunctions of Islam,” he added.

The CJ asked the AJK chief secretary to issue necessary instructions to the authorities concerned for compliance of the already handed down judgments, in this regard.

He announced that the matter would be taken up by the full court at its principal seat in Muzaffarabad on November 14.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2018

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