Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: The ownership of a sealed temple in Gawalmandi has become the subject of a dispute between the Hindu community and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), following alleged attempts to convert the place of worship into a commercial plaza.

The Swami Narayan Temple, located in Gawalmandi’s main square, is a single-storey building spread over more than 10 marlas.

All Pakistan Hindu and Sikh Welfare Council (APHSWC) president Jag Mohan Arora told Daily Times that land of three temples including Krishna in Saddar Rawalpidi, Shahmshan Ghat, Tipu Road and Swami Narayan in Rawalpindi was granted to Hindu community in 1949 to perform their religious worship by the then government.

Arora said that the Hindu community appointed a couple, Babu Lal and Shakuntala Devi, as ‘sewadar’ (caretaker) of the temple.

The couple used to reside in the temple as well. However, the couple converted to Islam in 1994 and chose their names as Abdul Hameed and Shakila Bibi, respectively.

According to Arora, the caretaker couple now has no right to live in the temple.

“We gave them ample time to leave the temple’s building and find shelter somewhere else, but they paid no heed towards our demand as they did not want to leave the premises,” he said.

He revealed that Shakila Bibi sold the building to a man named Akhlaq for just Rs 1.4 million, whereas the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has declared the site as a residential place.

According to the ETPB, the land was allotted to Babu Lal and Shakuntala Devi. And there is no documentary record of temple with the board.

Arora claims that the ETPB has no authority to ascertain the status of any commercial land. “The ETPB has just the authority to oversee the religious sites as a facilitator and nothing more”, he added.

He said that the board was being very unfair to Hindu community. “The temple was sealed in 1992 and not handed over to the Hindu community, despite clear directions from the federal ombudsman in 1996,” said Arora.

After the caretakers converted, the local Hindu community sent a delegation to then prime minister Benazir Bhutto and asked her to have the temple released to the Hindu community. The matter was referred to the federal ombudsman, who ordered the ETPB to hand over the temple to the Hindu community.

Meanwhile, local residents were of the view that the matter should be resolve at the earliest to avoid any frustration between the Hindu community and Muslims.

A police official, Furkan Hamayon, residing close to Swami Narayan temple from last two decades said, “The temple should be opened immediately. Further closure may create unrest among the minorities that is very dangerous for the country.”

When contacted, ETPB official Tanveer Ahmed said there was no plan to change the purpose.

He declined his alleged involvement in creation of hurdles in re-opening of the temple. “The issue was underway earlier he assumed the charge,” he added.