The Pakistani government has come up with a ‘master plan’ to renovate and beautify temples and gurdwaras in the country at a cost of PKR 1 billion (approximately USD 3,509,000). 

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The authorities took the decision on Saturday in a meeting of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). Its chief, Syed Attaur Rehman, said, "Under a master plan, temples and gurdwaras will be decorated and development works will be done with a budget of PKR 1 billion." 

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"A huge amount of money is being spent on minority places of worship," he said, further mentioning that the ETPB received more than Rs 1 billion (USD 3.5 million) in revenue this year. 

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The condition of Hindu temples in Pakistan is quite concerning, as out of the 428 Hindu temples that existed in Pakistan, only around 20 survive today, a report by hinduismpakistan.info mentioned. 

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The renovation has been announced as most of the temples are in a state of neglect, and many of these temples have been converted for other uses, such as schools, shops, and even hotels. 

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The meeting was also attended by members of the Hindu and Sikh communities from all over the country, as well as government and non-government members. 

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Pakistan issues visas to Indian pilgrims

The Pakistan High Commission this week announced that it has issued 154 visas to Indian pilgrims travelling to the Shree Katas Raj temples in Pakistan's Punjab province. 

Thousands of Indian pilgrims visit Pakistan annually for various religious festivals under the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974. 

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(With inputs from agencies)