Pakistan fires back at India over ‘baseless propaganda’ related to the demolition of Narowal temple

ISLAMABAD – A historic temple in Narowal suddenly became the focus of an India-Pakistan dispute as New Delhi falsely alleged that the site was demolished, when in fact the damage was caused by torrential rains.

The Foreign Office said the temple in Siraj village near Narowal was damaged by heavy rains and was not demolished, dismissing India’s allegations as politically motivated propaganda.

Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said the structure was damaged by heavy rains on July 21, while local authorities later inspected the site and initiated steps to restore it. The government’s stand was also supported by Punjab Minority Affairs Minister Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, who said that he personally visited the site and saw that only a portion of the old structure of the temple had collapsed after heavy rains.

The controversy centers on the condition of the historic temple and the cause of the damage. Although reports and minority rights groups have alleged that the temple was deliberately vandalized, Pakistani officials say the structure suffered weather-related damage.

The Punjab government has said that the temple’s own land was never leased, although the adjoining land was leased to a madrassa. The government has also assured that the damaged portion will be restored.

Rejecting India’s criticism, the Foreign Office accused New Delhi of distorting facts for political purposes. Sajjad Haider Khan said efforts to portray the incident in a different light cannot distract from what Pakistan has described as India’s record on minority rights.

He accused India of using Hindutva ideology against minorities and demanded accountability for alleged mistreatment of Muslim, Sikh and Christian communities.

The official explanation did not end the controversy. Minority rights representatives and some local residents have challenged the government’s account, alleging that the structure was deliberately demolished and building materials removed from the site. Pakistani authorities are disputing these allegations.

For now, Islamabad’s position is clear: the Narowal temple was damaged by torrential rains and was not deliberately demolished, while restoration efforts have been initiated.

Pakistan has condemned the unjustified demolition of an ancient mosque in India.

The post Pakistan fires back at India on ‘baseless propaganda’ of Narowal temple demolition appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.

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