Religious Minorities in Pakistan

Pakistan has various religious minorities. According to the 1941 census of India, there were 5.9 million non-Muslims in the territories that came to form Pakistan in 1947 (West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). During and after Pakistan's independence in 1947, about 5 million Hindus and Sikhs emigrated to India, with Punjab alone accounting for migration of 3.9 million people.[1] According to the 1951 census, non-Muslims comprised 14.2% of Pakistan's total population, including East Pakistan. In East Pakistan, the non-Muslims comprised 30.20% of the total population.[2][3]

By 1997, the percentage of Hindus remained stable at 1.85% in Pakistan,[4] while Bangladesh has witnessed a decline with Hindus migrating from it because of insecurity due to fear of persecution, conflict, communal violence (as a result of newly-created Bangladesh's assertion of its Muslim identity) and poverty.[5][6] The percentage of Hindus in Bangladesh had dropped to 9.2% by 2011, with non-Muslims accounting for 10.2% of the population.[7]

Much of the decrease in minorities of Pakistan has occurred due to the events around the partition, the wars of 1965 and 1971.[8] Various causes like religious violence and forced conversions are attributed as responsible for decline of minorities.[9] Forced conversions and marriages represent a significant threat to underage girls in Pakistan. Around 1000 girls belonging to religious minorities were estimated to be forcibly converted every year according to NGOs.[10] In November 2019, Pakistan formed parliamentary committee to stop the act of forced conversion in the country.[11] However according to "[t]he All Pakistan Hindu Panchayat (APHP)...[the] majority of cases of marriages between Hindu women and Muslim men were result of love affairs. It said due to honour, the family members of women concoct stories of abduction and forced conversions".[12]

According to Western religious freedom and human rights monitoring groups,[13] religious minorities face severe discrimination in Pakistan.[14][15][16][17]

Religious minorities

Demographics
See also: Demographics of Pakistan and Religion in Pakistan

In 2012, according to the Government of Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), the population of officially registered religious minorities in Pakistan was as follows:[18]

  • Hindus: 1,414,527
  • Christians: 1,270,051
  • Ahmadis: 125,681
  • Baha'is: 33,734
  • Sikhs: 6,146
  • Parsis: 4,020
  • Buddhists: 1,492
  • Others: 66,898

According to the 1951 census conducted by the Government of Pakistan, West Pakistan had 1.6% Hindu population, while East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) had 22.05%.[5]

According to the 1998 census conducted by the Government of Pakistan, Hindus made up 1.85% of the population and Christians (Protestant and Roman Catholic) 1.59%, or around 3.2million people.[19] Other estimates put the numbers higher. Historically, there was also a small contingent of Jews in Pakistan who emigrated to Israel in 1948.

The U.S. State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2002 estimates the Shi'a population between 10-12%,[20] among which around 900,000 are Ismailis which is a sect of Shi'i Muslims and who pay tribute to their living spiritual leader, the Aga Khan. It also lists Christians at 2.09 million; Hindus at 1.03 million; Parsis, Buddhists, and Sikhs at 20,000 each; and Baha'is at 30,000.

In a 2011 book, Ishtiaq Ahmed wrote that "Some independent studies, however, suggest that the non-Muslims population of Pakistan is nearly 10 per cent and Hindus, Christians and Ahmadis make up four million each. It is generally noted that while majorities play down minority figures, the minorities inflate them. This is especially true of the Ahmadiyya community. Official statistics return less than 150,000 for them while the Ahmadis claim to be around ten million."[21]

Much of the decrease in minorities of Pakistan has occurred due to the events around the partition, the wars of 1965 and 1971.[8] 2019 Religious Minorities in Pakistan report compiled by Members of the European Parliament also attributes reasons like religious violence and forced conversions as a cause of decline.[9] In November 2019, Pakistan formed parliamentary committee to stop the act of forced conversion in the country.[11]

In 1995, the Parsis put their number at 2,831.[22]

Blasphemy law

Pakistan's Blasphemy law stems from section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (6 October 1860) XLV of 1860. It states that whoever "defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine."[23] This law is phrased in vague terms (therefore violating the principle of legality), and is often used to level false accusations at people from religious minorities. Asia Bibi is a notable example of a person against whom such a violation occurred. Victims of these false accusations are often presumed guilty, and can be convicted without substantive evidence.[9][14]

Independent human rights organisation Global Human Rights Defence receives a number of cases each month from the representatives of victims of the blasphemy law.[14][13]

According to the 2012 United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) annual report, "The government of Pakistan continues to engage in and tolerate systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief."[15][24] The USCIRF has designated Pakistan as "country of particular concern" since 2002.[15][25] The report argues that "The country’s blasphemy laws, used predominantly in Punjab but also nationwide, target members of religious minority communities and dissenting Muslims and this frequently results in imprisonment. The USCIRF is aware of at least 16 individuals on death row and 20 more serving life sentences. The blasphemy law, along with anti-Ahmadi laws that effectively criminalise various practices of their faith, has created a climate of vigilante violence. Hindus have suffered from the climate of violence and hundreds have fled Pakistan for India."[26]

Farahnaz Ispahani who was the media advisor to the President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2012, has blamed the successive Pakistani governments of pursuing a "slow genocide" against minorities to shore up their political base.[27] A BBC FAQ notes that "Beginning in 1980, a slew of clauses was added to the chapter of religious offences in the Pakistan Penal Code. These clauses can be grouped into two categories - the anti-Ahmadi laws and the blasphemy laws." The BBC notes that three is widespread popular support for these laws in Pakistan, and that two prominent critics of these laws, Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti, have been assassinated in 2011. Regarding the blasphemy laws, the BBC observes that: "Hundreds of Christians are among the accused - at least 12 of them were given the death sentence for blaspheming against the Prophet."[28]

Mass anti-Christian violence recently occurred in the 2009 Gojra riots and in the 2013 Joseph Colony riot and the 2013 Gujranwala riot.[29] Recent anti-Shia violence includes the February 2012 Kohistan Shia Massacre, the August 2012 Mansehra Shia Massacre[30] and the particularly deadly January 2013[31] and February 2013 Quetta bombings.[32] The Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan was targeted in the similarly deadly May 2010 attacks on Ahmadi mosques in Lahore.[33][34]

A survey carried out by All Pakistan Hindu Rights Movement Pakistan's revealed that out of 428 Hindu temples in Pakistan only around 20 survive today and they remain neglected by the Evacuee Trust Property Board which controls those while the rest had been converted for other uses since 1990.[35] However, in November 2019, government of Pakistan started restoring process for 400 Hindu temples in Pakistan. After restoration, the temples will be reopened to Hindus in Pakistan.[36]

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See also

References
  1. L.A. Kosinski, K.M. Elahi (2012). Population Redistribution and Development in South Asia. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 136. ISBN 9780706908374.
  2. Mukesh Rawat (12 December 2019). "No, Pakistan's non-Muslim population didn't decline". India Today. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  3. Kabir, Muhammad Ghulam (1980). Minority Politics in Bangladesh. Vikas. p. 2. ISBN 9780706908374.
  4. Census of Pakistan Archived 2010-11-13 at the Wayback Machine
  5. D'Costa, Bina (2011), Nationbuilding, Gender and War Crimes in South Asia, Routledge, pp. 100–, ISBN 978-0-415-56566-0
  6. Ganguly-Scrase, Ruchira; Lahiri-Dutt, Kuntala (2016), Rethinking Displacement: Asia Pacific Perspectives, Routledge, pp. 100–, ISBN 978-0-415-56566-0
  7. "Census of Bangladesh". Banbeis.gov.bd. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  8. "Cleansing Pakistan of Minorities" (PDF). Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  9. "'Religious Minorities in Pakistan' compiled by Members of European Parliament" (PDF). Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  10. 25 Hindu girls abducted every month, claims HRCP official The News International
  11. "Pak. forms parliamentary committee to prevent forced conversions of minorities". The Hindu. 23 November 2019.
  12. Yudhvir Rana (January 30th, 2020). Most marriages between Hindu women and Muslim men result of. Times of India. Retrieved March 3rd, 2020.
  13. "Global Human Rights Defence". Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  14. "Global Human Rights Defence 'Human Rights Report 2019'" (PDF). Global Human Rights Defence. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  15. Sen, Ashish Kumar (30 April 2013). "Pakistan tops worst list for religious freedom". The Washington Times. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  16. "US report speaks of 'crisis for minorities'". Dawn. AFP. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013. A US government-appointed panel urged Washington on Tuesday to step up pressure on Pakistan over religious freedom, alleging that risks to its minorities have reached a crisis level.
  17. "Deeply concerned over reports of human rights abuses, religious discrimination in Pakistan, says US". Business Today (India). 22 October 2019.
  18. Tribune.com.pk (2 September 2012). "Over 35,000 Buddhists, Baha'is call Pakistan home". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  19. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2006.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  20. United States Department of State
  21. Ishtiaq Ahmed (2011). The Politics of Religion in South and Southeast Asia. Taylor & Francis. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-136-72703-0.
  22. ‘Two decades from now, Pakistan will have no Parsis’ | Karachi | thenews.com.pk | Karachi
  23. "Pakistan Penal Code (Act XLV of 1860)". Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  24. "U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Annual Report 2012 | OSCE". www.osce.org. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  25. "Tier 1 Countries of Particular Concern". United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  26. Amina Jilani (10 May 2013). "Of particular concern". The Express Tribune.
  27. "Slow genocide of minorities in Pakistan: Farahnaz Ispahani Mint". Mint.
  28. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12621225 Archived 20 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine Q&A: Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws
  29. Sonya Rehman (5 April 2013) Joseph Colony: Attacked and Unprotected, The Diplomat thediplomat.com/the-pulse/2013/04/05/joseph-colony-christian-community-in-lahore-attacked-and-unprotected/2/?all=true
  30. "Pakistan Shias killed in Gilgit sectarian attack". BBC. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  31. Formidable power of Pakistan's anti-Shia militants www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20983153
  32. "Bombings kill 115 people in Pakistan". USA TODAY. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  33. "Deaths in Pakistan mosques raids". Al Jazeera English. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  34. "Pakistan mosque attacks in Lahore kill scores". BBC News. 29 May 2010.
  35. Gishkori, Zahid (25 March 2014). "95% of worship places put to commercial use: Survey". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  36. "Pakistan to restore, hand over 400 Hindu temples". Gulf News. 13 November 2019.
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