Source: www.dailypioneer.com
LUCKNOW, PAKISTAN, June 2010: Rituals in many Hindu temples in Pakistan, including famous Prahlad temple and Sun temple in Multan, have been suspended. Visiting Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi has said since all the important Hindu temples were facing an acute shortage of priests, the Government had no option but to suspend religious functions in Multan temples.
“The Pakistan Government tried to restore religious rituals in these temples because the local Hindu population is missing their religious traditions,” Kazmi said, but added that Hindu population has declined in the region. He, however, refused to give reasons for this decline.
The United Nations had offered to adopt Sun temple and Sindhu valley temples as World Heritage sites but the Pakistan Govermnent had rejected the proposal, Kazmi said.
The international wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which provides Hindu priests to the overseas temples, said it can supply priests if the Pakistan Government was ready to give visas and security to them.