Restoration Work Begins on 900-Year-Old Shiwala Teja Singh Temple in Sialkot: Arora

By Our Staff Reporter
Muhammad Shahzad

Lahore, October 27, 2025 — Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs Punjab, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, announced that, under the directives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, restoration work has been initiated on the 900-year-old Shiwala Teja Singh Temple in Sialkot. A technical team from the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) will soon visit the historic site to begin the restoration process at the earliest.

The minister made these remarks while distributing Diwali grant cheques and gifts among members of the Hindu community during a ceremony held at the temple.

The event was attended by MPA Shakila Javed, Deputy Secretary for Minority Affairs and Human Rights Umar Hayat, Assistant Commissioner Sialkot Rana Safdar Shabbir, DSP Tariq Thadhi, Pandit Jashpal, Hakeem Rattan Lal, Sardar Jaskaran Singh Sidhu, Zeeshan Javed, Sain Das, Ravi Kumar, and a large number of Hindu community members and representatives of other minority faiths. Religious rituals were also performed on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora said that alongside the temple, the Khu of Puran Bhagat — another centuries-old site sacred to both Hindu and Sikh communities — will also undergo restoration. He stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab government is implementing comprehensive measures for the welfare and development of minority communities, ensuring their active participation in all social, cultural, and religious spheres.

He emphasized that the Punjab government’s inclusive policies reflect a vision of harmony, respect, and equal opportunity for all religious communities, and noted that the Chief Minister, cabinet members, and senior government officials regularly participate in minority festivals to promote interfaith solidarity.

> “According to the Constitution of Pakistan, all minorities are equal citizens,” said Arora. “Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah made it clear in his historic address of August 11, 1947, that every citizen of Pakistan enjoys freedom of worship and equality before the state.”

The minister also criticized India’s claim of secularism, pointing out that New Delhi has kept the Kartarpur Corridor closed for the past five months, whereas Pakistan continues to allow Sikh pilgrims to freely visit their holy sites.

He lauded Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif for his significant role in the restoration of Baba Di Beri, a revered Sikh religious site in Sialkot, and said the Sikh community deeply appreciates his efforts in preserving their cultural and religious heritage.