Pakistan Seals 200 Year Old Hindu Temple Following Demolition Attempt

PESHAWAR, Oct 18: Pakistani authorities have sealed a nearly 200-year-old Hindu temple in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following protests against an alleged attempt to demolish the historic structure to make way for a commercial plaza.

The Ram Leela Temple, located in Rahim Bazaar in Dera Ismail Khan city, was taken into official custody by the local administration on Saturday and subsequently sealed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), officials said.

The action followed an intervention by local residents earlier this week, when workers allegedly attempted to demolish the temple. Members of the Hindu community and civil society activists opposed the move, demanding an investigation into the property’s ownership and the proposed construction.

Sohail Ahmed Azmi, president of the Dera Civil Society and the local traders’ association, said he rushed to the site with other residents after receiving information about the demolition attempt.

According to Azmi, a man present at the location claimed that he had been awarded a contract to carry out the work.

Following the incident, representatives of civil society and members of the Hindu community held discussions to oppose the proposed development. They also called on elected representatives to raise the matter in Pakistan’s National Assembly and ensure that the site’s historical and religious significance was protected.

The Ram Leela Temple is among approximately 400 buildings in Dera Ismail Khan identified as cultural heritage properties by the ETPB. The government body manages properties left behind by people who migrated to India following the 1947 Partition, along with assets held in trust for minority religious communities. It also oversees several Hindu and Sikh religious sites across Pakistan.

Haroon Sarab Dial, chairman of the All Pakistan Hindu Rights Movement, expressed hope that religious places belonging to minority communities would receive stronger protection during the ongoing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan imposed governor’s rule in the province on October 11, citing a deteriorating law-and-order situation and accusing the provincial government, led by the party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, of failing to cooperate in counterterrorism efforts.

Dial also demanded a comprehensive investigation into allegations that religious properties had been illegally occupied or sold between 2013 and 2026. He called for accountability and stronger safeguards to prevent the unauthorised transfer or commercial exploitation of such sites.

The latest controversy has renewed concerns over the preservation of religious and cultural heritage in Dera Ismail Khan. According to civil society representatives, an earlier proposal to develop a commercial plaza at the temple site had also encountered opposition from local residents and traders.

The district and its surrounding areas contain several historic Hindu religious and archaeological sites. These include the temple complex at Bilot Sharif, which dates from the seventh to the early 11th centuries, according to Pakistan’s Department of Archaeology and Museums.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for greater transparency and accountability in the functioning of the ETPB, recommending reforms to make the institution more representative of minority communities.

In a report released on Thursday titled Sanctuary Denied: Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2025/26, the commission highlighted continuing violations of fundamental rights affecting religious minorities.

The report raised concerns over the misuse of blasphemy laws, forced marriages and conversions, discriminatory employment practices and the marginalisation of minority communities. It also documented the vulnerability of Hindu and Christian girls to abductions and forced marriages.

The sealing of the Ram Leela Temple has brought renewed attention to demands for stronger legal protection of minority religious properties and greater accountability in their management. Community representatives and heritage advocates have called for an impartial investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the demolition attempt and safeguard the historic site.