Hindu temples well-maintained in Pakistan: Pak author

KOLKATA: Hindu temples in Pakistan are well-maintained, but since they are located in prime real estate areas some of them have become the targets of land sharks, Pakistan author Reema Abbasi has said.

"Hindu temples are well-maintained in Pakistan. The government looks after them. But old craftsmen are not there anymore, so you can't fully renovate them," Abbasi, who has written a book 'Historic Temples in Pakistan: A call to conscience', told PTI.

In the city to participate in Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF), she gave the example of 'Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir' in the old quarters of Karachi where renovation was being funded by MQM party.

However, Hindu temples were located in prime real estate areas where land sharks want to build hotels or shopping malls, she said.

"It is about land grabbing and greed. And another thing which happens is related to internal wars. There are a lot of people who are moving from one place to another and they try to take over the property," Abbasi said.

In her book, the journalist-turned author travels through the four provinces of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh in Pakistan detailing their landscape, local population and temples as well as their keepers.

A set of nearly 400 photographs in the book brings alive the rich history of Hinduism in Pakistan