The Pakistani Army has always supported Hindus in their struggle against extremist groups in the country, the chief priest of the biggest Hanuman temple in Pakistan, Sant Ram Nath Mishra, said on Wednesday.
Speaking in Ayodhya, Mishra recounted the struggle of the Panch Mukhi Hanuman Mandir in Karachi, which originally spanned over 25,000 square feet at the time of India's partition.
Over the decades, much of the land was encroached upon, but a landmark ruling by Pakistan's Supreme Court in 2018 led to its restoration, said Mishra who is currently on a visit to Hindu religious sites across the country.
“We fought a long battle for our temple land. Many hardline groups opposed us, but we approached the Supreme Court of Pakistan, demanding the return of all the land we held before partition,” he told PTI.
“The Supreme Court ruled in our favour, and its decision was swiftly implemented with the full support of the Pakistan Army and the government against the Jihadi groups,” he said.
The apex court also decided that all places of worship and the properties belonging to the minority community would be handed over to them, he added. However, significant reconstruction work remains to be done, he said.
“We have appealed to the Pakistan government to support us in developing the temple into a grand structure that could attract tourists from across the world, ultimately benefiting Pakistan's economy,” he said.
On India-Pakistan relations, Mishra stressed the need for easing visa restrictions.
“People on both sides wish to maintain friendly ties. Pakistani Hindus seek to undertake the Char Dham Yatra in India under my leadership while Indian Hindus aspire to visit ancient religious sites in Pakistan, including the Gorakhnath Temple in Peshawar, Shiv Temple in Chitti Hatti, Panch Mukhi Hanuman Mandir in Karachi, and Krishna Temple in Islamabad,” he said.
© 2025