{"id":19438,"date":"2026-09-02T16:03:07","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T16:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=19438"},"modified":"2026-09-02T16:03:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T16:03:07","slug":"india-concerns-pakistan-temple-destruction-reprehensible-act-of-vandalism-india-condemns-demolition-of-century-old-hindu-temple-in-pakistan-seeks-probe-india-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=19438","title":{"rendered":"India Concerns Pakistan Temple Destruction: \u2018Reprehensible act of vandalism\u2019: India condemns demolition of century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan, seeks probe | India News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133714690,imgsize-115950,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg\" alt=\"\u2018Reprehensible act of vandalism\u2019: India condemns demolition of century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan, seeks probe\" title=\"An ancient Hindu temple in Pakistan\u2019s Punjab was reportedly demolished, sparking demands from minority groups for an investigation and restoration\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"An ancient Hindu temple in Pakistan\u2019s Punjab was reportedly demolished, sparking demands from minority groups for an investigation and restoration\">An ancient Hindu temple in Pakistan\u2019s Punjab was reportedly demolished, sparking demands from minority groups for an investigation and restoration<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday expressed deep concern over reports of the destruction of a historic Hindu temple in Pakistan&#8217;s Punjab province and called on the Pakistani government to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation into the incident.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>Responding to media queries, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India \u201cunequivocally\u201d condemned the reported vandalism of the century-old place of worship in Siraj village in Narowal.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>\u201cWe 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,\u201d Jaiswal said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2><b>India flags authorities&#8217; &#8216;apathy&#8217;<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/>The MEA said the apparent failure of authorities to protect the temple was alarming and raised concerns over the safety and religious freedoms of minority communities in Pakistan.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>\u201cThe 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,\u201d Jaiswal said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/>India called upon Pakistan to investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>\u201cWe 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,\u201d the MEA spokesperson said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"19\"\/>India also urged Pakistan to take immediate steps to restore the temple and ensure the safety and security of minority communities and their cultural heritage.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"22\"\/>\u201cFurthermore, 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,\u201d Jaiswal added.<\/p>\n<div data-type=\"in_view\" class=\"  \">\n<div class=\"LEzX4\">\n<div class=\"PmOGb\">\n<p class=\"PSf84\">Share your thoughts in the comments<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"sUTYm \">Insightful<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"sUTYm \">Agree<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"sUTYm \">Disagree<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"sUTYm \">Skeptical<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"sUTYm \">Concerning<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"sUTYm \">Promising<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"sUTYm \">Worth Reading<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"sUTYm \">Big Development<\/button><\/p>\n<p><textarea class=\"T9MbS\" rows=\"1\" placeholder=\"Add your Thoughts...\"\/><button type=\"button\" class=\"ZW6JD \" disabled=\"\">Post Comment<\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"swnca\">Be respectful \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiatimes.com\/termsandcondition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"gkv0P\">TOI community guidelines<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2><b>Temple&#8217;s destruction triggered calls for restoration<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>The more than 100-year-old temple in Siraj village, around 130 km from Lahore, was demolished on August 21.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/>Minority groups alleged that religious zealots had targeted the site to absorb its land into an adjacent madrassa, while Pakistan&#8217;s Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) maintained that the structure had collapsed following torrential rains.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"32\"\/>ETPB senior official Rana Iftikhar acknowledged the temple&#8217;s historical significance, saying it was \u201cmore than 100 to 125 years old\u201d, while maintaining that the land on which the temple stood had not been leased to anyone.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/>The demolition prompted demands from minority groups and local Hindu community leaders for an investigation and the restoration of the temple.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/india\/reprehensible-act-of-vandalism-india-condemns-demolition-of-century-old-hindu-temple-in-pakistan-seeks-probe\/articleshow\/133714540.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An ancient Hindu temple in Pakistan\u2019s Punjab was reportedly demolished, sparking demands from minority groups for an investigation and restoration NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday expressed deep concern over reports of the destruction of a historic Hindu temple in Pakistan&#8217;s Punjab province and called on the Pakistani government to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19439,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/100-year-old-hindu-temple-was-demolished-in-pakistans-punjab.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"An ancient Hindu temple in Pakistan\u2019s Punjab was reportedly demolished, sparking demands from minority groups for an investigation and restoration NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday expressed deep concern over reports of the destruction of a historic Hindu temple in Pakistan&#8217;s Punjab province and called on the Pakistani government to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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