PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Wednesday took strong notice of the alleged demolition of an ancient non-functional Hindu temple at Mohallah Wangri Garan in Karimpura locality of the city and sealed the building after arresting its two tenants for carrying out illegal renovation work.

The government took the step as the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees equal rights to the minorities and protection of their religious places.

“The temple is as revered for us as for the minority community and we cannot tolerate its demolition ,” KP government’s spokesman Mushtaq Ghani said. He said that the provincial government had taken notice of media reports about the illegal reconstruction work, carried out by tenants in the historic temple and directed the deputy commissioner, Peshawar, to visit the site.

KP govt to protect worship places of minorities, says Mushtaq Ghani

“The KP government stands for the protection and preservation of worship places of minorities, historical buildings and heritage sites, and it has taken various steps for the purpose,” Mr Ghani said.

He said that there was no question of issuing any order by the government for construction of commercial building at the site of the temple.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Riaz Mehsud visited the site of temple along with director archaeology Abdul Samad Khan and formally sealed the premises.

The tenants, he said, took the plea that the temple was in a dilapidated condition and it was just a part of the plan for its repair and reconstruction.

Mr Samad, however, said that renovation and reconstruction work in the temple had been stopped. He said that two people were arrested and the entire building had been sealed. He said it was the responsibility of government to protect the historical buildings and heritage sties. He also thanked the media for highlighting the issue.

“No one is allowed even to remove a brick from the buildings of minorities’ worship places and the government will protect all such sites,” Mr Samad said.

District head of the Evacuee Property Trust Board Asif Khan, when contacted, said that the temple was non-functional. He, however, categorically declared that no one would be allowed to demolish non-functional temples.

He said that tenants of such buildings had to take permission from the Evacuee Property Trust Board even for the reconstruction and repair of their damaged walls.

Haroon Sarabdial, a representative of the Hindu community, said that all such temples, though non-functional, were revered places for Hindus. He called for protecting such buildings and handing over their possession to the community. He said that he would approach the Evacuee Property Trust Board to seek details of all revered Hindu sites in Peshawar city.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2016