Construction of First Hindu Temple to Be Built in Islamabad Faces Continuous Road-Blocks

The Hindu community in the capital city were finally getting a proper temple, allowing them to offer prayers, without having to travel out of the city anymore. A simple ceremony was held to start construction of the first Hindu temple in the capital’s H-9 area.

The Islamabad Hindu Panchayat named the temple as Shri Krishna Mandir. Currently, Hindus in Islamabad have to travel out of the city to perform religious rituals. The plans were granted approval by the central government, and Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered the release of PKR 100 Million to help fund the project.

But unfortunately, the Capital Development Authority stopped the construction of the boundary wall on the plot weeks later. The action was taken because a building plan had not been submitted to the authority. But the Hindu Panchayat has announced that it is discontinuing the temple’s construction, even if the CDA allows it, due to recent cases of violence and destruction of its site.

Lahore-based Islamic institution, the Jamia Ashrafia, issued a fatwa against the construction of the temple, declaring it a ‘non-permissible’ act under Islam, and a group of influential Islamic clerics said there would be a ‘severe reaction’ if the temple went ahead. Petitions were filed to the Islamabad High Court by religious opponents over whether the temple had the required permission and whether state money should be used to fund the project. Approval for this project and the allocation of the land was first given in 2017, but it has faced numerous delays. Hindus are the largest minority in Pakistan, but often face discrimination.