Authorities in Pakistan have sealed a nearly 200-year-old Hindu temple following protests by members of the Hindu community and civil society activists after an attempt was made to demolish the historic structure to make way for a commercial plaza.
The Ram Leela Temple in Dera Ismail Khan district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was taken into official custody by the local administration on Saturday and subsequently sealed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), officials said.
The move came after local residents intervened earlier this week to stop demolition work at the site in Rahim Bazaar, in the heart of Dera Ismail Khan city.
The latest controversy comes amid broader concerns over the safety and rights of religious minorities in Pakistan.
Sohail Ahmed Azmi, president of the Dera Civil Society and the local traders' association, said he rushed to the temple site with other residents after learning that workers were attempting to demolish the building.
A man present at the site claimed he had been awarded a contract to carry out the demolition, Azmi said.
Civil society representatives and members of the Hindu community subsequently met to oppose the proposed demolition and demand an investigation into the property's ownership and the legality of any commercial construction there. They also urged elected representatives to raise the issue in Pakistan's National Assembly.
The temple is among around 400 buildings in Dera Ismail Khan identified as cultural heritage properties by the ETPB.
The ETPB is a Pakistani government body responsible for managing properties left behind by people who migrated to India after the Partition in 1947, as well as properties held in trust for minority religious communities. It oversees several Hindu and Sikh religious sites.
Haroon Sarab Dial, chairman of the All Pakistan Hindu Rights Movement, expressed hope that Hindu religious sites would receive special protection during the current period of governor's rule in the province.
Pakistan imposed governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11, citing deteriorating law and order situation and accusing the provincial government run by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party of failing to cooperate in counterterrorism efforts.
Dial also called for a thorough investigation into religious properties allegedly occupied or sold illegally between 2013 and 2026.
The Ram Leela Temple is regarded by local residents and heritage activists as part of Dera Ismail Khan's historical and religious heritage. An earlier attempt to develop a commercial plaza at the site had also faced opposition from residents and traders, according to civil society representatives.
The district and its surrounding areas are home to several historic Hindu religious and archaeological sites, including the temple complex at Bilot Sharif, which dates from the seventh to early 11th centuries, according to Pakistan's Department of Archaeology and Museums.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) have called for greater transparency and accountability in the functioning of the ETPB, recommending reforms to make the body more representative of minority communities.
In a report released on Thursday, the HRCP said minorities continued to face violations of fundamental rights, misuse of blasphemy laws, forced marriages and conversions, and discriminatory practices.
The report, titled Sanctuary Denied: Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2025/26, highlighted the plight of Hindu and Christian girls facing abductions and forced marriages, as well as discriminatory employment practices and the marginalisation of minority concerns.