NAROWAL: The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has started construction on the Hindu temple of Baoli Sahib in Zafarwal, marking the first phase of reconstruction after 64 years. A budget of Rs10 million has been allocated for the construction of the temple’s boundary wall.

Currently, there are no functional Hindu temples in Narowal district, forcing Hindu families to perform their religious rituals at home or travel to temples in Sialkot and Lahore.

Ratan Lal Arya, former president of the Pak Dharamsthan Committee Pakistan, told Dawn that the ETPB d took control of the Baoli Sahib temple in 1960, rendering it non-functional.

After the establishment of Pakistan, Narowal district once had 45 Hindu temples, but many have fallen into disrepair. For the past 20 years, the Pak Dharamsthan Committee has advocated for the restoration of Baoli Sahib temple. Arya noted that the Hindu community, which numbers over 1,453 in Narowal, lacked a dedicated place for worship.

To address Hindu community demands, the government has taken steps to restore Baoli Sahib temple. The ETPB is overseeing the construction on four kanals of land, with the boundary wall being the first priority. Once completed, the temple will be handed over to the Pak Dharamsthan Committee.

Dr Shoaib Siddal, chairman of the One Man Commission of the Supreme Court, and Manzoor Masih, member of the National Commission of Human Rights, have played pivotal roles in this restoration effort.

Sawan Chand, president of the Pak Dharamsthan Committee, said they are grateful to the government, saying that the restoration of Baoli Sahib temple would fulfill a long-standing demand of the Hindu community, allowing them to perform their religious rituals at the site.

Published in Dawn, October 21th, 2024