A century-old Hindu temple in Siraj village of Pakistan’s Narowal district was reported damaged or demolished on August 21, triggering allegations of deliberate vandalism and a diplomatic response from India. Local minority groups and residents alleged that the historic structure was intentionally razed to facilitate the expansion of an adjoining madrasa, with some claims pointing to extremist elements.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned the incident as a “reprehensible act of vandalism” and called for a transparent investigation, while Pakistan dismissed the criticism as politically motivated and said restoration measures had been initiated.
In response to media queries regarding reported demolition of a century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan, Official Spokesperson Shri Randhir Jaiswal said:
“We have noted with deep concern the disturbing reports of the destruction of a historic Hindu temple in village Siraj, Narowal, Pakistan. We unequivocally condemn this reprehensible act of vandalism against a century old minority place of worship.The apparent apathy of authorities and failure to protect this century-old temple is alarming. Such incidents are a stark reminder of the continuing vulnerability of minority communities and the egregious violations of their religious freedoms and places of worship in Pakistan.”
“We call upon the Government of Pakistan to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation into this incident and ensure that those responsible are held fully accountable. Furthermore, the Government of Pakistan must take immediate remedial measures to restore the desecrated temple and fulfill its primary obligation to guarantee the safety, security and well-being of all its minority citizens and their cultural heritage.”-the statement added.
