Authorities in Pakistan have sealed a nearly 200-year-old Hindu temple following protests by members of the Hindu community and civil society activists after an attempt was made to demolish the historic structure to make way for a commercial plaza. The Ram Leela Temple in Dera Ismail Khan district of Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was taken into official custody by the local administration on Saturday and subsequently sealed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), officials said.
The move came after local residents intervened earlier this week to stop demolition work at the site in Rahim Bazaar, in the heart of Dera Ismail Khan city.
The latest controversy comes amid broader concerns over the safety and rights of religious minorities in Pakistan.
Sohail Ahmed Azmi, president of the Dera Civil Society and the local traders’ association, said he rushed to the temple site with other residents after learning that workers were attempting to demolish the building.
A man present at the site claimed he had been awarded a contract to carry out the demolition, Azmi said. Civil society representatives and members of the Hindu community subsequently met to oppose the proposed demolition and demand an investigation into the property’s ownership and the legality of any commercial construction there. They also urged elected representatives to raise the issue in Pakistan’s National Assembly. The temple is among around 400 buildings in Dera Ismail Khan identified as cultural heritage properties by the ETPB.