100-Year-Old Shiv Temple In Pakistan's Sindh Faces Encroachment By Land Mafia (WATCH)

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) The land surrounding a 100-year-old Shiv temple near Tando Jam town in Pakistan's Sindh province has allegedly been illegally occupied by land grabbers, who have begun construction around the historic site, a Hindu community representative said on Thursday.

“The temple is more than a century old, but these land grabbers have occupied and started illegal construction on the land surrounding the temple and obstructed the roads/entrances which lead to the Shiv Mandir,” said Shiva Kachhi, head of Darawar Ittehad Pakistan, an organisation representing the Hindu community in Pakistan.

The land surrounding the more than 100-year-old temple of Shu Mandir Shivalu in Musa Katian near Tando Jam has been occupied. The influential builder mafia has started construction work and the entrances to the temple have been blocked.ٹنڈو جام کے قریب موسیٰ کٹیاں میں شو مندر... twitter/prYpkOc4bT

- Shiva Kachhi (دراوڙ)🇵🇰 (@FaqirShiva) May 22, 2025

According to Kachhi, a committee managed the Shiv Mandir and approximately four acres of land around it in Musa Khatian village, located about 185 kilometres from Karachi, before the alleged encroachment took place.

The temple, which holds deep historical and religious significance, was renovated last year by the Sindh Heritage Department.“The temple was last year renovated by a team of the Sindh Heritage Department owing to its historical significance,” he noted.

The site is not only a place of worship but also includes a cremation ground used by the Hindu community.“A cremation site for Hindus is also close to the temple where an annual religious ceremony is held,” Kachhi said, adding that bhajan sessions are held at the temple every Monday.“He said that Hindu community members in the area recite Bhajans at the temple every Monday.”

He raised concerns over the growing influence of land mafias in the region.“The powerful land mafia has occupied many swathes of land surrounding the temple and has already started construction around it.”

Kachhi, who also engages in welfare and legal aid work for the minority Hindu community in Sindh, appealed to authorities to take immediate action.“He appealed to the Pakistani government to stop the illegal construction around the temple.”

He further emphasized the need to preserve Sindh's heritage.“He said there were many historical Hindu temples in Sindh, and it was the duty of the government to ensure their protection.”

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