Century-Old Hindu Temple in Narowal Collapses; Calls Grow for Inquiry and Heritage Preservation

NAROWAL — Nazrana Times | By Ali Imran Chattha
An historic Hindu temple in Siraj village of Narowal district, estimated to be more than a century old, has become the subject of public concern after its historic structure was found demolished or collapsed on August 21, 2026.
The temple is estimated to be approximately 100 to 125 years old and stands on a site measuring around 1,000 square metres. The circumstances surrounding the loss of the structure remain disputed.
Minority representatives have alleged that the temple was deliberately demolished, while the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Punjab government have attributed the collapse to heavy rainfall.
Punjab Minister Inspects Site
Punjab Minister for Minorities Affairs and Human Rights Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora visited the site along with ETPB Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq and inspected the remains of the temple.
Local residents briefed the minister about the condition of the site. Some residents claimed that complaints concerning the deteriorating condition of the temple had previously been submitted to the ETPB Gujranwala office.
These claims have not been independently verified and would require confirmation through official ETPB records.
A video circulating on social media also shows an elderly resident making allegations of corruption and demands for bribes by government officials while speaking to the minister. The allegations remain unverified and are not being presented as established facts.
Questions Over Preservation
The Evacuee Trust Property Board is a federal institution working under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and is responsible for the administration of evacuee trust properties, including religious sites associated with Hindu and Sikh communities.
The incident has therefore raised questions about the maintenance and preservation of historic religious properties under the Board's administrative control.
The central issue is whether adequate maintenance and preventive preservation measures were undertaken before the temple reached its reported condition.
Conflicting Claims Over Cause
The Pakistan Masiha Millat Party (PMMP) has alleged that the temple was deliberately demolished and that bricks, metal fittings from the dome and other material were removed from the site.
PMMP Chairman Aslam Parvez Sahotra said that he and local residents met Punjab Additional Home Secretary on August 28 and submitted a written application seeking action against those responsible and officials they allege failed to protect the site.
The dispute also involves adjoining property. According to Sahotra, land next to the temple had previously been leased by ETPB to a seminary. He further claimed that the lease was later cancelled and that an ETPB order dated January 29, 2026, directed the eviction of illegal occupants and sealing of the property.
These claims concerning the adjoining property and implementation of the order require verification through official records.
The ETPB and Punjab government, however, maintain that the temple structure collapsed following heavy rainfall rather than being deliberately demolished. The ETPB has also stated that the temple's own land had not been leased, while adjoining land had been leased to a seminary.
Punjab Government Announces Reconstruction
Following the inspection, Minister Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora said that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had directed that the historic temple be rebuilt as soon as possible.
The Punjab government has publicly committed to restoring the portion of the temple that collapsed.
If implemented, reconstruction could help preserve an important part of Narowal's pre-Partition religious and architectural heritage.
Questions nevertheless remain regarding the role of the ETPB and other relevant authorities in the restoration and preservation process.
Calls for a Formal Inquiry
The incident has also prompted questions about whether the federal Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony or the ETPB will undertake a formal review.
A transparent inquiry could establish the condition of the temple before its collapse, determine whether previous complaints were received, clarify the circumstances surrounding the loss of the structure, examine the legal status of adjoining property and establish whether any administrative failure occurred.
As of the latest publicly available information reviewed by Nazrana Times, no specific independent inquiry commission into the Narowal temple incident has been publicly announced.
There has also been no publicly available statement from Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Kheal Das Kohistani specifically addressing this incident in the sources reviewed for this report. His absence from the public discussion does not establish wrongdoing.
Questions Requiring Clarification
Several issues remain to be clarified:
1. Were complaints regarding the temple's condition formally received by the ETPB Gujranwala office?
2. If so, what action was taken?
3. What was the precise cause of the structural collapse?
4. Was any material removed from the site after the collapse?
5. What is the legal status of the adjoining ETPB property?
6. Was the January 29, 2026 order concerning the adjoining property implemented?
7. Will the ETPB conduct or participate in a transparent inquiry?
8. Will the federal Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony review the matter?
9. Will reconstruction follow the temple's historic design and character?
The answers could be important for the Hindu community as well as for the broader preservation of Pakistan's shared religious and architectural heritage.
The Punjab government's announcement regarding reconstruction is a significant step toward preserving the site. At the same time, reconstruction and accountability are separate issues: if prolonged neglect contributed to the loss, the circumstances should be established; if deliberate destruction is ultimately proven, those responsible should be dealt with according to law.
For now, the precise circumstances surrounding the temple's destruction or collapse remain disputed. What is clear is that a historic religious structure estimated to be more than a century old has been lost.
Nazrana Times will continue to follow developments concerning reconstruction, official investigations and the preservation of the Narowal site.