The government of Punjab has responded today to a recent report by The Dawn about a more than 100-year-old Hindu Temple in Siraj Village, District Narowal.
The Hindu temple in Siraj Village, District Narowal, collapsed on August 21, 2026, following torrential rainfall, according to a post by the government of Punjab on X, formerly Twitter.
The post mentioned that, contrary to what ‘The Dawn has claimed, the adjoining land had been leased to a seminary, but the temple’s own land had never been leased to anyone.’
The post further mentions that the Minister for Minorities Affairs, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, has also visited the Hindu temple site.
He found that only a portion of the temple sign collapsed due to torrential rainfall. The post further added that the government has committed to restoring it.
“Responsible journalism should certainly report allegations. But it must clearly distinguish between an allegation, a claim, and a fact,” the post read further.
“When a matter involves a sensitive issue such as a religious place of worship, the responsibility to verify every claim becomes even greater,” it stated.
“Once a narrative suggesting religious persecution gains momentum, the damage to communal harmony, Pakistan’s image, and public trust may be irreparable,” the post further cautioned.
Major staff layoffs reported at Dawn Islamabad office
According to recent reports, Dawn News has laid off several employees at its Islamabad office, including technical workers and NLE staff.
According to the details, assignment editors and technical staff from bureaus across the country have been sent home. Another 10 workers at the Islamabad office have lost their jobs.
Additionally, three assignment editors, Non-Linear Editing (NLE) staff and technical workers have been removed from their positions. Reportedly, the Islamabad bureau once had 16 reporters, and now only four reporters are left.
As per the details, each of the four reporters will receive only 30 litres of petrol. They will use the same fuel to travel from home to the office and cover stories for the organisation using their own motorcycles or cars.