Pakistan rejects India's claims over damage to Hindu temple in Narowal

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically rejected what it characterized as "false and politically motivated" allegations by India on Friday concerning structural damage to a historic Hindu temple located at Adda Siraj in Narowal district.

What caused the structural damage to the Adda Siraj temple?

Responding to media queries regarding comments from India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Foreign Office Spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan clarified that the century-old temple structure was damaged on July 21, 2026, as a direct result of heavy monsoon rainfall in Punjab province. Local administrative authorities, alongside officials from the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the provincial Minorities Department, completed damage assessment surveys and initiated steps for the structural restoration of the site.

Indian MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had expressed concern over reports alleging the structure was deliberately damaged. However, Pakistani government officials refuted land-encroachment claims, confirming that while adjoining land had previously been leased for an educational seminary, the temple's own legal property remains unleased and fully protected under state jurisdiction.

How did the Foreign Office respond to Indian diplomatic allegations?

Spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan criticized New Delhi’s statement as an attempt to distort facts and engage in diplomatic posturing. He stated that it was "shameful that India is distorting facts and resorting to cheap gimmicks" to divert international scrutiny away from its own domestic record regarding minority communities.

The spokesperson further accused Indian leadership of deploying "Hindutva ideology" against religious minorities within India, urging the international community to hold New Delhi accountable for the treatment and protection of Muslim, Sikh, and Christian communities and their places of worship.