The Hindu community residing in Karachi woke up on Saturday morning to a shocking discovery—the historic Mari Mata Temple in Soldier Bazaar had been completely demolished. According to local residents, the operation took place during a power outage late Friday night. Heavy machinery, including diggers and a bulldozer, arrived and demolished the entire interior of the temple, while leaving the outer walls and main gate untouched.
Witnesses in the area claimed to have seen a police vehicle present at the site, apparently providing protection to the individuals operating the machinery. The Mari Mata Temple, situated on Mukhi Chohitram Road near the Soldier Bazaar police station, has a significant history, believed to have been built over 150 years ago. There have been rumors of hidden treasures buried within its courtyard.
The management of the temple, representing the Madrasi Hindu community of Karachi, had recently relocated most of the deities to a small room near the stormwater drain due to concerns about the temple’s deteriorating condition. However, without warning, the temple was demolished overnight.
Members of the Madrasi Hindu community alleged that they were being coerced into vacating the premises by two individuals named Imran Hashmi and Rekha (also known as Nagin Bai). There were reports of a potential sale of the temple to another party for a sum of 70 million rupees, with the intention of constructing a commercial building on the site. The community also mentioned the existence of fraudulent documents, supposedly signed by a person named ‘Navaid,’ facilitating the transfer of the temple’s lease from an amenity plot to a commercial one.
In response to this distressing incident, the community has reached out to the Pakistan-Hindu Council, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, and the Inspector General of Sindh police, urging them to address the matter urgently and investigate the situation.
