Pakistan launches temple restoration program to boost religious tourism

Pakistan's Department of Archeology and Museum in Islamabad has announced a large-scale restoration campaign for Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras across the country. The initiative aims to boost religious tourism from India following the COVID-19 pandemic and signals a shift toward greater religious equality. Starting in 2020, at least two buildings will be restored annually in the provinces of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Many temples were abandoned after the 1947 Partition when most Hindus and Sikhs moved to India. In the early 1990s, amid instability and Sikh terrorism in Kashmir, the government closed around 500 temples, many converted into mosques and madrasas. A survey by the Pakistani Hindu Movement found only 20 temples remain open today, down from 438 before 1990. Prime Minister Imran Khan's government aims to restore the country's pre-Islamic heritage and foster religious equality for Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus.