Pakistan’s Foreign Office says the temple was damaged by torrential rain on July 21 and that restoration work has already begun.
WEB DESK: Pakistan has rejected what it described as “false and politically motivated” claims by India regarding damage to a historic Hindu temple in Narowal, saying the structure was damaged by torrential rains rather than deliberately demolished.
The response came after India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern over reports concerning the Hindu temple at Adda Siraj in Narowal district, Punjab.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said local authorities had already surveyed the damage and initiated measures to restore the building.
Pakistan Rejects India’s Allegations
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan categorically rejected the Indian allegations regarding the temple.
According to the Foreign Office, the structure was damaged on July 21, 2026, during torrential rainfall.
Khan said local authorities had inspected the site following the rain damage and that restoration steps were already underway.
The Foreign Office accused India of distorting the facts and described its response as politically motivated.
India Raises Concerns Over Temple
India’s Ministry of External Affairs had earlier said it was deeply concerned about reports of the alleged destruction of the historic Hindu temple in Adda Siraj.
Indian officials called for a prompt and transparent investigation into the incident and raised concerns about the protection of religious sites and minority communities in Pakistan.
The competing accounts have created a diplomatic dispute over what caused the damage to the century-old religious structure.
Conflicting Accounts Over What Happened
Pakistan’s official account is that the temple was damaged by heavy rainfall.
However, minority rights groups and some local reports have alleged that the structure was deliberately demolished.
Dawn reported that a minority rights group claimed the temple had been deliberately razed to facilitate expansion of an adjoining seminary. The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), however, rejected that allegation and maintained that the temple collapsed because of heavy rainfall.
The ETPB has said the temple was more than a century old. Officials also distinguished between the temple’s own land and adjoining property that had reportedly been leased to a seminary.
Officials Visit Temple Site
Pakistan’s Evacuee Trust Property Board said its senior officials, along with Punjab’s minister for minority affairs and the Narowal deputy commissioner, visited the site on September 4.
The ETPB said the officials examined available evidence and rejected rumours that the temple had been deliberately demolished.
The board said no individual or institution had caused the damage.
The official position is that restoration measures will be taken to address the damage.
Foreign Office Broadens Response
The Foreign Office also used the opportunity to criticise India’s treatment of religious minorities.
Sajjad Haider Khan accused India of attempting to divert attention from what Pakistan describes as persecution of minorities and attacks on places of worship.
He specifically referred to Muslims, Sikhs and Christians in India and called for international scrutiny of the treatment of minority communities.
These additional remarks reflect the broader diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and India, where issues involving religious minorities frequently become part of bilateral political exchanges.
Restoration Efforts Underway
Pakistan says local authorities have already surveyed the damaged structure and started steps for restoration.
The ETPB’s site visit and the government’s stated restoration plans indicate that authorities are treating the damaged temple as a heritage and religious site requiring rehabilitation.
However, the dispute over the cause of the damage remains politically sensitive.
India has described the incident as alleged destruction and called for an investigation, while Pakistan maintains that the damage resulted from torrential rain.
