Several Hindus kidnapped for ransom, says Pakistani leader

ISLAMABAD - Santosh Kumar Bugti, a minority leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N, has sought early recovery of an abducted leading Hindu spiritual leader and said that several members of the Hindu community had been kidnapped for ransom.

Addressing a press conference in Quetta, Bugti appealed to all tribal leaders and elders to play their role for Lakki Chand Garji’s recovery.

Eightytwo-year-old Lakki Chand Garji, who is the `maharaja’ of the Kali Mata Mandir in Kalat town in Balochistan province, is considered to be one of Pakistan’s most revered Hindu spiritual leaders. He was kidnapped Dec 21.

Dawn reported Thursday that leaders of the Hindu community, including Dewan Chand, Anil Kumar and Bhajan Lal, attended the press conference.

Criticising the provincial government, Bugti said that it had failed to protect the life and property of the people as kidnapping for ransom had become common.

He said that several members of the Hindu community had been kidnapped for ransom, with none of them being recovered by police.

The families of kidnapped people paid huge ransom to get their relatives freed, Bugti was quoted as saying.

He said that shops and homes of the Hindu community had been robbed. They were facing kidnapping for ransom for a long time and they now felt insecure in their own province.

No one has contacted (Garji’s) family and other people of the Hindu community so far, said Bugti.

Lakki Chand Garji has been the ‘maharaja at Kali Mata Mandir for the past 60 years and he has command on several languages including Balochi, Hindi, Sindhi, Persian and Brahavi.