Over 100-year-old temple demolished in Pak

LAHORE, Aug 31:  An over century old Hindu temple has been demolished reportedly to include its land in a madrassa in Punjab province of Pakistan, officials and minority bodies said on Monday.

Local people, minority bodies and a political party said a group of religious zealots demolished the temple to include its land in an adjacent seminary, while the Government claimed that the old temple collapsed due to torrential rains.

Occupying approximately 1,000 sq metres of land, the 100-125-year-old temple was located in Siraj village of Narowal, some 130 kms from Lahore.

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The people who demolished the temple on August 21 reportedly belonged to the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a banned far-right Islamic party.

The Pakistan Masiha Millat Party (PMMP) has urged the Punjab government to take action against those involved in the demolition of the temple and ensure its reconstruction.

PMMP chairman Aslam Parvez Sahotra said that he met the Additional Home Secretary 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 temple shikhar's metal fittings, other material and bricks from the demolished structure were subsequently removed from the site.

The land adjoining the temple had previously been leased by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) for a madrassa, he said, adding, 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 further said that several people subsequently occupied portions of the property illegally.

Hindu community leader Rattan Lal condemned demolition of the ancient temple and requested the government to order its restoration.

"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 and asked the government to take action against those found involved in the demolition of the temple.

ETPB senior official Rana Iftikhar told PTI that the temple was approximately 100 to 125 years old and collapsed because of 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.

Sahotra referred to a revenue department report identifying several individuals as illegal occupants of the temple's quarters and other parts of the property and said that an order by the ETPB's deputy administrator in Sialkot on January 29, 2026 cancelled the seminary's lease rights and directed the eviction of illegal occupants and sealing of the property.

"This order was not implemented," Sahotra alleged. (PTI)