Pakistan Rejects India’s Claims Over Narowal Temple Demolition as ‘False

Foreign Office Response to Indian Claims

The diplomatic exchange began after India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a press release on September 2, 2026, expressing deep concern over reports that a historic Hindu temple in the Narowal region had been destroyed. New Delhi demanded an immediate investigation, accountability for those responsible, and prompt remedial measures to restore the site.

Responding to media queries in Islamabad on September 4, 2026, Foreign Office Spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan dismissed the Indian statements. According to Khan, the temple’s structure suffered damage on July 21, 2026, due to severe weather. Local authorities surveyed the rain damage and initiated steps to restore the building, according to the Foreign Office.

“We categorically reject the false and politically motivated assertions made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs,” Khan said in a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He added that local authorities are actively working on rebuilding the site.

Differing Accounts on the Narowal Temple Site

While the Pakistani government attributed the destruction to severe weather conditions, conflicting narratives emerged from advocacy groups. A minority rights group claimed the structure was deliberately demolished to facilitate the expansion of an adjoining seminary, according to regional reports.

The Foreign Office accused New Delhi of using the incident as a distraction. Khan stated that the distortion of facts cannot divert attention from what he described as India’s record of systematic persecution of religious minorities and state-sponsored attacks against their places of worship.

“The world is well aware of the weaponisation of Hindutva ideology against minorities, and must hold the Indian leadership accountable for the persecution of Muslim, Sikh and Christian communities,” Khan said.