Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa identifies sites for cremation grounds, graveyard

Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has identified sites for the construction of a cremation ground for the Hindu and Sikh community and a graveyard for Christians. Nearly 1.25 acre of land has been identified in Samarbagh near Northern bypass Peshawar of which 0.5 acres will be allocated for the construction of the cremation ground and 0.75 acres for the graveyard, sources in the Department of Auqaf & Religious Affairs, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said.

The provincial government has enforced Section-IV for the procurement of land at the sites identified for the cremation ground and the graveyard in Peshawar, Nowshera and Kohat districts of the province. Efforts are on to release the funds for the construction of the cremation ground and the graveyard. Provision for one ambulance to each worship places of minorities in the province is also planned, Minority MPA Ravi Kumar of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said. The Christian community after the suicide attack on All Saint Church in Peshawar City on September 22, 2014, brought the issue of non-availability of space for the graveyard in the notice of the provincial government and the Hindu and Sikh community also raised the same issue before the government.

(With inputs from agencies.)