A budget of PKR 10 million has been allocated to reconstruct the Baoli Sahib temple in Zafarwal, Narowal district, Punjab, marking the first phase of restoration after 64 years of dysfunction, according to a media report from Dawn News on Monday. The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which is responsible for managing minority worship places in Pakistan, has commenced construction on the temple, which became non-functional in 1960.

Currently, there are no Hindu temples in Narowal, compelling the local Hindu community to either conduct their religious rituals at home or travel to temples located in Sialkot and Lahore. Ratan Lal Arya, the former president of the Pak Dharamsthan Committee, stated that the ETPB's oversight had led to the temple's disrepair, leaving the Hindu population of over 1,453 in Narowal without a dedicated worship site.

After the creation of Pakistan, Narowal district had 45 Hindu temples, but over the years, all have fallen into disrepair. For the last two decades, the Pak Dharamsthan Committee has actively lobbied for the restoration of the Baoli Sahib temple, and the government’s recent actions aim to address these long-standing demands.

The ETPB is managing the construction on four kanals of land, with an emphasis on building a boundary wall as the initial step. Upon completion, the temple will be transferred to the Pak Dharamsthan Committee.

Key figures in this restoration initiative include Shoaib Siddal, chairman of the One-Man Commission of the Supreme Court, and Manzoor Masih, a member of the National Commission of Human Rights, both of whom have been instrumental in facilitating the project.

Sawan Chand, current president of the Pak Dharamsthan Committee, expressed that the restoration of the Baoli Sahib temple will fulfill a long-standing desire of the Hindu community, allowing them to perform their religious ceremonies at the site.

Hindus represent the largest minority group in Pakistan, with official estimates indicating that approximately 7.5 million Hindus reside in the country, while community sources suggest the figure could be over 9 million. The majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is concentrated in Sindh province, where they share cultural traditions and language with their Muslim counterparts.