Pakistan firmly dismissed India’s allegations regarding damage to a Hindu temple in Narowal, describing them as unfounded and politically driven. The Pakistani Foreign Office clarified that the temple in Adda Siraj, located in Punjab’s Narowal district, suffered structural damage due to severe rainfall on July 21.
This statement followed India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressing serious concern over reports of the temple’s alleged destruction. However, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan emphasized that local authorities had already assessed the damage caused by the rains and initiated restoration efforts.
Khan criticized India for distorting facts and resorting to what he called “cheap gimmicks,” accusing the Indian government of attempting to divert attention from its poor record on minority rights. He highlighted systematic persecution and state-backed attacks on minority communities and their places of worship within India.
He further pointed out the global awareness of the weaponization of Hindutva ideology against minorities, urging accountability for the treatment of Muslim, Sikh, and Christian populations. International organizations and human rights groups have documented an increase in abuses against minorities in India, citing incidents of hate speech, controversial citizenship laws, demolition of Muslim-owned properties, revocation of autonomy in Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir, and restrictive anti-conversion laws.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s response comes amid a broader campaign in India targeting medieval mosques and Islamic monuments, with claims that these sites were constructed over Hindu temples. This narrative has gained traction since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014.
In a related development earlier this year, Indian authorities imposed a ban on the slaughter of cows, calves, and camels ahead of Eid ul Adha. Additionally, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mandated that Eid prayers be conducted only at traditional venues, forbidding permission for prayers on roads under any circumstances.
