Century-Old Hindu Temple Collapse in Pakistan Raises Concerns Among Minorities
Islamabad — The collapse of a more than 100-year-old Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab province has raised concerns among minority communities, with a rights group alleging the structure was deliberately demolished while authorities blamed heavy rains.
The temple in Narowal was intentionally demolished to create more space for a nearby madrasa, according to the Pakistan Masiha Millat Party, a minority rights group.
Pakistan’s Evacuee Trust Property Board, which manages Sikh and Hindu properties left behind by people who migrated to India after Partition, said the temple collapsed during torrential rains. The Punjab government has backed the board’s account, according to a report by Bitter Winter.
PMMP Chairman Aslam Parvez Sahotra said he and several local residents submitted a written application to Punjab’s Additional Home Secretary seeking action against those responsible for the alleged demolition and officials who failed to protect the site.
Sahotra said an order issued by the ETPB deputy director in Sialkot in January had canceled the madrasa’s lease, ordered illegal occupants to vacate the property and directed that the site be sealed. He said the order was never implemented.
The PMMP alleged that the temple was dismantled piece by piece and that bricks, metal fittings and other materials were removed from the site. The group said the absence of those materials raised questions about the official explanation that the structure simply collapsed.
The organization called for the temple to be reconstructed in its original form and urged the Punjab government to protect Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras and Christian churches.
“The conflicting accounts have revived concerns among minority communities, who point to earlier incidents where heritage sites suffered damage under disputed circumstances,” Bitter Winter reported.
The report cited a June incident in which portions of the 125-year-old Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad were demolished after a local businessman allegedly carried out work without legal clearance or a court order.
“Sikh residents protested in the streets, and only then did authorities acknowledge the incident,” the report said. Officials later admitted authorities had failed to respond until members of the Sikh community protested and promised the damaged structure would be rebuilt. (Source: IANS)
