Last week the Federal government decided to build a temple for the Hindu community in Islamabad from public funds. The project was about to start when some clergy criticised the government by saying that building a temple on public funds is against the provisions of Islam.

Surprisingly, the government buckled under their pressure and announced to the media that no funding had yet been disbursed for the temple’s construction. Now the matter has been referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology, and they have to decide the matter in light of the Quran and Sunnah. It is hoped that minorities in Pakistan won’t feel as deprived as Muslims do in India and will be allowed to enjoy their fundamental right under article 20 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan to profess their religion and manage their religious institutions.

SANAULLAH KALWAR,

Kashmore, Sindh.