Pakistan has rejected India’s claims regarding a Hindu temple in Narowal, calling the allegations false and politically motivated.
The Foreign Office said the Hindu temple at Adda Siraj was damaged by torrential rains on July 21, 2026.
Pakistan also said local authorities had already surveyed the damage and started steps to restore the affected building.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan issued the remarks while responding to media questions about an Indian Ministry of External Affairs statement.
Pakistan Rejects India’s Temple Allegations
Sajjad Haider Khan said Pakistan rejected India’s allegations concerning the Hindu temple in Narowal.
He stated: “We categorically reject the false and politically-motivated assertions made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs regarding the Hindu temple at Adda Siraj, Narowal.
“Unlike the false propaganda being peddled by India, the temple’s structure was damaged on 21 July 2026 due to torrential rains. The local authorities have already surveyed the rain damage and initiated steps for the restoration of the building.
“It is, therefore, shameful that India is distorting facts and resorting to cheap gimmicks.
“Such deliberate distortion of facts cannot distract attention from India’s abysmal record of systematic persecution of minorities and state-sponsored attacks against their places of worship.
“The world is well aware of the weaponization of Hindutva ideology against minorities, and must hold the Indian leadership accountable for the persecution of Muslim, Sikh and Christian communities, said Foreign Office spokesperson’s statement released in Islamabad on Friday morning.
Pakistan Says Temple Was Damaged by Rain
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the temple’s structure sustained damage because of torrential rainfall.
The incident occurred on July 21, 2026, according to the spokesperson’s statement.
Local authorities subsequently surveyed the damage caused by the rains.
They also initiated steps aimed at restoring the affected structure.
Therefore, Pakistan rejected the description of the incident as vandalism and maintained that the damage resulted from severe weather.
India Demands Investigation
India had earlier reacted to reports concerning the alleged “destruction” of the Hindu temple in the Narowal region.
New Delhi demanded that Pakistan promptly investigate the incident and hold those responsible fully accountable.
India also called for immediate remedial measures to restore what it described as a “desecrated temple.”
Furthermore, New Delhi said Pakistan had an obligation to protect the safety, security and well-being of its minority citizens.
India also linked this responsibility to the protection of their cultural heritage.
Dispute Escalates Over Narowal Temple
The opposing statements have created a dispute between Pakistan and India over the circumstances surrounding the temple damage.
India described the incident as the destruction of a Hindu place of worship and called for an investigation.
However, Pakistan rejected that account and attributed the damage to torrential rains.
The Foreign Office maintained that local authorities had already assessed the damage and begun restoration efforts.
Meanwhile, Pakistan also accused India of distorting facts through its response to the incident.
The dispute comes after both sides issued sharply different accounts of what happened to the temple in Narowal.
