1,200-year-old Hindu temple in Pakistan opened to public after reclaiming from Christian occupants

News Network
August 4, 2022

Lahore, Aug 4: A 1,200-year-old Hindu temple here in the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province has been formally opened to the public after it was reclaimed from a Christian family following a lengthy court battle, according to a federal body.

The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), the federal body overseeing minority worship places in Pakistan, last month reclaimed possession of the Valmiki Temple situated near the famous Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore from a Christian family, which had grabbed the place of worship more than two decades ago.

Besides the Krishna Temple, the Valmiki Temple is the prominent Hindu temple in Lahore.

The Christian family, which claims to have converted to Hinduism, had been facilitating only the Valmiki caste Hindus for worship at the temple for the last two decades.

ETPB spokesperson Amir Hashmi said Valmiki Temple was formally inaugurated on Wednesday with over 100 Hindus, some Sikh, Christian and Muslim leaders gathered there to celebrate the occasion.

Talking to PTI on Thursday, Hashmi said the Hindu devotees performed their religious rituals and had langar (food) for the first time it was retrieved from the grabbers.

"Valmiki Temple will be fully restored in accordance with a master plan in the coming days," the spokesperson said.

The ETPB said the temple’s land was transferred to it in the revenue record, but the family 2010-2011, claiming to be the owner of the property, filed a case in a civil court.

Besides going into litigation, the family also made the temple only for the Valmiki Hindus, it said.

This left the ETPB with no option but to fight the case in court.

“This time, the court also reprimanded the petitioner for false claims,” the ETPB added.

Pakistan Hindu Mandir Management Committee (PHMMC) President Krishan Sharma said the ETPB'S move was a goodwill gesture and also a step towards mainstreaming the community and should be applauded, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The Valmiki sect of Hindus are a poor segment of the society who have no say or access, Sharma explained, adding they had regained access to this temple now.

“The role of Valmikis is very significant in Hindu mythology; had they not written the Ramayan, no one would know Ram. Earlier, this temple was not being used for worship, those possessing it didn’t allow anyone to enter. But now, every Hindu can come in and pray,” he added.

“We’re making efforts to promote religious tourism and rehabilitate many other temples and religious sites across the country. There are issues everywhere in the world, which are exploited by inimical forces in the region. So, such steps could silence them and counter their narrative,” Sharma added.

In 1992, in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition in India, an angry mob wielding weapons stormed into the Valmiki Temple. It smashed the idols of Krishna and Valmiki, broke utensils and crockery in the kitchen and seized the gold with which the statues were embellished.

The temple was demolished to rubble and the building was set on fire. The shops in the neighbourhood also caught fire and it took days for the authorities to extinguish the flames.

The ETPB spokesman told the Dawn newspaper that a one-person commission constituted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan presented its recommendations to the government, stating that the temple must be renovated to provide better workshop facilities to the Hindu community.

But the ETPB, in the wake of the litigation, was unable to start restoration work at the temple constructed on 0.025 hectares worth millions in the heart of the city, the spokesperson said.

The ETPB looks after the temples and land left over by Sikhs and Hindus who migrated to India after the Partition. It oversees 200 Gurdwaras and 150 temples across Pakistan. 

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News Network
February 11,2025

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Addressing the AI Action Summit in Paris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that AI is writing the code for humanity in this century.

"I am grateful to my friend President Macron for hosting this summit and for inviting me to co-chair it. AI is already reshaping our economy, security and even our society. AI is writing the code for humanity in this century...," PM Modi said.

Giving a simple experiment, he said, "If you upload your medical report to an AI app, it can explain in simple language, free of any jargon what it means for your health. But if you ask the same app to draw an image of someone writing with their left hand, the app will most likely draw someone writing with their right hand...".

He also stressed on the need for open source systems that enhance transparency.

"Governance is also about ensuring access to all, especially in the Global South. It is where the capabilities are most lacking be it power, talent, or data for the financial resources. AI can help transform millions of lives by improving health, education, agriculture and so much more. It can help create a world in which the journey to sustainable development goals becomes easier and faster. To do this, we must pull together resources and talent. We must develop open-source systems that enhance trust and transparency. We must build quality data sets free from biases...," the Prime Minister said.

Highlighting AI's potential to shape humanity's future at Paris summit, PM Modi said, "We are at the dawn of the AI age that will shape the course of humanity." 

Hailing India's digital revolution, PM Modi said, "India has successfully built a digital public infrastructure for over 1.4 billion people at a very low cost. It is built around an open and accessible network. It has regulations and a wide range of applications to modernise our economy, reform governance and transform the lives of our people...Today, India leads in AI adoption and techno-legal solutions on data privacy...We have one of the world's largest AI talent pools."

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News Network
February 2,2025

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British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta says Israeli authorities considered the destruction of medical facilities and the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip as preliminary preparation for a plan of genocide in the besieged coastal territory.

Israel “placed the destruction of the healthcare system in Palestine at the core of its military doctrine from the beginning, in order to make the Gaza Strip uninhabitable,” he said.

Abu Sitta stated that the occupying Israeli regime launched its onslaught against the Gaza Strip with a plan to destroy the entire healthcare system and its various components.

He added that “Israel did not only target buildings but also destroyed 33 out of 36 hospitals that were providing services throughout the region.”

The British-Palestinian surgeon continued that “Israel killed a thousand healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, and lab technicians to eliminate an entire generation of healthcare professionals.”

The doctor explained that the Israeli military destroyed the Gaza healthcare system by demolishing water treatment and sewage facilities. Additionally, it destroyed the homes of residents, leaving people more susceptible to infectious diseases.

Abu Sittah emphasized that Israel considers the destruction of the healthcare system in Gaza as a precursor to the genocide project.

 “I do not know of any war in modern history where the systematic destruction of the healthcare system was central to the doctrine of the warring armies, but the destruction of the healthcare system played a pivotal role in disrupting life in Gaza from Israel’s perspective,” he stated.

The British-Palestinian doctor underlined the need to prosecute Israeli officials, soldiers, and politicians in The Hague for their destruction of the healthcare system in Gaza.

“Otherwise, every future war will follow the model of Gaza, as the destruction of the healthcare system played a central role in the management of the war,” Abu Sittah pointed out.

He stated that Interpol should issue arrest warrants against Israeli soldiers, leaders, and politicians, stressing that the International Criminal Court (ICC) should adopt the same measure.

The British-Palestinian surgeon emphasized that world countries, especially in the West, should arrest Israeli soldiers and politicians once they travel there.

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News Network
February 11,2025

Mysuru: On Monday night, tensions escalated in front of Mysuru's Udayagiri Police Station as thousands gathered to protest a controversial social media post. The post, which critics say portrayed Muslims negatively, featured images resembling political figures Rahul Gandhi, Aravind Kejriwal, and Akhilesh Yadav, and was titled "three idiots." The post also showed a person performing namaz with Arabic script prominently displayed, further intensifying the allegations of communal insensitivity.

Protesters blocked Mahadevapura Main Road and, at times, resorted to stone pelting directed at the police station, police vehicles, and public property. In response, law enforcement used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. The ensuing clashes resulted in injuries to several people, including both protestors and police personnel.

By Tuesday morning, normalcy had largely returned. Senior officials—including ADGP R. Hitendra, Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, and DCPs M. Muthuraj and S. Janhnavi—visited the police station to review the situation. Security was significantly increased around the area, and civic workers from the Mysuru City Corporation cleared stones and debris left behind by the demonstrators.

Police have initiated a suo moto case and arrested 32-year-old Suresh, a resident of Kalyangiri Nagar, in connection with the incident. The unrest not only disrupted pedestrian movement but also significantly hampered traffic on Mahadevapura Main Road and its intersections, with city buses bearing the brunt of the blockade.

Despite initial dispersal following police action, the mob reconvened within minutes. It was only around midnight, after assurances from senior police officials—including DCP Muthuraj—that strict action would be taken against those responsible, that the protesters finally dispersed.

Speaking to media on Tuesday morning, ADGP R. Hitendra confirmed that seven police personnel were injured during the stone pelting and announced that a special team had been formed to identify and apprehend the instigators. “The mob was misled by certain individuals who believed that the accused, who shared the derogatory post, would be let off. We will probe thoroughly to determine who is behind this incident,” he stated. 

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