Historic Ram Leela Temple Sealed in Dera Ismail Khan as Hindu Community and Civil Society Protest Demolition Plan

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The district administration has locked and sealed the historic Ram Leela Temple in the city’s Rahim Bazaar, days after civil society activists stepped in to stop the heritage building being pulled down for a commercial plaza. Local sources said Assistant Commissioner Hamid Siddiq had already sealed the premises once before, following public protests, and had the work at the site stopped.

Civil society and the Hindu community push back

Representatives of civil society and members of the Hindu community sat down together to discuss the reported demolition move, condemned the proposed construction and called on elected representatives to raise the matter in the National Assembly. The meeting, held at the office of civil society president Sohail Ahmed Azmi, was attended by former MPA and Hindu community representative Kishore Kumar, social worker Muhammad Nauman and others. Participants pointed out that the Ram Leela Temple is one of around 400 buildings in Dera Ismail Khan that the Evacuee Trust Property Board has identified as cultural heritage properties.

Inquiry demanded

The meeting also alleged that the authorities concerned had allowed a commercial plaza to be built at the site despite questions over their legal authority to do so. Participants demanded an inquiry and said complaints would go to the district administration, the speaker of the National Assembly, the archaeology department and other relevant bodies. Civil society, traders, writers and heritage advocates, they said, would resist anything that damages the city’s historical identity.