A greater than 100-year-old Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab province was demolished on August 21 in Siraj village of Narowal, round 130 km from Lahore, with minority teams alleging that spiritual zealots focused the location to soak up its land into an adjoining madrassa. The federal government, nevertheless, has maintained that the temple collapsed due to torrential rains.The demolition has triggered calls for for an investigation and restoration of the temple, with the Pakistan Masiha Millat Occasion (PMMP) accusing native authorities and the Evacuee Belief Property Board (ETPB) of failing to guard the centuries-old Hindu place of worship.PMMP chairman Aslam Parvez Sahotra stated he met Punjab Further Residence Secretary on August 28 and submitted a written utility in search of motion towards these allegedly answerable for the demolition, in addition to officers accused of failing to guard the property.Sahotra alleged that the folks concerned within the demolition have been related to the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a banned far-right Islamic social gathering. He additional claimed that after the temple was introduced down, steel fittings from its shikhar, bricks and different materials have been faraway from the location.The temple, estimated to be between 100 and 125 years outdated, stood on roughly 1,000 sq. metres of land in Siraj village.The dispute over the location predates its demolition. In accordance with Sahotra, land adjoining the temple had earlier been leased by the ETPB for a madrassa. The lease was subsequently cancelled after lease allegedly went unpaid for a number of years and the premises weren’t used for the said objective.He stated a number of folks later occupied parts of the property illegally.Sahotra referred to a income division report which recognized people as unlawful occupants of the temple’s quarters and different components of the property. He stated the ETPB deputy administrator in Sialkot cancelled the seminary’s lease rights on January 29, 2026, and ordered the eviction of unlawful occupants and sealing of the property.“This order was not applied,” Sahotra alleged.A report attributed to the DSP Narowal, dated April 11, additionally indicated that native police have been conscious of safety issues surrounding the temple and the chance that it may very well be broken, in line with Sahotra.The ETPB, nevertheless, has rejected the allegation that the temple was intentionally demolished.ETPB senior official Rana Iftikhar advised PTI that the temple had collapsed following torrential rains. He acknowledged its historic significance, saying, “The temple carries no identify in our document books. Nonetheless, it’s a very outdated one… greater than 100 to 125 years outdated,” he stated.Iftikhar additionally confirmed that the land adjoining the temple had been leased for a seminary, however maintained that the temple’s personal land had not been leased.“Nonetheless, the temple’s land shouldn’t be given to anybody for lease,” he stated and added the ETPB highups will resolve about restoration of the temple.The conflicting accounts have heightened issues amongst members of the native Hindu neighborhood.Hindu neighborhood chief Rattan Lal condemned the demolition and known as for the federal government to order the temple’s restoration. He stated the district administration and ETPB had didn’t take ample steps to safe the location or take away alleged unlawful occupants.“The district administration and the ETPB didn’t take ample measures to guard the location or take away the alleged occupants, finally permitting the temple to be demolished,” Lal stated and requested the federal government to take motion towards these discovered concerned within the demolition of the temple.Lal, who can also be a Hindu member of the Narowal District Peace Committee and the Pak Dharam Astan Hindu Committee, stated members of the neighborhood have been now reluctant to method the location.“We’re even afraid to go to the location due to the madrassa that continues to function on its premises.”Sahotra has known as for the temple to be rebuilt in its authentic type and urged the Punjab authorities to strengthen safety for Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras and Christian church buildings, together with their adjoining properties.Arya, in the meantime, stated many years of battle between Pakistan and India, the Islamisation insurance policies of the Nineteen Eighties and the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in India had contributed to a way of insecurity amongst native Hindus.“Preserving Hindu heritage can enhance the picture of Pakistan and appeal to tourism.”
