An incident involving the destruction of a Hindu temple, approximately 100–125 years old, occurred in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The temple was located in the village of Siraj in the Narowal district on a plot of about 1000 square meters. Local residents, minority representatives, and one political party claim that on August 21, some religious extremists demolished the temple to incorporate its land into a neighboring madrasa.
However, government officials insist that the old temple collapsed due to heavy rain. The Pakistan Muslim League-Muttahida (PML-M) demanded that the Punjab government take action and restore the temple. Party chairman Aslam Parvez Sahotra stated that he met with the Additional Secretary of Interior Affairs of Punjab on August 28 and submitted a written complaint.
He accused not only of demolition but also of the subsequent removal of metal fittings from the top of the temple, bricks, and other materials. According to Sahotra, the land adjacent to the temple had previously been leased by the East-West Trust Property Board (ETPB) for the construction of a madrasa. This lease was canceled after rent payments were long overdue and the territory was not used for its original purpose. Nevertheless, some individuals allegedly illegally occupied parts of this property.
Sahotra specified that the Deputy Administrator of Sialkot ETPB issued an order on January 29, 2026, to cancel the madrasa lease, evict illegal occupants, and seal the property. He claims that this order has not been implemented. In Sahotra's view, it was the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party that demolished the temple when the issue of removing illegal occupants arose, incorporating it into the madrasa.
Ratan Lal, a leader of the Hindu community, condemned the temple's destruction and demanded its restoration. He stated that the local administration and ETPB failed to ensure the temple's safety. ETPB staff, senior official Rana Iftikhar, confirmed the temple's age of 100–125 years but attributed its collapse to heavy rain. He also emphasized that the temple land was not leased to anyone. Ratan Lal added that people are now afraid to approach the temple's location due to the madrasa. PML-M demanded security for Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and Christian churches in Punjab.