KARACHI, Feb 28: The Sindh High Court on Thursday ordered that access to Amrapur Asthan, a century-old Hindu temple in Tando Adam, should not be blocked or hindered so that pilgrims can freely perform their religious rites at the place of worship according to their faith.

The direction came on a petition filed by Reejho Mal, who sought access to the temple for members of his community belonging to Prem Prakash Panth, a Hindu sect of the global Sindhi community having roots in traditions and customs of Sanatan Hindu Dharma.

A division bench headed by Justice Maqbool Bagar ordered that access to the temple shall not be blocked till the next date of hearing fixed for March 13 as the provincial law officer sought time for filing comments on behalf of respondents.

The petitioner`s counsel, Advocate Shahab Sarki, argued that local Hindus worshipped and performed their rituals at the centuryold temple, the last resting place of Satguru Swami Tenu Ram Ji Maharaj who had founded the Prem Prakash sect in the prepartition era.

He said the temple, spread over 7.12 acres, had historical and archeological significance and devotees from other parts of the country and abroad made a pilgrimage to the holy place.

Most Hindus left their homes and moved to adjacent areas in the late 1950s because of poor law and order situation in the area. In the meantime, the counsel said, the provincial government allotted a portion of the temple land to the education department to establish Dr Ziauddin Primary School on the premises.

He said the school administration, particularly the headmaster, was hostile towards minority members who were prevented from entering their place of worship.

The petitioner alleged that the school administration manhandled visiting Hindu pilgrims and did not let them enter the temple in Octoberlastyear.

The hostile group was also busy chipping away at the historical building of the temple, he said.

The counsel said the petitioner had sent an application to the respondent officials requesting them to ensure access to the temple and declare it as a `protected heritage` to save it from decay but he did not receive any response.

He prayed to the court to declare that obstruction, hindrance and prevention of thepetitioner and his community from professing, preaching and practising their religion in their holy place by the school administration, headmaster and other hostile persons, was unjust, illegal and in violation of the minorities` constitutional rights.

The petitioner asked the court to direct authorities concerned to declare the temple `protected heritage` under provisions of Section 6 of the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1984 and take measures for its repair and maintenance.

The Amrapur Asthan, earlier known as Wari Jo Daro (sand dune), is considered to be the most auspicious and holiest place for the devotees of Prem Prakash Panth and a popular meeting place of spiritual masters from all parts of the country.

Swami Tenu Ram Maharaj laid down the tradition of establishing spiritual centres called Aashram, worship place for the followers of the Hindu sect, which is different from traditional Hindu temple in that it also provides lodging facility to visiting devotees and disciples with saints and sadhus.

Mohammad Azam Qureshi, a representative of the non-government organisation running the school on the temple premises, who had moved an application for becoming an intervener in the matter, disputed the petitioner`s claims and said there was no temple on the premises nor were any rituals performed there by members of the Hindu community.

The applicant said that Dr Ziauddin Primary School and Sir Syed High School were established after partition on 16,387 square yards of the `musafir khana`, which had 40 to 45 rooms.

Teenu Ram, a secular, social reformer, had built the edifice as a travellers` lodge to provide shelter to commuters who travelled from one place to another, he said.

A decade before partition Mr Teenu Ram shifted to Ulhasnagar Maharashtra, India to look after other musafir khanas he had established in various cities of India. After partition the place turned into a camp for refugees who came from India, he said. Later in 1948, these musafir khanas were converted into schools.

Mr Qureshi alleged that a minister and an MPA of the minority community had forcibly occupied the musafir khana`s building which the school was using as a library.

The petitioner approached the court when the school administration resisted their illegal occupation of the library, he said.