Report by: [Danish Rajput Sukkur]
At a significant press conference held at the Sukkur National Press Club, the President of Youth Hindu Sangat Sukkur, Ranjit Kumar, leveled serious accusations against the head of the Sukkur Hindu Panchayat, Mukhiya Ishwar Lal.
Ranjit Kumar strongly condemned the recent attack on Dr. Kripal Das, stating that Ishwar Lal made only a symbolic protest and left halfway through the demonstration. He revealed that Dr. Kripal Das had been receiving extortion threats for several days prior to the attack, in which his driver tragically lost his life.
Kumar further disclosed that many other Hindu businessmen in Sukkur are also receiving extortion demands, with some even forced to pay for the sake of their safety. He lamented that Sukkur has become a “second Kashmore” for the Hindu community, referring to it as a place plagued by abductions, extortion, and insecurity.
He accused Ishwar Lal of failing to represent the Hindu community or take meaningful steps to resolve their issues. Instead, he alleged, Ishwar Lal is primarily focused on safeguarding the interests of the Pakistan People’s Party. “He says, ‘Pay money, avoid bullets,’ but we earn our living honestly—why should we pay extortion money?” Kumar asked.
Regarding the abduction case of Priya Kumari, Ranjit Kumar claimed that Ishwar Lal displayed gross negligence and mishandled the case, even going so far as to claim publicly that Priya had died, which Kumar says is false. “If we start paying ransom for one child, others will also be kidnapped tomorrow,” he warned.He criticized the Hindu Panchayat’s silence on the murder of journalist Ajay Lalwani, noting that it was the National Press Club that raised its voice, not the Panchayat. Kumar also alleged that Ishwar Lal is more interested in securing government contracts and misuses temple-related projects to receive funds, adding, “From now on, we will manage temple affairs ourselves.Kumar went on to claim that Ishwar Lal sold calves worth Rs. 5.9 million an act he described as a desecration of Hindu beliefs, since cows are considered sacred. He also criticized Ishwar Lal for remaining silent on the issue of forced religious conversions. “Hindu girls are being abducted, blackmailed through their photos and videos, and forcibly converted to Islam,” he said.Ranjit Kumar demanded immediate protection for the Hindu community and concrete action to address their concerns. He warned that if their issues are not resolved, the scope of their protests would be expanded