Islamabad: Serious allegations have been made that a group has demolished a 125-year-old historic Hindu temple in Siraj village of Narowal district in Pakistan’s Punjab province to expand an adjacent madrasa.
Condemning the demolition of this ancient temple, which was spread over an area of about 1,000 square meters, Pakistani human rights activists, minority organizations and local Hindu leaders have demanded that the federal government led by Shehbaz Sharif and the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz immediately reconstruct the temple and take strict action against the culprits.
Details of the incident and allegations Members of a banned right-wing Islamic organisation are alleged to have demolished the temple on August 21, looted its metal parts and bricks from its spire and illegally annexed the site to an adjoining seminary.
Order but no action: The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) had cancelled the lease of the land adjoining the temple in January due to non-payment of rent. Despite orders from the Deputy Administrator to clear and seal the illegal occupants, the local administration and police have allowed the temple to be demolished without taking action, alleged Pakistan Masiha Millat Party (PMMP) president Aslam Pervez Sahotra.
Atmosphere of fear: Rattan Lal, a Hindu member of the Narowal District Peace Committee, expressed helplessness, saying, “Local Hindus are afraid to even visit the place due to the encroachment of the madrasa.”
Government’s argument and confrontation:
ETPB says it collapsed due to rain: Senior ETPB official Rana Iftikhar has denied these allegations and maintained that the 100-125-year-old structure collapsed on its own due to heavy rains.
Intelligence warning ignored: However, it has been revealed that the April 11 police report itself had warned about the security risk to the temple and the possibility of damage by miscreants.
Serial attacks on religious places: Illegal encroachments and attacks on places of worship of Hindu, Sikh and Christian communities have been reported continuously in Pakistan. In recent years, more than a dozen ancient temples have been destroyed in Sindh and Punjab provinces.
International objection: Global human rights organizations, including the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), have repeatedly expressed concern about the government’s complete failure to protect the religious properties of minorities in Pakistan.