Pakistan has allocated PKR 1 crore to restore the Baoli Sahib Hindu temple in Zafarwal, Punjab, a significant step towards supporting the country’s Hindu community. This long-awaited project marks the first phase of restoration, 64 years after the temple became non-functional.
A Historic Step for the Hindu Community
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which oversees minority religious sites in Pakistan, has initiated the restoration of the temple. The Baoli Sahib temple, dormant since 1960, will soon be returned to its former glory. This project will benefit the Hindu population in Narowal, which numbers over 1,453 people, by finally providing them with a local place of worship.
Decades-Long Advocacy Pays Off
The Pak Dharamsthan Committee, which has been advocating for the temple’s restoration for 20 years, will take over the management of the site once the construction is completed. The restoration includes building a boundary wall on the four-kanal plot, making the temple secure and functional for worshippers.
Key Figures Supporting the Initiative
Important figures like Shoaib Siddal, chairman of the Supreme Court’s One Man Commission, and Manzoor Masih, a member of the National Commission of Human Rights, have been instrumental in making this restoration project a reality.
A Cultural and Religious Revival
Sawan Chand, president of the Pak Dharamsthan Committee, expressed his satisfaction with the restoration efforts, stating that the revival of the Baoli Sahib temple fulfills a long-standing demand. Hindus in the Narowal district currently travel to Sialkot and Lahore for religious rituals, but this restoration will provide a local option.
Pakistan’s Hindu Community: Largest Minority
Hindus form the largest minority group in Pakistan, with an estimated 7.5 million people, though the community claims the number exceeds 9 million. Most Hindus reside in the Sindh province, where they share cultural and social ties with the Muslim population.
The restoration of Baoli Sahib temple is a hopeful sign of religious inclusion and will provide Narowal’s Hindu community a long-awaited place to practice their faith.
