The town of Machh, in Balochistan, is known more for its pre-independence jail, the infamous Machh Jail, but the Shankar Bhagwan Murti is currently pulling in hundreds of Hindu devotees from as far as the Thar desert in Sindh province.

Braving temperatures that touch nearly 40 degrees Celsius, Hindu devotees are arriving in Machh on rail and road to witness what they describe as an "ultimate miracle." Shankar Mandir, while of some reverence to most Hindus of the area, has for the first time attracted such crowds.

By Thursday, milk had been exhausted in all shops of Machh as Hindus purchased in great quantities. The Mandir management, which comprises one pandit and his family, told reporters that by Wednesday, the Shankar Bhagwan Murti hadconsumed over 50 kg of milk.

Pilgrims are hoping that the Murti will drink the milk that they offer it. "This is a holy sign that our wishes and dreams will come true," said Jai Krishan, a devotee, who works as a government employee in the provincial capital Quetta, over 500 km away.

This is Pakistan's first known Hindu miracle. Machh has a sizeable Hindu population along with adjoining areas, including Kolpur. Local Muslim residents also arrived at the temple to see the miracle in progress but were not able to do so because of the sudden rush within the frail building.

The district administration has told authorities in the provincial capital, Quetta, that they are fearful that the Mandir building will collapse because of the mad rush. They have also said that there is a possibility that food prices will start escalating rapidly as Machh town has limited food supplies, owing to the small population.