Pakistan temple demolition row sparks calls for rebuild in Punjab

A century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan's Narowal district has been demolished amid a dispute over the site. Minority groups are demanding accountability, restoration and stronger protection for religious heritage.An over 100-year-old Hindu temple in Pakistan's Punjab province has been demolished, with minority bodies and local residents alleging that the site was cleared to merge its land with a madrassa. Government officials, however, have said the structure collapsed because of torrential rains.The temple, spread over about 1,000 square metres in Siraj village of Narowal district, around 130 km from Lahore, was said to be 100 to 125 years old. The demolition has led to demands for action against those responsible and for the temple to be rebuilt.Local people, minority bodies and a political party said the temple was demolished on August 21 by a group of religious zealots to bring its land into an adjoining seminary. They alleged that those involved belonged to the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, a banned far-right Islamic party. The Pakistan Masiha Millat Party has urged the Punjab government to act against those involved and ensure reconstruction of the temple.PMMP chairman Aslam Parvez Sahotra told PTI that he met the Additional Home Secretary of Punjab on August 28 and submitted a written application seeking action against the alleged perpetrators and officials accused of failing to protect the temple. He alleged that the metal fittings from the temple shikhar, other material and bricks from the demolished structure were later removed from the site. Sahotra said the land adjoining the temple had earlier been leased by the Evacuee Trust Property Board for a madrassa, but the lease was later cancelled after the rent allegedly remained unpaid for several years and the premises were not used for the stated purpose. He also said several people later occupied parts of the property illegally. Referring to a revenue department report, he said several individuals had been identified as illegal occupants of the temple's quarters and other parts of the property. He added that an order issued by the ETPB deputy administrator in Sialkot on January 29, 2026 cancelled the seminary's lease rights and ordered the eviction of illegal occupants and sealing of the property. "This order was not implemented," Sahotra alleged.He also cited a report attributed to the DSP of Narowal, dated April 11, saying the local police were aware of security concerns around the temple and the possibility of damage to it. Sahotra called for the temple to be rebuilt in its original form and urged the government to ensure protection of Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras and Christian churches, along with their adjoining properties, across Punjab. Hindu community leader Rattan Lal condemned the demolition and asked the government to order restoration of the ancient temple. "The district administration and the ETPB failed to take adequate measures to protect the site or remove the alleged occupants, ultimately allowing the temple to be demolished," Lal said, while seeking action against those found involved. Lal, who is also a Hindu member of the Narowal District Peace Committee and the Pak Dharam Astan Hindu Committee, said, "We are even afraid to visit the site because of the madrassa that continues to operate on its premises."ETPB senior official Rana Iftikhar told PTI that the temple was around 100 to 125 years old and had collapsed due to torrential rains. "The temple carries no name in our record books. However, it is a very old one... more than 100 to 125 years old," he said. Iftikhar said the land next to the temple had been leased for setting up a seminary, but added, "However, the temple's land is not given to anyone for lease," and said the ETPB high-ups would decide on restoration of the temple.Arya said decades of conflict between Pakistan and India, the Islamisation policies of the 1980s and the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in India had contributed to a sense of insecurity among local Hindus. He added, "Preserving Hindu heritage can improve the image of Pakistan and attract tourism." The temple's demolition has since triggered competing accounts over what happened, alongside fresh calls from minority representatives for accountability and restoration.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 31, 2026 19:18 IST