Religion in Pakistan explained

The official religion of Pakistan is Islam, as enshrined by Article 2 of the Constitution, and is practised by an overwhelming majority of 96.35% of the country's population.[1] [2] The remaining 3.65% practice Hinduism, Christianity, Ahmadiyya(considered non-Muslims by the Pakistani constitution),[3] Sikhism and other religions.[4]

A few aspects of secularism have also been adopted by Pakistani constitution from British colonial concept.[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] However, religious minorities in Pakistan often face significant discrimination, subject to issues such as violence and the blasphemy laws.[10]

Muslims comprise a number of sects: the majority practice Sunni Islam (estimated at 90%), while a minority practice Shia Islam (estimated at 10%).[11] Most Pakistani Sunni Muslims belong to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, which is represented by the Barelvi and Deobandi traditions. However, the Hanbali school is gaining popularity recently due to Wahhabi influence from the Middle East.[12] The majority of Pakistani Shia Muslims belong to the Twelver Islamic law school, with significant minority groups who practice Ismailism, which is composed of Nizari (Aga Khanis), Mustaali, Dawoodi Bohra, Sulaymani, and others.

Before the arrival of Islam beginning in the 8th century, the region comprising Pakistan was home to a diverse plethora of faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism.[13] [14]

Equal rights

Khawaja Nazimuddin, Pakistan's second Prime Minister, argued against equal rights for all citizens in an Islamic state.[15] However, The Constitution of Pakistan establishes Islam as the state religion,[16] and provides that all citizens have the right to profess, practice and propagate their religion subject to law, public order, and morality.[17] The Constitution also states that all laws are to conform with the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Quran and Sunnah.[18]

The Constitution limits the political rights of Pakistan's non-Muslims. Only Muslims are allowed to become the President[19] or the Prime Minister.[20] Only Muslims are allowed to serve as judges in the Federal Shariat Court, which has the power to strike down any law deemed un-Islamic, though its judgments can be overruled by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.[21] However, non-Muslims have served as judges in the High Courts and Supreme Court.[22] In 2019, Naveed Amir, a Christian member of the National Assembly moved a bill to amend the article 41 and 91 of the Constitution which would allow non-Muslims to become Prime Minister and President of Pakistan. However, Pakistan's parliament blocked the bill.[23]

Secularism

See main article: Secularism in Pakistan, Freedom of religion in Pakistan and Demography of Pakistan.

Aspects & Practices of secularism

There was a petition in Supreme Court of Pakistan in the year of 2015 by 17 judges to declare the nation as a "Secular state" officially.[24] Muhammad Ali Jinnah (the founder of Pakistan) wanted Pakistan to be a secular, democratic, and a liberal republic.[25] Its predecessor, the Dominion of Pakistan, was secular from 1947 to 1955 and after that, Pakistan adopted a constitution in 1956, becoming an Islamic republic with Islam as its state religion.[26]

The main principles of Secularism in the Pakistani constitution were incorporated in its fundamental rights which were granted under various articles of 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 36 & 38 of the constitution[27] –

(a) Article 20 : Freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions.[28]

(b) Article 21 : Safeguard against taxation for purposes of any particular religion.[29]

(c) Article 22 : Safeguards as to educational institutions in respect of religion, etc.[30]

(d) Article 25 : Equality of citizens.[31]

(e) Article 26 : Non-discrimination in respect of access to public places.[32]

(f) Article 27 : Safeguard against discrimination in services.[33]

(g) Article 36 : Protection of Minorities.[34]

(h) Article 38 : Promotion of social and economic well-being of all the people.[35]

Demographics of religion in Pakistan

1901 to 1931 census

The 1961 Census of Pakistan (Volume 1 – page 24 of Part II – Statement 2.19) released estimates on the religious composition of the country to the nearest thousandth for Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and others for 60 years prior.[36] [37] The pre-partition figures were derived from prior decadal censuses taken in administrative divisions in British India that would become part of Pakistan following partition, and included separate results for West Pakistan and East Pakistan. As the area that composes the contemporary nation of Pakistan corresponds with the historical administrative unit of West Pakistan, the figures in the table below are for West Pakistan from the 1901 census, 1911 census, 1921 census, and the 1931 census.

Religious
group! colspan="2"
1901
1911
1921
1931
10,957,00013,077,00013,554,00016,533,000
2,327,0002,267,0002,523,0003,115,000
31,000119,000214,000357,000
Others314,000631,000751,0001,312,000
Total Responses13,630,00016,094,00017,042,00021,317,000
Total Population16,577,00019,381,00021,108,00023,541,000

1941 census

The total population of the region that composes contemporary Pakistan was approximately 29,643,600 according to the final census prior to partition in 1941. With the exception of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, all administrative divisions in the region that composes contemporary Pakistan collected religious data, with a combined total population of 27,266,001, for an overall response rate of 92.0 percent. Similar to the contemporary era, where censuses do not collect religious data in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit–Baltistan, the total number of responses for religion is slightly smaller than the total population, as detailed in the table breakdown below.

Religious
group! colspan="2"
PakistanPunjabSindhKhyber
Pakhtunkhwa		BalochistanAJKGilgit–
Baltistan
Total
Population		Percentage
21,113,21413,022,1603,462,0152,788,797785,181939,460115,601
3,981,5652,373,4661,279,530180,32154,39493,559295
1,672,7531,530,11232,62757,93912,04439,910121
432,724395,31120,30410,8896,05613628
Tribal37,60337,598302
13,2199,5203,68711100
4,2523123,841247500
1,17971,082711900
26687111254300
Others19,22619,128009890
Total responses27,266,00117,340,1034,840,7953,038,067857,8351,073,154116,047
Total population29,643,60017,340,1034,840,7955,415,666857,8351,073,154116,047

1951 census

After partition, when first census of Pakistan was conducted in the year 1951, It was found that the Muslim proportion in West Pakistan (contemporary Pakistan) increased from approximately 77.3 percent according to the 1941 census, to 97.1 percent as per the 1951 census; in contrast, the combined Hindu and Sikh proportion in West Pakistan (contemporary Pakistan) decreased from approximately 20.8 percent to just 1.7 percent during the same timeframe, as the 1947 Partition of India gave rise to bloody rioting and indiscriminate inter-communal killing of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs across the Indian subcontinent, especially in Punjab region. As a result, around 7.3 million Hindus and Sikhs moved to India and 7.2 million Muslims moved to Pakistan permanently, leading to demographic change of both the nations to a certain extent.[38] [39]

2017 census

Pakistan Religious diversity as per (2017 census)[40]
ReligionPopulation%
Muslims 200,352,75496.47%
Hindus 4,444,4372.14%
Christians 2,637,5861.27%
Ahmadiyya Muslims207,6880.09%
Others (inc. Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Baháʼís, Buddhists, Irreligious)20,7670.01%
Total207,684,000100%
As per 2017 Census of Pakistan, the country has a population of 207,684,000.The CCI approved the release of provisional population figures of 207.754 million people. The final results showed the total population of Pakistan to be 207.684 million, a reduction of 68,738 people or 0.033% against provisional results,[41] Pakistan has a population of 224,418,238 as of 2021.[42]

As of 2018, there are 3.63 million non-Muslim voters in Pakistan- 1.77 million were Hindus, 1.64 million Christians, 167,505 were Ahmadi Muslims, 31,543 were Baháʼís, 8,852 were Sikhs, 4,020 were Parsis, 1,884 were Buddhist and others such as Kalashas.[43] The NADRA makes it nearly impossible to declare and change the religion to anything from Islam making the statistics somewhat misleading.[44]

Details

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics released religious data of Pakistan Census 2017 on 19 May 2021.[45] 96.47% are Muslims, followed by 2.14% Hindus, 1.27% Christians, 0.09% Ahmadi Muslims and 0.02% others.

These are some maps of religious minority groups. The 2017 census showed an increasing share in Hinduism, mainly caused by a higher birth rate among the impoverished Hindus of Sindh province. This census also recorded Pakistan's first Hindu-majority district, called Umerkot District, where Muslims were previously the majority.

On the other hand, Christianity in Pakistan, while increasing in raw numbers, has fallen significantly in percentage terms since the last census. This is due to Pakistani Christians having a significantly lower fertility rate than Pakistani Muslims and Pakistani Hindus as well as them being concentrated in the most developed parts of Pakistan, Lahore District (over 5% Christian), Islamabad Capital Territory (over 4% Christian), and Northern Punjab.

The Ahmadiyya movement shrunk in size (both raw numbers and percentage) between 1998 and 2017, while remaining concentrated in Lalian Tehsil, Chiniot District, where approximately 13% of the population is Ahmadi Muslim.

Here are some maps of Pakistan's religious minority groups as of the 2017 census by district:

2023 Census

Pakistan religious diversity as per 2023 census[46]

ReligionPopulation%
Muslims 231,686,70996.35%
Hindus 5,217,2162.17%
Christians 3,300,7881.37%
Ahmadiyya Muslims162,6840.07%
15,9920.01%
Zoroastrians2,348<0.01%
Others (inc. Kalashas,Baháʼís, Buddhists)72,3460.03%
Total240,458,089100%

Demographics of religion by province/territory

Punjab

Religious
group! colspan="2"
1901[47] [48] 1911[49] [50] 1921[51] 1931[52]
7,951,1558,494,3148,975,28810,570,029
1,944,3631,645,7581,797,1411,957,878
483,999813,441863,0911,180,789
42,371144,514247,030324,730
5,5625,9775,9306,921
300377309413
936166
616817232
Others0080
Total Population10,427,76511,104,58511,888,98514,040,798
Religious
group! colspan="2"
1941[53] 1951[54] 1998[55] 2017[56] 2023[57] [58]
13,022,16020,200,79471,574,830107,541,602124,462,897
2,373,46633,052116,410211,641249,716
1,530,1125,649
395,311402,6171,699,8432,063,0632,458,924
9,520
312195358
879
7
181,428158,021140,512
Others19,5343548,77915,32815,249
Total Population17,350,10320,636,70273,621,290 109,989,655127,333,305

Sindh

Religious
group! colspan="2"
1901[59] 1911[60] 1921[61] 1931[62]
2,609,3372,822,7562,562,7003,017,377
787,683877,313876,6291,055,119
7,82510,91711,73415,152
2,0002,4112,9133,537
9211,3491,5341,144
428595671985
0214153
12,3398,03619,172
Tribal9,2248,186204
Others2,029298641,510
Total Population3,410,2233,737,2233,472,5084,114,253
Religious
group! colspan="2"
1941[63] 1951199820172023
3,462,0155,535,64527,796,81443,234,10750,126,428
1,279,530482,5602,280,8424,176,9864,901,407
Tribal37,598
32,6275,182
20,30422,601294,885408,301546,968
3,8415,0461,763
3,687
1,082
111670
43,52421,66118,266
Others01,22623,82813,45538,395
Total Population4,840,7956,047,74830,439,89347,854,51055,638,409

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Religious
group! colspan="2"
1881[64] 1891[65] 1901[66] 1911[67] 1921[68] 1931[69]
1,787,3412,088,0151,890,4792,039,9942,062,7862,227,303
154,081166,984129,306119,942149,881142,977
9,20521,11025,73330,34528,04042,510
4,7255,4375,1196,58510,61012,213
10610837430
524846492060
000002
4414011
Others520000
Total Responses1,955,5152,281,7082,050,7242,196,9332,251,3402,425,076
Total Population1,955,5152,281,7082,125,4803,819,0275,076,476 4,684,364
Religious
group! colspan="2"
1941[70] 1951199820172023
2,788,7975,858,08020,808,48035,428,85740,486,153
180,321 2,4327,0116,3736,102
57,9394,050
10,8893,82338,97450,018134,884
71
25
2436
1
48,7037,204951
Others021516,8089,5128,944
Total Responses3,038,0675,864,55020,919,97635,501,96440,641,120
Total Population5,415,6665,864,55020,919,97635,501,96440,856,097

Balochistan

Religious
group! colspan="2"
1901[71] 1911[72] 1921[73] 1931[74] 1941[75] 1951199820172023
765,368782,648733,477798,093785,1811,137,0636,484,00612,255,52814,429,568
38,15838,32651,34853,68154,39413,08739,14649,37859,107
2,9728,3907,7418,42512,0441,057
4,0265,0856,6938,0596,0563,93726,46233,33062,731
1661701651677579181
4857191719
810171711
01616068431
9,8002,469557
Others015751206,4713,7038,810
Total Population810,746834,703799,625868,617857,8351,154,1676,565,88512,344,40814,562,011

Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Religious
group! colspan="2"
1941[76]
939,460
93,559
39,910
136
Others89
Total population1,073,154

Gilgit–Baltistan

Religious
group! colspan="2"
1941
115,601
295
121
28
Tribal2
Total population116,047

Islam

See main article: Islam in Pakistan. Islam is the state religion of Pakistan, and about 96–98% of Pakistanis are Muslim.[5] Pakistan has the second largest number of Muslims in the world after Indonesia.[77] The majority are Sunni (estimated at 85-90%),[78] [79] with an estimated 10–15% Shia.[78] [79] [11] [80] A PEW survey in 2012 found that 6% of Pakistani Muslims were Shia.[81] There are a number of Islamic law schools called Madhab (schools of jurisprudence), which are called fiqh or 'Maktab-e-Fikr' in Urdu. Nearly all Pakistani Sunni Muslims belong to the Hanafi Islamic school of thought, while a small number belong to the Hanbali school. The majority of Pakistani Shia Muslims belong to the Twelver (Ithna Asharia) branch, with significant minority who adhere to Ismailism branch that is composed of Nizari (Aga Khanis), Mustaali, Dawoodi Bohra, Sulaymani, and others.[82] Sufis and above mentioned Sunni and Shia sects are considered to be Muslims according to the Constitution of Pakistan; the Ahmadiyya (though self-described Muslims) are specifically declared not to be.

The mosque is an important religious as well as social institution in Pakistan.[83] [84] Many rituals and ceremonies are celebrated according to Islamic calendar.

Sunni

Barelvi and Deobandi Sunni Muslims

There are two major Sunni sects in Pakistan, the Barelvi movement and Deobandi movement. Statistics regarding Pakistan's sects and sub-sects have been called "tenuous",[85] but estimates of the sizes of the two groups give a slight majority of Pakistan's population to followers of the Barelvi school, while 15–25% are thought to follow the Deobandi school of jurisprudence.[86] [87] [88]

Sufi

Islam to some extent syncretized with pre-Islamic influences, resulting in a religion with some traditions distinct from those of the Arab world. Two Sufis whose shrines receive much national attention are Ali Hajweri in Lahore (ca. 11th century) and Shahbaz Qalander in Sehwan, Sindh (ca. 12th century). Sufism, a mystical Islamic tradition, promoted by Fariduddin Ganjshakar in Pakpatan, has a long history and a large popular following in Pakistan. Popular Sufi culture is centered on Thursday night gatherings at shrines and annual festivals which feature Sufi music and dance. Contemporary Islamic fundamentalists criticize its popular character, which in their view, does not accurately reflect the teachings and practice of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions. There have been terrorist attacks directed at Sufi shrines and festivals, 5 in 2010 that killed 64 people.[89] [90]

Ahmadiyya

See main article: Ahmadiyya in Pakistan. According to the last Census in Pakistan, Ahmadi Muslim made up 0.07% of the population; however, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community boycotted the census. Independent groups generally estimate the population to be somewhere between two and five million Ahmadi Muslims. In media reports, four million is the most commonly cited figure.[91]

In 1974, the government of Pakistan amended the Constitution of Pakistan to define a Muslim according to Qu'ran 33:40,[92] as a person who believes in finality of Muhammad under the Ordinance XX. According to Ordinance XX, Ahmadi Muslims cannot call themselves Muslim or "pose as Muslims" which is punishable by three years in prison.[93] Ahmadi Muslims believe in Muhammad as the final law-bearing prophet, but also believe Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to be a prophet, the prophecised Mehdi and second coming of Jesus. Consequently, Ahmadi Muslims were declared non-Muslims by a parliamentary tribunal and are subject to persecution under Pakistani blasphemy laws.

Hinduism

See main article: Hinduism in Pakistan. Hinduism is the second largest religion affiliation in Pakistan after Islam.[94] As of 2020, Pakistan has the fourth largest Hindu population in the world after India, Nepal and Bangladesh.[95] According to the 1998 Census, the Hindu population was found to be 2,111,271 (including 332,343 scheduled castes Hindus). While according to latest census of 2017, There are 4.4 million Hindus in Pakistan out of 207.68 million total population comprising 2.14% of the country's population of both General and Schedule caste.[41] Hindus are found in all provinces of Pakistan but are mostly concentrated in Sindh. About 93% of Hindus live in Sindh, 5% in Punjab and nearly 2% in Balochistan.[96] They speak a variety of languages such as Sindhi, Seraiki, Aer, Dhatki, Gera, Goaria, Gurgula, Jandavra, Kabutra, Koli, Loarki, Marwari, Sansi, Vaghri[97] and Gujarati.[98]

The Rig Veda, the oldest Hindu text, is believed to have been composed in the Punjab region in the Indian subcontinent around 1500 BCE[99] and spread from there across South and South East Asia slowly developing and evolving into the various forms of the faith we see today.[100]

Many ancient Hindu temples are located throughout Pakistan. A significant Hindu pilgrimage site known as Hinglaj Mata takes place in southern Balochistan, where over 250,000 people visit during spring as a pilgrimage.

Cases collected by Global Human Rights Defence show that underage Hindu (and Christian) girls are often targeted by Muslims for forced conversion to Islam.[10] According to the National Commission of Justice and Peace and the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) around 1,000 non-Muslim minority women are converted to Islam and then forcibly married off to their abductors or rapists.[101] [102]

Christianity

See main article: Christianity in Pakistan. Christians (Urdu: مسيحى، عیسائی) make up 1.3% of Pakistan's population.[103] The majority of the Pakistani Christian community consists of Punjabis who converted during the British colonial era and their descendants. Pakistani Christians mainly live in Punjab and in urban centres. There is also a Roman Catholic community in Karachi which was established by Goan and Tamil migrants when Karachi's infrastructure was being developed between the two World Wars. A few Protestant groups conduct missions in Pakistan. The present Christian population in Pakistan is ranged between 2 and 3 million as per as recent (2020–21) year estimation by various institution and NGOs of Pakistan.[40] There is a small myth that Christianity has been existent in Pakistan ever since a few decades after the crucifixion of Jesus. This myth became more popular after the finding of a structure looking like a giant cross in Northern Pakistan, but there is almost no evidence that this cross is related to Christianity.

There are a number of church-run schools in Pakistan that admit students of all religions, including Forman Christian College,[104] [105] St. Patrick's Institute of Science & Technology and Saint Joseph's College for Women, Karachi.

Pakistan is number eight on Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List, an annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution.[106] Cases collected by Global Human Rights Defence show that young underage Christian (and Hindu) girls are sometimes targeted by Muslims for forced conversion to Islam. Christians also often face abuses of Pakistani blasphemy laws, notably in the case of Asia Bibi.

Sikhism

See main article: Sikhism in Pakistan. In the 15th century, the Sikh faith was born in the Punjab region (of present day India and Pakistan) where Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak was born. Home to some of the world's most sacred gurdwaras, Sikhs have a become a crucial part in Pakistan's religious tourism with large numbers coming to the country particularly during festivals. Aside from religious tourists, estimates on the Sikh population permanently residing in Pakistan vary due to the community being excluded from the national census up until 2023 which marks the first inclusion of Sikhs in census data since partition (where almost 99% fled to India).[107] The results of the 2023 Census of Pakistan thus are significant in the first official Sikh count since the formation of Pakistan as a sovereign nation.

In a news article published in December 2022, there was an estimated 30,000–35,000 Sikhs in Pakistan according to Gurpal Singh.[108] Other sources, including the US Department of State, claim the Sikh population in Pakistan to be at 20,000.[109] [110] Though full community counts have not yet been available, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) does provide the numbers of eligible voters belonging to minority religions (registered in electoral rolls):

In recent years, their numbers have increased with many Sikhs migrating from neighboring Afghanistan who have joined their co-religionists in Pakistan.[112]

Other religions

Baháʼí

See main article: Baháʼí Faith in Pakistan.

The Baháʼí Faith in Pakistan begins previous to its independence when it was still under British colonial rule. The roots of the religion in the region go back to the first days of the Bábí religion in 1844,[113] with Shaykh Sa'id Hindi who was from Multan.[114] During Bahá'u'lláh's lifetime, as founder of the religion, he encouraged some of his followers to move to the area that is present day Pakistan.[115]

The Baháʼís in Pakistan have the right to hold public meetings, establish academic centers, teach their faith, and elect their administrative councils.[116] Bahá'í sources claim their population to be around 30,000.[117] Shoba Das of Minority Rights Group International reported around 200 Baháʼís in Islamabad and between 2,000 and 3,000 Baháʼís in Pakistan, in 2013.[118] One more PhD thesis says that "It is an assumption that the Bahá’ís do not want to declare their exact population, which is supposed to be more or less 3,000 in total". Most of these Bahá’ís have their roots in Iran.[119]

Zoroastrianism

There are at least 4,000 Pakistani citizen practicing the Zoroastrian religion.[120] The region of Balochistan is believed to be a stronghold of Zoroastrianism before the advent of Islam.[121] [122] With the flight of Zoroastrians from Greater Iran into the Indian subcontinent, the Parsi communities were established. More recently, from the 15th century onwards, Zorastrians came to settle the coast of Sindh and have established thriving communities and commercial enterprises. At the time of independence of Pakistan in 1947, Karachi and Lahore were home to a thriving Parsi business community. Karachi had the most prominent population of Parsis in Pakistan, though their population is declining.[123] [124] Parsis have entered Pakistani public life as social workers, business folk, journalists and diplomats. The most prominent Parsis of Pakistan today include Ardeshir Cowasjee, Byram Dinshawji Avari, Jamsheed Marker, as well as Minocher Bhandara. The founding father of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, married Ratti Bai who belonged to a Parsi family before her conversion to Islam.[125]

Kalash

See main article: Kalash people. The Kalash people practise a form of ancient Hinduism[126] mixed with animism.[127] Adherents of the Kalash religion number around 3,000 and inhabit three remote valleys in Chitral; Bumboret, Rumbur and Birir. Their religion has been compared to that of ancient Greece, but they are much closer to the Hindu traditions in other parts of the Indian subcontinent.[126] It is more similar to the historical Vedic religion, than later forms of Hinduism.

Jainism

See main article: Jainism in Pakistan. Several ancient Jain shrines are scattered across the country.[128] Baba Dharam Dass was a holy man whose tomb is located near the bank of a creek called (Deoka or Deokay or Degh) near Chawinda Phatic, behind the agricultural main office in Pasrur, near the city of Sialkot in Punjab, Pakistan. Another prominent Jain monk of the region was Vijayanandsuri of Gujranwala, whose samadhi (memorial shrine) still stands in the city.

Buddhism

See main article: Buddhism in Pakistan. Buddhism has an ancient history in Pakistan; currently there is a small community of at least 1500 Pakistani Buddhist in the country. The country is dotted with numerous ancient and disused Buddhist stupas along the entire breadth of the Indus River that courses through the heart of the country. Many Buddhist empires and city states existed, notably in Gandhara but also elsewhere in Taxila, Punjab and Sindh.[129]

The number of Buddhist voters was 1,884 in 2017 and are mostly concentrated in Sindh and Punjab.[130]

Judaism

See main article: Jews and Judaism in Pakistan. Various estimates suggest that there were about 1,500 Jews living in Pakistan at the time of its independence on 14 August 1947, with the majority living in Karachi and a few living in Peshawar. However, almost all emigrated to Israel after 1948. There are a few disused synagogues in both cities; while one Karachi synagogue was torn down for the construction of a shopping mall. The one in Peshawar still exists, although the building is not being used for any religious purpose. There is a small Jewish community of Pakistani origin settled in Ramla, Israel.

One Pakistani, Faisal Khalid (a.k.a. Fishel Benkhald) of Karachi claims to be Pakistan's only Jew.[131] [132] He claimed that his mother is Jewish (making him Jewish by Jewish custom) but, his father is a Muslim. Pakistani authorities have issued him a passport which stated Judaism as his religion and have allowed him to travel to Israel.[133] [134] [135]

Irreligion

See main article: Irreligion in Pakistan. Irreligion is present among a minority of mainly young people in Pakistan. There are people who do not profess any faith (such as atheists and agnostics) in Pakistan, but their numbers are not known.[136] They are particularly in the affluent areas of the larger cities. Some were born in secular families while others in religious ones. According to the 1998 census, people who did not state their religion accounted for 0.5% of the population, but social pressure against claiming no religion was strong.[112] A 2012 study by Gallup Pakistan found that people not affiliated to any religion account for 1% of the population.[137] Many atheists in Pakistan have been lynched and imprisoned over unsubstantiated allegations of blasphemy. When the state initiated a full-fledged crackdown on atheism since 2017, it has become worse with secular bloggers being kidnapped and the government running advertisements urging people to identify blasphemers among them and the highest judges declaring such people to be terrorists.[138]

Freedom of religion in Pakistan

See main article: Freedom of religion in Pakistan. In 2022, Freedom House rated Pakistan’s religious freedom as 1 out of 4,[139] noting that the blasphemy laws are often exploited by religious vigilantes and also curtail the freedom of expression by Christians and Muslims, especially Ahmadi Muslims. Hindus have spoken of vulnerability to kidnapping and forced conversions. Pakistan, a Muslim-majority country of about 220 million, is often under fire for crimes against members of its religious minorities, including Christians, Ahmadi and Shi’ite Muslims, and Hindus.[140] [141]

See also

References

  1. Web site: Religious Demographics of Pakistan .
  2. Web site: Part I: "Introductory". www.pakistani.org.
  3. Web site: Surviving as an Ahmadi in Pakistan | Pulitzer Center.
  4. Web site: Religions: Muslim 97% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other. https://web.archive.org/web/20090617014724/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2122.html?countryName=Pakistan&countryCode=PK&regionCode=sas&#pk. dead. 17 June 2009. Pakistan (includes Christian and Hindu) 4%. 2010-08-28. . CIA. 2010.
  5. Encyclopedia: Pakistan, Islam in . The Oxford Dictionary of Islam . . New York, New York . 2003 . Esposito . John L. . 242 . 0-19-512558-4 . Approximately 97 percent of Pakistanis are Muslim. The majority are Sunnis following the Hanafi school of Islamic law. Between 10 and 15 percent are Shiis, mostly Twelvers..
  6. 2014 World Population Data Sheet . . August 2014 . 2014-10-24 . 18 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180218233032/http://www.prb.org/pdf14/2014-world-population-data-sheet_eng.pdf . dead .
  7. Information on other countries: http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_20072008_EN_Complete.pdf
  8. Web site: Country Profile: Pakistan . February 2005 . Library of Congress Country Studies on Pakistan . Religion: About 97% of Pakistanis are Muslim, 64% of whom are Sunni and 33% Shia; the remaining 3% of population divided equally among Christian, Hindu, and other religions. Library of Congress. 2010-09-01.
  9. Web site: Population: 174,578,558 (July 2010 est.). https://web.archive.org/web/20090617014559/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2119.html?countryName=Pakistan&countryCode=PK&regionCode=sas&#pk. dead. 17 June 2009. Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook on Pakistan. 2010-08-28.
  10. GHRD Human Rights Report 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190919041633/https://ghrdorg.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/report-ghrd-2019.pdf . 19 September 2019 . unfit . . 7 March 2019. 13 September 2022.
  11. Web site: The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity. 9 August 2012. Pew Research Center. 26 December 2016. On the other hand, in Pakistan, where 6% of the survey respondents identify as Shia, Sunni attitudes are more mixed: 50% say Shias are Muslims, while 41% say they are not..
  12. Web site: Pakistan must confront Wahhabism | Adrian Pabst . . 20 August 2009 .
  13. Book: Stubbs . John H. . Architectural Conservation in Asia: National Experiences and Practice . Thomson . Robert G. . 2016-11-10 . Taylor & Francis . 978-1-317-40619-8 . 427 . en . Perhaps best known as home to Asia's earliest cities, the Harappan sites of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, Pakistan's rich history includes contributions from prominent Buddhist, Hindu, Hellenistic, Jain and Zoroastrian civilizations, as well as those connected to its Islamic heritage..
  14. Book: Malik, Iftikhar Haider . Culture and Customs of Pakistan . 2006 . Greenwood Publishing Group . 978-0-313-33126-8 . 47 . en.
  15. Book: Qasmi, Ali Usman . The Ahmadis and the Politics of Religious Exclusion in Pakistan . Anthem Press . 2015 . 978-1-78308-425-8. 149 . Nazim-ud-Din favored an Islamic state not just out of political expediency but also because of his deep religious belief in its efficacy and practicality ... Nazim-ud-Din commented:'I do not agree that religion is a private affair of the individual nor do I agree that in an Islamic state every citizen has identical rights, no matter what his caste, creed or faith be'..
  16. Web site: The Constitution of Pakistan, Part I: Introductory. Pakistani.org. 2013-06-19.
  17. Web site: The Constitution of Pakistan, Part II: Chapter 1: Fundamental Rights. Pakistani.org. 2013-06-19.
  18. Book: Iqbal, Khurshid. The Right to Development in International Law: The Case of Pakistan. Routledge. 2009. 9781134019991. 189.
  19. Web site: The Constitution of Pakistan, Part III: Chapter 1: The President. Pakistani.org. 2013-06-19.
  20. Web site: The Constitution of Pakistan, Notes for Part III, Chapter 3. https://web.archive.org/web/20091110133919/http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/part3.ch3.notes.html. 10 November 2009.
  21. Web site: The Constitution of Pakistan, Part VII: Chapter 3A: Federal Shariat Court. Pakistani.org. 2013-06-19.
  22. Web site: Shah . Sabir . Justice Bhagwandas and some other non-Muslim Pak luminaries . The News International . 7 October 2019.
  23. News: Pakistan's parliament blocks bill allowing non-Muslims to become country's PM, President. The Hindu. City: Delhi . TNN . 10 February 2020.
  24. News: 2015-05-05. Can Islamic Republic of Pakistan be a secular state?. en-IN. The Hindu. 2021-01-08. 0971-751X.
  25. Web site: 2015-12-25. Jinnah's Pakistan: Islamic state or secular democracy?. 2021-01-08. The Nation. en.
  26. News: Nasir. Abbas. 2017-08-15. Opinion How Pakistan Abandoned Jinnah's Ideals (Published 2017). en-US. The New York Times. 2021-01-08. 0362-4331.
  27. Web site: Fundamental Rights in Pakistan – PHRO.
  28. Web site: Article 20 freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions – the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 Developed by Zain Sheikh | Fake Rolex Replica Watches, Advocates & Corporate Consultants. 19 April 2021 .
  29. Web site: Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973 - Part II .
  30. Web site: Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973 – Part II. www.commonlii.org.
  31. Web site: Article: 25 Equality of citizens – the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 Developed by Zain Sheikh | Fake Rolex Replica Watches, Advocates & Corporate Consultants. 13 April 2021 .
  32. Web site: Chapter 1: "Fundamental Rights" of Part II: "Fundamental Rights and Principles of Policy" .
  33. Web site: Chapter 1: "Fundamental Rights" of Part II: "Fundamental Rights and Principles of Policy" .
  34. Web site: FAOLEX .
  35. Web site: Chapter 2: "Principles of Policy" of Part II: "Fundamental Rights and Principles of Policy" .
  36. Web site: Census of Pakistan Population 1961 Volume 1 Pakistan
    Statement 2.19
    Communities in Pakistan and Provinces therein as Recorded in 1901 to 1961 Censuses (in thousands)    . 28 January 2023.
  37. Web site: Population Census of Pakistan, 1961
    Census Bulletin No. 2
    Sex, Urban-Rural, Religion, Non-Pakistanis
    Statement 4-B-Communities in Pakistan and Provinces Therein As Recorded in 1901 to 1961 Censuses    . 30 November 1961. 28 January 2023.
  38. Book: Population Redistribution and Development in South Asia . Springer Science & Business Media . 2012 . 978-9400953093 . 6 . 7 September 2017.
  39. Book: Talbot. Ian. The Partition of India. Singh. Gurharpal. 2009-07-23. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-85661-4. 2. en.
  40. Web site: Refworld World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples – Pakistan : Christians.
  41. Web site: Headcount finalised sans third-party audit. 26 May 2018. The Express Tribune.
  42. Web site: Pakistan Population (2021) – Worldometer.
  43. News: Number of non-Muslim voters in Pakistan shows rise of over 30pc. Iftikhar A. . Khan. Dawn. 28 May 2018. 15 April 2021.
  44. News: Losing your religion?: 'NADRA should not be deciding people's faith' . 2012-04-12 . . 2018-03-20.
  45. Web site: Pakistan's population is 207.68m, shows 2017 census result. 19 May 2021.
  46. Web site: Religious Demographics of Pakistan 2023 .
  47. Web site: Census of India 1901. [Vol. 17A]. Imperial tables, I-VIII, X-XV, XVII and XVIII for the Punjab, with the native states under the political control of the Punjab Government, and for the North-west Frontier Province. ]. saoa.crl.25363739 . 10 March 2024 . 1901.
  48. Web site: Punjab District Gazetteers Gurdaspur District Vol.21 Statistical Tables . 10 March 2024 . 1913.
  49. Web site: Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables. . saoa.crl.25393788 . 3 March 2024 . 1911.
  50. Web site: Census Of India 1911 Punjab Vol XIV Part II . 3 March 2024 . 1911 . Kaul, Harikishan.
  51. Web site: Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables. . saoa.crl.25430165 . 17 February 2024 . 1921.
  52. Web site: Census of India 1931. Vol. 17, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables. . saoa.crl.25793242 . 4 February 2024 . 1931.
  53. Web site: Census of India, 1941. Vol. 6, Punjab . saoa.crl.28215541 . 21 August 2022. 1941 . 6 . India Census Commissioner .
  54. Web site: Census of Pakistan, 1951 Population According to Religion Table 6. 11 February 2024.
  55. Web site: Population Distribution by Religion, 1998 Census. 23 January 2023.
  56. Web site: Table 9 – Population by Sex, Religion and Rural/Urban. 23 January 2023.
  57. Web site: Religious Demographics of Pakistan 2023 .
  58. Web site: 7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results Table-9 Population by sex, religion and rural/urban. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. 6 August 2024.
  59. Web site: Census of India 1901. Vols. 9-11, Bombay. . saoa.crl.25366895 . 12 May 2024 . India Census Commissioner . 1901 . 9.
  60. Web site: Census of India 1911. Vol. 7, Bombay. Pt. 2, Imperial tables. . saoa.crl.25393770 . 12 May 2024 . India Census Commissioner . 1911 . 7.
  61. Web site: Census of India 1921. Vol. 8, Bombay Presidency. Pt. 2, Tables : imperial and provincial. . saoa.crl.25394131 . 6 May 2024 . India Census Commissioner . 1921 . 8.
  62. Web site: Census of India 1931. Vol. 8, Bombay. Pt. 2, Statistical tables. . saoa.crl.25797128 . 5 May 2024 . India Census Commissioner . 1931 . 8.
  63. Web site: Census of India, 1941. Vol. 12, Sind . saoa.crl.28215545 . 21 August 2022. 1941 . 12 . India Census Commissioner .
  64. Web site: Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. II. . saoa.crl.25057657 . 16 June 2024 . 1881 .
  65. Web site: The Punjab and its feudatories, part II--Imperial Tables and Supplementary Returns for the British Territory . saoa.crl.25318669 . 22 June 2024 . 1891 . Edward Maclagan . Sir . 2 .
  66. Web site: Census of India 1901. [Vol. 17A]. Imperial tables, I-VIII, X-XV, XVII and XVIII for the Punjab, with the native states under the political control of the Punjab Government, and for the North-west Frontier Province. ]. saoa.crl.25363739 . 25 February 2024 . 1901.
  67. Web site: Census of India, 1911 Volume XII North-West Frontier Province. 21 August 2022.
  68. Web site: Census of India 1921. Vol. 14, North-west Frontier Province : Part I, Report; part II, Tables . saoa.crl.25430163 . 13 February 2023. 1922 .
  69. Web site: Census of India, 1931, vol. XV. North-west frontier province. Part I-Report. Part II-Tables . saoa.crl.25793233 . 13 February 2023. Mallam . G. L. . Dundas . A. D. F. . 1933 . Peshawar, Printed by the manager, Government stationery and printing, 1933. .
  70. Web site: Census of India, 1941. Vol. 10, North-West Frontier Province . saoa.crl.28215543 . 21 August 2022. 1941 . 10 . India Census Commissioner .
  71. Web site: Census of India, 1901 Volume V(A) Baluchistan Part II Imperital Tables. 22 January 2023.
  72. Web site: Census of India, 1911 Volume IV Baluchistan Part II Tables. 23 September 2021.
  73. Web site: Census of India, 1921 Volume IV Baluchistan Part I Report; Part II Tables. 22 January 2023.
  74. Web site: Census of India, 1931 Volume IV Baluchistan Parts I & II. 22 January 2023.
  75. Web site: Census of India, 1941. Vol. 14, Baluchistan . saoa.crl.28215993 . 22 January 2023. 1942 . 14 . India Census Commissioner .
  76. Web site: Census of India, 1941. Vol. 22, Jammu & Kashmir . saoa.crl.28215644 . 28 January 2023. 1941 . 22 . India Census Commissioner .
  77. Book: Singh, Y P. Islam in India and Pakistan – A Religious History. Vij Books India Pvt Ltd. 2016. 9789385505638. Pakistan has the second largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia..
  78. Web site: Country Profile: Pakistan. February 2005. Library of Congress Country Studies on Pakistan. Library of Congress. 2010-09-01. About 97 percent of Pakistanis are Muslim, 85–90 percent of whom are Sunni and 10–15 percent Shia.
  79. Web site: Religions: Muslim (official) 96.4% (Sunni 85–90%, Shia 10–15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.6% (2020 est.). 2010. The World Factbook. CIA. 2020-12-30.
  80. Web site: Country Profile: Pakistan. 2005. Library of Congress. 2, 3, 6, 8. 28 December 2011.
  81. Web site: The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity. 2012-08-09. Pew Research Center. 2018-03-20. On the other hand, in Pakistan, where 6% of the survey respondents identify as Shia, Sunni attitudes are more mixed: 50% say Shias are Muslims, while 41% say they are not..
  82. News: Heart of darkness: Shia resistance and revival in Pakistan. Herald. 2015-10-29. 2018-03-20.
  83. Malik, Jamal. Islam in South Asia: A Short History. Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2008.
  84. 10.1080/1683478X.2015.1055543. An anthropological perspective on the mosque in Pakistan. Asian Anthropology. 14. 2. 166–181. 2015. Mughal. Muhammad Aurang Zeb. 54051524.
  85. Book: A New Era of Sectarian Violence in Pakistan . 2022 . International Crisis Group . 20 July 2023 . Group . International Crisis . Page 8–Page 14 .
  86. Web site: Reviving Pakistan's Pluralist Traditions to Fight Extremism . Curtis . Lisa . Mullick . Haider . 4 May 2009 . 2011-07-31 . The Heritage Foundation.
  87. Web site: Pike . John . 5 July 2011 . Barelvi Islam . . 25 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20031208063014/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/intro/islam-barelvi.htm . 8 December 2003 . live . By one estimate, in Pakistan, the Shias are 18%, Ismailis 2%, Ahmediyas 2%, Barelvis 50%, Deobandis 20%, Ahle Hadith 4%, and other minorities 4%. [...] By another estimate some 15% of Pakistan's Sunni Muslims would consider themselves Deobandi, and some 60% are in the Barelvi tradition based mostly in the province of Punjab. But some 64% of the total seminaries are run by Deobandis, 25% by the Barelvis, 6% by the Ahle Hadith and 3% by various Shiite organisations..
  88. Book: A New Era of Sectarian Violence in Pakistan . 2022 . International Crisis Group . 20 July 2023 . Sunni Barelvis are believed to constitute a thin majority of the population . Group . International Crisis . Page 8–Page 14 .
  89. News: Sufism Under Attack in Pakistan. 21 May 2012. The New York Times. Charlotte. Buchen. video. 28 May 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120528051803/http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/01/06/world/asia/1248069532117/sufism-under-attack-in-pakistan.html. dead.
  90. News: The Islam That Hard-Liners Hate. 2018-03-20. The New York Times. 2011-01-06. Huma. Imtiaz. Charlotte. Buchen. blog.
  91. The 1998 Pakistani census states that there are 291,000 (0.22%) Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan. However, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community has boycotted the census since 1974 which renders official Pakistani figures to be inaccurate. Independent groups have estimated the Pakistani Ahmadiyya Muslim population to be somewhere between 2 million and 5 million Ahmadi Muslims. However, the 4 million figure is the most quoted figure and is approximately 2.2% of the country. See:
  92. Web site: Surah Al-Ahzab – 40.
  93. Web site: Ordinance No. XX of 1984. 14 November 2011. The Persecution.
  94. Web site: Population Distribution by Religion, 1998 Census. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. 26 December 2016.
  95. Web site: Countries with the Largest Hindu Populations. 15 January 2019.
  96. Web site: Population by religion. https://web.archive.org/web/20140402081116/http://www.census.gov.pk/Religion.htm. 2014-04-02. dead.
  97. Web site: Pakistan. Ethnologue. 2018-03-20.
  98. News: With a handful of subbers, two newspapers barely keeping Gujarati alive in Karachi. Rehman. Zia Ur. 2015-08-18. The News International. In Pakistan, the majority of Gujarati-speaking communities are in Karachi including Dawoodi Bohras, Ismaili Khojas, Memons, Kathiawaris, Katchhis, Parsis (Zoroastrians) and Hindus, said Gul Hasan Kalmati, a researcher who authored “Karachi, Sindh Jee Marvi”, a book discussing the city and its indigenous communities. Although there are no official statistics available, community leaders claim that there are three million Gujarati-speakers in Karachi – roughly around 15 percent of the city’s entire population.. 2018-03-20.
  99. News: Rigveda Hindu literature. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2018-03-20.
  100. Book: Bronkhorst, Johannes . How the Brahmins Won: From Alexander to the Guptas . 2016 . Brill . 978-90-04-31519-8 . 9–10 . en.
  101. Web site: Forced conversions of Pakistani Hindu girls. 19 September 2017. 20 January 2019.
  102. News: January 3, 2017. Pakistan: Islamists angry at new law against forced conversions. FRANCE 24 English. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211118/rzWccBKk5eI. 2021-11-18 . live. 1 October 2020.
  103. Web site: Country Profile: Pakistan. February 2005. Library of Congress Country Studies on Pakistan. Library of Congress. 2010-09-01.
  104. Web site: Najam . Adil . Forman Christian (F.C.) College's Political Clout . Pakistaniat . 30 March 2008 . 7 October 2019.
  105. News: Bangash . Yaqoob Khan . FC College: an amazing transformation . . 7 October 2019.
  106. Web site: Pakistan is number 8 on the World Watch List .
  107. News: 2022-12-15 . Pakistan census to have column for Sikhs . The Times of India . 2023-08-17 . 0971-8257.
  108. Web site: Rana . Yudhvir . December 15, 2022 . Pakistan census to have column for Sikhs Amritsar News - Times of India . 2022-12-21 . The Times of India . en . He said roughly there were around 30,000-35,000 Sikhs in Pakistan..
  109. Web site: 17 April 2015 . Pakistan's dwindling Sikh community wants improved security . 16 December 2018 . Dawn.com.
  110. Web site: 14 September 2007 . Pakistan . 2010-08-13 . State.gov.
  111. Web site: Khan . Iftikhar A. . 2018-05-28 . Number of non-Muslim voters in Pakistan shows rise of over 30pc . 2023-08-17 . DAWN.COM . en.
  112. Web site: Pakistan – International Religious Freedom Report 2008. United States Department of State. 19 September 2008. 2010-08-28.
  113. Web site: 2003 . The Bahá'í Faith -Brief History . 2018-03-20 . Official Website of the National Spiritual Assembly of India . National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India.
  114. Web site: 2008 . History of the Bahá'í Faith in Pakistan . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130514170041/http://www.bahai.pk/eng/history/historyPak.html . 2013-05-14 . 2018-03-20 . Official Webpage of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Pakistan . National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Pakistan.
  115. Encyclopedia: Bahá'í History . Draft A Short Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith . Bahá'í Library Online . 2018-03-20 . Smith . Peter . Momen . Moojan.
  116. Web site: Wardany . Youssef . 2009 . The Right of Belief in Egypt: Case study of Baha'i minority . 2018-03-20 . Al Waref Institute . 15 March 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090315233147/http://alwaref.org/en/accueil/39-human-rights/89-the-right-of-belief-in-egypt-case-study-of-bahai-minority . dead .
  117. Web site: Wagner . Ralph D. . Pakistan . 2018-03-20 . Synopsis of References to the Bahá'í Faith, in the US State Department's Reports on Human Rights 1991–2000 . Bahá'í Academics Resource Library . 14 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120314092253/http://bahai-library.com/documents/hr/hr-pakistan.htm . dead .
  118. Das . Shobha . 2013-04-10 . A Pakistani Baha'i's story . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200817012135/https://minorityrights.org/2013/04/10/a-pakistani-bahais-story/ . August 17, 2020 . 2020-11-22 . Blog . en-GB.
  119. Religious and SOcial Life of Religious Minorities . International Islamic University . Islamabad, Pakistan . 2015 . Thesis . en . Abdul . Fareed.
  120. News: Over 35,000 Buddhists, Baha'is call Pakistan home . Irfan . Ghauri . . 2012-09-02 . 2018-03-20.
  121. Book: Zeb, Rizwan . Ethno-political Conflict in Pakistan: The Baloch Movement . 2019-12-12 . Routledge . 978-1-000-72992-4 . 63 . en.
  122. Boyajian . Vahe S. . 19 December 2016 . Is There an Ethno-religious Aspect in Balochi Identity? . Iran and the Caucasus . 20 . 3–4 . 397–405 . 10.1163/1573384X-20160309 . 2022-04-21.
  123. Web site: 'Two decades from now, Pakistan will have no Parsis' . 2022-12-25 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  124. Web site: 2019-12-13 . In a shrinking community, one Parsi family chooses Pakistan . 2022-12-25 . The Express Tribune . en.
  125. Web site: Quaid i Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Early days. https://web.archive.org/web/20081024215548/http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/Quaid/life_quaid05.htm. 2008-10-24. Government of Pakistan. dead.
  126. Book: West, Barbara A.. Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania. 19 May 2010. Infobase Publishing. en. 9781438119137. 357. The Kalasha are a unique people living in just three valleys near Chitral, Pakistan, the capital of North-West Frontier Province, which borders Afghanistan. Unlike their neighbors in the Hindu Kush Mountains on both the Afghani and Pakistani sides of the border the Kalasha have not converted to Islam. During the mid-20th century a few Kalasha villages in Pakistan were forcibly converted to this dominant religion, but the people fought the conversion and once official pressure was removed the vast majority continued to practice their own religion. Their religion is a form of Hinduism that recognizes many gods and spirits and has been related to the religion of the Ancient Greeks, who mythology says are the ancestors of the contemporary Kalash… However, it is much more likely, given their Indo-Aryan language, that the religion of the Kalasha is much more closely aligned to the Hinduism of their Indian neighbors that to the religion of Alexander the Great and his armies..
  127. Book: Sheehan, Sean. Pakistan. registration. 1 October 1993. Marshall Cavendish. 978-1-85435-583-6. The Kalash people are small in number, hardly exceeding 3,000, but they ... and as well as having their own language and costume, they practice animism (the worship of spirits in nature)....
  128. News: Khalid . Haroon . 4 September 2016 . Sacred geography: Why Hindus, Buddhist, Jains, Sikhs should object to Pakistan being called hell . Dawn . 4 September 2016.
  129. Book: Macdonell, Arthur Anthony . A History of Sanskrit Literature. 9788120800953. 31 December 1997. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. .
  130. News: Pakistan elections: Non-Muslim voters up by 30%, Hindus biggest minority . Imtiaz . Ahmad . . 2018-05-28 . 2020-10-05.
  131. Web site: Brothers of Pakistani man claiming to be Jewish call him insane. Israel National News. 9 April 2017 . 2018-03-20.
  132. Web site: Karachi, Pakistan – Brothers Of Pakistani Man Claiming Jewish Roots Call Him 'Insane'. VosIzNeias. 2018-03-20. 1 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180801190105/https://www.vosizneias.com/267071. dead.
  133. News: Pakistan's last Jew in battle to win 'empathy'. Simon. Caldwell. 2015-11-26. 2018-03-20.
  134. News: 'Last Jew in Pakistan' beaten by mob, arrested. Express Tribune. 2015-03-06. 2018-03-20.
  135. News: Brothers of Pakistani man claiming Jewish roots call him 'insane'. 2017-04-09. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2018-03-20.
  136. News: Being Pakistani and atheist a dangerous combo, but some ready to brave it. Pakistan Today. 2011-09-17. 2018-03-20.
  137. Web site: Gallup Pakistan – Pakistan's Foremost Research Lab.
  138. News: Pakistan's forced conversions shame Imran Khan. Kunwar Khuldune. Shahid. 11 June 2020. The Spectator. 2 September 2020.
  139. https://www.freedomhouse.org/country/pakistan/freedom-world/2022 Freedom House, Retrieved 2023-04-25
  140. Web site: Pakistan: How real is freedom of religion? Special Report thenews.com.pk . 2023-09-04 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  141. Web site: 2019-06-30 . Pakistan and religious freedom . 2023-09-04 . Daily Times . en-US.

External links

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Religion in Pakistan".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.