PESHAWAR :A nearly 200-year-old Hindu temple in Pakistan has been sealed by authorities after a major uproar over its alleged demolition for a commercial plaza.
The historic *Ram Leela Temple* located at Rahim Bazaar in Dera Ismail Khan city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was taken into custody and sealed on Saturday by the *Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB)*, officials confirmed.
According to reports, demolition workers had reached the temple site earlier this week to raze the structure. Local residents and traders intervened and stopped the work after learning about the activity.
Sohail Ahmed Azmi, head of Dera Civil Society and traders association, said a man at the spot claimed he had got the contract to demolish the temple building. Following this, Hindu community members and civil society held a meeting and demanded a probe into the ownership of the land and legality of the commercial plaza plan.
The temple is listed among nearly 400 heritage buildings in Dera Ismail Khan by the ETPB.
The ETPB is the Pakistani government body which manages properties of minorities and those left after 1947 Partition. It looks after many Hindu and Sikh shrines in Pakistan.
The incident has once again raised concerns over safety of minorities in Pakistan. Haroon Sarab Dial, Chairman of All Pakistan Hindu Rights Movement, urged the administration to give special protection to Hindu shrines during the Governor's Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Governor's rule was imposed in the province on Oct 11 due to law and order issues.
The Ram Leela Temple is considered a key part of Dera Ismail Khan's heritage. Locals said this was not the first time an attempt was made to convert the temple land into a shopping plaza.
The region houses several ancient Hindu sites including Bilot Sharif Temple complex dating back to 7th to 11th century.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in its latest report titled 'Sanctuary Denied: Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2025/26' has flagged continued violations against minorities, including misuse of blasphemy laws, forced conversions and encroachment of religious properties.
#Pakistan Hindu Temple, #Ram Leela Temple, #Dera Ismail Khan, #Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, #ETPB, Pakistan Minorities