Dear friends, please discuss about this on the forum.
**NOTE: Kamal123, pls try being more focused and precise when starting threads and discussions.
Link to the topic;
http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/13/nat16.htm
Thanks,
** Haris Zuberi
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Pin drop silence !!!!!!!!!!!!
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Discuss what? Which temple? When? Source/link? If you can't post the link, tell me the name of the newspaper/mag that gave that story. I'll try to search and post that here.
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
discuss discuss.
now are we done? thanks 
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
LAHORE, June 12: The Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) officials are believed to have concealed facts from the board chairman to obtain his ‘approval’ to allow a private developer to demolish Krishna Mandir at Wachhoowali, Rang Mahal and raise a commercial building in its place in violation of the EPTB’s own scheme for management and disposal of the urban evacuee trust properties.
According to the documents made available to Dawn, the board officials did not mention that the property being given to an influential jeweller of the area was a Hindu temple. Had the officials indicated in the official correspondence with the chairman that the property was a Hindu temple, he might have rejected the request for its transfer to the jeweller-developer for the construction of a four-storey commercial building with a basement in its place, a source in the EPTB said on Monday.
The EPTB Scheme for Management and Disposal of Urban Evacuee Trust Properties, 1977, categorically prohibits the sale or demolition of an evacuee trust property that is part of appurtenance to a shrine, a religious place or a building of historical or architectural importance.
Wachhoowali, a narrow commercial and residential lane reached through Sooha Bazar and Chhata Bazar, is to Lahore what Katas is to Pakistan because of the presence of several Hindu temples, which are managed and maintained by the EPTB. Each temple is rented out by the EPTB to several tenants for residential or commercial purposes. The demolished Krishna Mandir was the only Hindu temple in the city, which still had remnants of the worship place.
Sources in the EPTB blamed its administrator Chaudhry Javed Bashir for the razing of the temple, alleging that he was the one who deliberately concealed facts from the chairman. They said a Hindu temple in Vehari was also demolished last year for the construction of a commercial building during Mr Bashir’s posting there.
The sources said such actions would only disparage the reputation of the country in the comity of nations as an anti-minority state.
Several opposition members of the National Assembly, belonging to the PPP and the PML-N, have already moved a motion against the demolition of the temple in Wachhoowali, saying such an act could have a bearing on Pakistan’s relations with the neighbouring countries.
http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/13/nat16.htm
I think they are talking about this. I’m not sure if it was the only temple (is it the same as ordinary mandar?) in Lahore, but the negligence of the officials is condemnable. The temple must be rebuilt.
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Bad move. Hatred only breeds hatred, and violence breeds only violence in turn. Hope mosques in India are doing fine...
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
I don't know if it was motivated by hatred or greed, but it's a shame that the person who 'concealed facts' in Vehari was again given a chance to 'conceal facts' in Lahore. I wouldn't like to announce a verdict right now and wait for the story to develop. But one thing seems clear: a temple has been demolished and it must not have been demolished. Not because it gives 'a wrong message' but because it IS wrong both morally and constitutionally. This claim of the authorities that they were kept in the dark would be tested by their future conduct as to what they want to do with the site in question. The temple should be rebuilt.
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Its wrong.
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Indian media has reported about this demolition only yesterday dt 13th June though the demolition has taken place much earlier.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1719330,000500020000.htm
Hindu temple in Lahore demolished
Press Trust of India
Islamabad, June 13, 2006|16:16 IST
Though the report occured in Dawn much earlier
http://www.dawn.com/2006/05/28/nat23.htm
Another temple is no more
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Sick... Cant express the depth of my outrage. Typical stupidity and narrow mindedness that has come to characterize Pakistan and Pakistani brand of Islam...
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
**Kamal123, pls try being more focused and precise when starting threads and discussions.
**
Amorphous, thanks for digging out a link to the story. :k:
This is exteremely outrageous, but it is much more about greed and corruption than about racism, ethnic hatered or intentional sabotage of a historic building only because of it being a Hindu temple. Such corrupt administrators and land mafia wouldnt shy away from demolishing mazaars and building malls on them leaving the grave in one corner. The EPTB should stir the govt depts concerned and those repsonsible should be punished hard.
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Was it the only Hindu temple in Lahore? As reported in many newspapers.
Was there no other Hindu temple existing in Lahore before and after partition? Lahore was a strong hold of Hindu population before 1947.
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
No I couldnt believe this to be true...
Can any old Lahoris confirm?
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Meanwhile, this report coincidentally supports what I said in post#11;
http://dawn.com/2006/06/14/local5.htm
*"Speakers at a demonstration on Tuesday condemned the demolition of historical graves of Moririo Meerbahar and his six brothers at Gulbai roundabout and demanded that the graves be reconstructed at original site and those involved in the demolition operation be arrested, tried and punished according to law.
Speaking at the demonstration, organized by various NGOs and political parties on the demolition site, they termed the graves a part of Sindh’s heritage, and said under a conspiracy heritage, structures were being demolished.
The graves were over 700 years old and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai had written many poems on their life-story.
…"*
Though in this case the insensitive demolition was due to ‘development’ instead of ‘profit’.
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
/\/\/\/\ Very good excuse!!!
Still I want to know if it was the only temple existing in Lahore as per reports in media.
What happened to other temples???
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
The claim of media that there was only one temple in Lahore will be subjected to scrutiny after we find out which temple has been demolished in Lahore. Read on..
- Krishna Temple on Ravi Road, not in Rang Mahal, says EPTB chairman
- Developer says blackmailers got false stories printed against him
LAHORE: Federal Religious Affairs Minister Ejazul Haq has rejected Indian opposition leader Lal Krishan Advani’s statement about the demolition of Krishna Mandir on Ravi Road in Lahore and that minorities in Pakistan did not have religious freedom.
“The Krishna Mandir is in perfect condition. I invite LK Advani to visit Lahore and pray at the temple,” Ejaz told reporters during a visit to Krishna Mandir on Thursday. He said that Rs 700,000 were spent on the renovation of Krishna Mandir a few months ago. The minister said that irresponsible statements by the Indian leadership could affect the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
Krishna Mandir supervisor Pandit Kashi Ram, who was with the minister, supported Ejaz’s statement and said the government was spending money on the temple’s renovation. He added that the government gave Rs 10,000 for holy festivals including Diwali, Dasehra and Holi observed at the Krishna Mandir.
Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) Chairman Lt Gen (r) Zulfikar Ali Khan said the Krishna Temple was situated on Ravi Road and had not been demolished.
Khan rejected a newspaper report that the board had allowed a private developer to demolish Krishna Temple to build a commercial building. “The newspaper wrongly reported the Krishna Temple was situated in the Wachhowali Bazaar in Rang Mahal**.** The property under discussion and claimed as temple is a disputed piece of land under the EPTB’s control,” he said. There was a temple named ‘Sanatan Dharm Sabha’ in Rang Mahal, and even that was 300 feet away from where the developer was constructing his building, he added.
The EPTB chairman said the developer, Khawaja Sohail Naseem, was constructing a building according to an agreement with the EPTB. He said the developer had not sold the property, as alleged.
An official document showed that the property (number E-2351) consisting of seven marlas and 92 square feet had been given on a 30-year lease to Naseem at a minimum rent per square feet of Rs 33 and a non-refundable security of Rs 2.5 million. The document said that an EPTB committee and Naseem negotiated the construction of a basement and a four-storey commercial building on the property on January 21, 2006. Naseem later told reporters that two men claiming to be journalists had visited him on May 10 and asked for Rs 100,000. “They said the construction was illegal and threatened me to pay them” he said. “False stories have been printed against me because I did not pay them,” he added. He said he registered a compliant with the Lohari Gate police duty officer against the ‘journalists’ on May 11. Meanwhile, Om Prakash Narayan, secretary general of Pakistan Minorities Welfare Council, on Thursday moved a petition in the Lahore High Court for the registration of a case against people responsible for demolishing a Hindu temple in Sooha Bazaar, Rang Mahal. Narayan’s lawyer Chaudhry Fawad alleged that the EPTB (Eastern Zone) chairman demolished the temple and allowed a jeweler to build a commercial building on the site.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C06%5C16%5Cstory_16-6-2006_pg13_1
Perhaps the correspondent and editors of Dawn or any other newspapers that printed the story need to do some explaining… And LK Advani needs to calm down until we locate the debris of the demolished temple.
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
The Indian government said on Thursday that it had taken up the alleged demolition of a temple in Lahore with Pakistani authorities. “We have seen media reports of the demolition of the Krishna Temple and the matter has been taken up with the Pakistani authorities,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said. He said that the issue had been taken up at a “sufficiently senior level” with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. News reports said that the Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB), which is responsible for administering historical shrines of religious minorities, had allowed a jeweller to demolish the Krishna Temple – the last Hindu temple in Lahore — and build a commercial establishment in its place. The demolition has been denounced by Opposition Leader in the Indian Parliament, LK Advani, and other leaders. Pakistan’s Foreign Office has rejected reports of the temple’s demolition as “baseless”. “The Krishna Mandir in Lahore is safe. The temple referred to in sections of the press is not the Krishna Mandir but abandoned property being used as a part-commercial facility, according to the EPTB,” a Foreign Office statement said. “The media report is factually incorrect. The Krishna Mandir is located on Ravi Road while the property referred to in news reports is in Rang Mahal. Both locations are several kilometres apart.” The Foreign Office statement said that a temple did exist in the same locality about 300 feet from the property in question, it said. “That mandir is intact. Around 35 people reside on the property surrounding it, and have lived there since independence,” the statement said.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C06%5C16%5Cstory_16-6-2006_pg13_2
Journos!!!
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Thanks Amorphous and also tell us when the Pakistan State has declared the Daily Times as its mouth organ???
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Why don’t the likes of Advani take up Ejaz ul Haq’s offer?
Re: Demolition of Hindu temple in Lahore
Dawn report;
http://dawn.com/2006/06/16/nat5.htm
and anjjan, Daily Times is one of the leading dailies.