Karachi, Sep 3 (IANS): Several precious idols and artefacts have been unearthed during fresh construction work at a temple in Soldier Bazaar area of Karachi in Pakistan, media reports said on Tuesday.

The idols and artefacts were found during the construction work at Karachi's historic Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir, which holds special significance for Hindus many of whom believe that it is the only shrine in the world which has a naturally-created statue of Lord Hanuman.

According to reports, there are around eight to nine Hanuman statues, along with the buffalo-like Nandi Maharaj idols, the elephant god Ganesh idols, Sherawali Mata idols with some earthen pots.

The temple's trustee Ram Nath Maharaj said that it can't be said with certainty how old the temple is - 500 years or 1,500 years old or even older than that.

"We found these idols and artefacts during the expansion and construction of the temple", he said.

"The freshly excavated artefacts can be tested for age in order to determine the true age of the temple," Maharaj said.

The trustee demanded that the temple be declared a national monument of Pakistan.