Among the fallouts for minorities due to the gradual theocratisation of the state of Pakistan since partition is the fast depletion of their worship places. The protection and respect of other religions’ worship places by the state would have continued the subcontinent’s centuries old tradition of interfaith harmony. However, by not doing so, the state has allowed religious prejudice and bigotry to take root at all levels in the society and in its zeal to be ‘Islamic’. Pakistanis, as a nation, have all but disowned their rich and diverse cultural heritage as all material and archaeological evidence of the non-Islamic past, including the worship places of Christian, Sikh, Hindu and Jain communities, have either been destroyed or left to ruin, encroachments and illegal occupation. Many Hindu temples in the twin cities- erstwhile sanctuaries offering a chance for ‘salvation’ – are now in need of being saved themselves, while a number have been effaced utterly. A Hindu temple in Rawal village – a predominantly Hindu village before partition- stands on its last legs. Another two temples in the same village have now ceased to exist except in the village elders’ memories; one of these temples was occupied after partition by a Kashmiri family who inflicted irreparable damage on it. However, by the 1980s, eight arches of the temple still stood, but presently even these are no more and a makeshift house stands on the site of the former temple. The other temple, which was known as the Gurukal temple, was submerged in water after the construction of Rawal Dam.
At present there are three functional temples in the Rawalpindi; Lal Kurti Temple, Krishan Temple and another one located in Chaklala area, while five temples in the city are non-functional. “The Lal Kurti Temple is being run by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) but five temples are non-functional due to negligence on part of the ETPB and illegal occupation by influential persons,” said Rawalpindi Hindu Community leader Om Parkash. He also added that the Saidpur Temple- also under the ETPB- was of historic significance but the establishment of restaurants around it was tantamount to disrespecting its religious sanctity. “We demand that the government return to the Hindu community its places of worship,” said Parkash.
He also added that five temples were under the occupation of various influential people. When asked about the details of those temples which had been rendered non-functional, he said that one was located in Gawalmandi and had been sealed off after a dispute between the ETPB and the Hindu community. He added that despite the issuance of directives from the high court, the ETPB was refusing to return the administration of the temple to the Hindu community.
Giving further details of the non-functional temples, Parkash added that places of worship under the illegal occupation of influential individuals included a large temple located in Street 2 of Moti Bazar- currently occupied by a trader- and the Kali Maata Temple opposite Naz Cinema in Rawalpindi. “We have asked the government innumerable times to retrieve our temples from illegal occupiers and return them to us, as it has done for the Sikh temples of Aimnabad in Gujranwala, Sacha Sawda in Shaikhupura and Aram Bagh in Karachi, but the government has not taken notice of the issue yet”, said Parkash. Regardless of whether the government returns the Hindu temples back or not, what is imperative is that minorities’ places of worship should be retrieved from illegal occupation and made functional. Doing so would not only extend a hand of friendship and protection to these marginalised communities but also improve the image of Pakistan as a tolerant and moderate country.
