Pakistan has allocated a budget of PKR 10 million (PKR 1 crore) for the reconstruction of the Baoli Sahib Mandir in Zafarwal, Narowal district of Punjab province. This marks the first phase of restoration after 64 years of disuse. The initiative is being managed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), the federal agency responsible for overseeing minority worship places in Pakistan.
The Baoli Sahib Mandir, situated in Narowal on the western bank of the Ravi River, ceased operations in 1960 after coming under the control of the ETPB. As a result, the local Hindu community, which numbers over 1,453, has been compelled 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, emphasised the effects of the ETPB’s control over the Mandir, which resulted in its non-functional status. “The Hindu community has lacked a dedicated place for worship,” Arya stated, noting that the district once had 45 Hindu Mandirs after the establishment of Pakistan, all of which have since fallen into disrepair. He also mentioned that the Pak Dharamsthan Committee has been advocating for the restoration of the Baoli Sahib Mandir for the past 20 years.
The ongoing reconstruction is taking place on four canals of land, beginning with the construction of a boundary wall. Once completed, the Mandir will be handed over to the Pak Dharamsthan Committee, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the community. Sawan Chand, president of the Pak Dharamsthan Committee, noted that the restoration will allow the community to perform their rituals at the site.
The restoration effort has received support from Shoaib Siddal, chairman of the One Man Commission of the Supreme Court, and Manzoor Masih, a member of the National Commission of Human Rights, both of whom have played significant roles in the project.
Hindus are the largest minority community in Pakistan, with official estimates suggesting a population of 7.5 million. However, community leaders believe the Hindu population exceeds 9 million. The majority of Pakistan’s Hindu community resides in Sindh province, where they share cultural and linguistic ties with the local Muslim population.
