A historic temple in Narowal has become the centre of a fresh dispute between Pakistan and India over the cause of damage to the site.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office has rejected claims that the temple was deliberately demolished. It said the structure was damaged by torrential rainfall and not intentionally dismantled.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said the temple, located in Siraj village near Narowal, was affected by heavy rain on July 21.
He said local authorities inspected the site after the incident. The authorities also initiated steps to restore the damaged portion of the historic structure.
Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora also supported the government’s position. He said he personally visited the site after reports about the damage emerged.
According to the minister, only a portion of the old temple structure had collapsed. He attributed the damage to intense rainfall in the area.
The dispute centres on conflicting claims about what happened to the historic temple. Some reports and minority-rights representatives have alleged that the structure was deliberately dismantled.
Pakistani authorities have rejected those allegations. They maintain that the damage occurred because of extreme weather conditions and torrential rain.
The Punjab government has also clarified the status of the land linked to the temple. Officials said the temple’s own land was never leased to another party.
However, adjoining land was reportedly leased to a seminary. The government has said the damaged section of the temple will be restored.
The Foreign Office has accused India of presenting a distorted version of the incident for political purposes. Sajjad Haider Khan described the allegations as politically motivated propaganda.
He said attempts to portray the incident differently would not divert attention from Pakistan’s concerns regarding minority rights in India.
The Foreign Office spokesperson also criticised what Pakistan described as India’s treatment of minorities. He referred to concerns involving Muslim, Sikh and Christian communities.
The government’s explanation has not completely ended the controversy. Minority-rights representatives and some local residents have challenged the official account.
They have alleged that the structure was deliberately dismantled and that construction material was removed from the site. These claims remain disputed by Pakistani authorities.
The issue has therefore developed into another point of tension between Pakistan and India. Both sides have presented different accounts regarding the cause of damage to the historic religious site.
For now, Islamabad maintains that the Narowal temple was damaged by torrential rainfall. Pakistani authorities have also assured that restoration work will be carried out.
The controversy has highlighted the importance of protecting historic religious sites and addressing concerns surrounding their preservation. Further developments may depend on the restoration process and any additional findings about the incident.
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