FO says Indian claims about Hindu temple in Narowal 'false, politically motivated'

The Foreign Office (FO) has dismissed claims by India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that a Hindu temple in Narowal is "false and politically motivated". Pakistan's government asserts that the temple in Siraj village, which dates back over a century, collapsed following heavy rains. However, a minority rights group contends that the temple was intentionally destroyed to make way for an expansion of a nearby seminary.

Indian MEA responded by calling for a thorough, transparent investigation into the incident, condemning what they termed a "reprehensible act of vandalism". The FO spokesperson, Sajjad Haider Khan, categorically denied the Indian assertions, stating that the temple's damage on July 21 was caused by torrential rains. He emphasized that the local authorities were already assessing the damage and initiating restoration efforts.

Khan also criticized India's "deliberate distortion of facts" and the "weaponisation of Hindutva ideology against minorities", urging the international community to hold India accountable for the persecution of Muslim, Sikh and Christian communities.