Islamabad, September 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A more than century-old Hindu temple in Narowal city of Pakistan’s Punjab province was demolished on August 21, with a minority rights organisation alleging that the religious structure was removed to make way for the expansion of an adjacent seminary.
The Pakistan Masiha Millat Party (PMMP), which works on minority rights, has called for the temple to be reconstructed in its original form and urged the Punjab government to take steps to protect religious sites belonging to minority communities.
According to local reports, the temple was located in Siraj village in Narowal. PMMP chairman Aslam Parvez Sahotra and other residents submitted a written application to Punjab Additional Home Secretary on August 28, seeking action against those responsible for the demolition as well as officials who allegedly failed to protect the religious property.
Sahotra said the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) had leased land near the temple to a seminary. The lease was subsequently cancelled after rent allegedly remained unpaid for several years, following which parts of the property were allegedly occupied illegally.
He further claimed that an ETPB Deputy Director in Sialkot had issued an order in January cancelling the lease, directing the eviction of illegal occupants and ordering that the property be sealed. According to Sahotra, however, the order was not implemented.
The PMMP has demanded that the temple be rebuilt in its original form and called on the Punjab government to ensure the protection of temples, gurdwaras, churches and properties belonging to these communities.
The development has also drawn attention to another recent incident involving a Sikh place of worship in Pakistan. In June, portions of the 125-year-old Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad were demolished. A local businessman was alleged to have carried out the demolition without the required legal clearance or a court order.
The incident prompted Sikh residents of Farooqabad to protest. Reports said authorities acknowledged the demolition only after members of the Sikh community took to the streets.
The two incidents have raised concerns among minority rights advocates about the protection of historic religious properties belonging to minority communities in Pakistan.
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