by Sumaila Zaman
There are numerous religions practiced across the world. They can be broadly categorized into major world religions and smaller, indigenous, or tribal beliefs. Hinduism, the third-largest religion in the world, boasts a vast number of followers globally.
In several Muslim-majority countries, Hindus continue to live in significant numbers. However, there is one such country where Hindus once formed the majority and enjoyed a dominant presence. Over time, due to a pivotal event, their population steadily decreased, eventually making them a minority in that nation.
Before the partition, Pakistan was part of India and had a significant Hindu population that lived peacefully alongside Muslims. However, after the creation of Pakistan as a Muslim-majority nation, the Hindu population steadily declined. Media reports indicate that most Hindus in Pakistan today live in extremely challenging conditions.
The plight of minority communities such as Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan is widely recognized. Over the years, there has been a noticeable decline in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism in the country. Non-Muslims in Pakistan have consistently faced discrimination and persecution.
There are several temples in Pakistan; the Hinglaj Mata Temple in Pakistan is a popular religious site. It is believed that the head of Goddess Sati fell at this location, which is why the temple was established here. The temple is built in the shape of a cave, nestled between hills. During Navratri, a large number of devotees gather at the temple.
In Pakistan, large numbers of Hindus once lived in areas like Lahore, Karachi, Multan, and Sindh. Even today, remnants of the Hindu population can be found in these regions, with neighborhoods, havelis, and markets still bearing the names of Hindus. Multan was home to the first Sun Temple, known as the Aditya Sun Temple, which was destroyed by Ismaili rulers in the 10th century. It is said that the ancient name of Multan was Kashyapapura. The Chinese traveler Xuanzang also visited the temple in 641 AD.
Meanwhile, as per the news agency PTI report (July 2024), the population of Hindus in Pakistan increased from 3.5 million in 2017 to 3.8 million in 2023 to make it the largest minority community in the Islamic nation, according to the official data of last year’s census.
Last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) released the results of the 7th Population and Housing Census 2023. The country’s total population in 2023 stood at 240,458,089. It showed that the share of Muslims in the total population decreased slightly from 96.47 per cent in 2017 to 96.35 per cent in 2023, while the population of all major religious minorities increased in the past six years. However, their share in the percentage of the total population gives a mixed picture. The population of Hindus increased from 3.5 million in 2017 to 3.8 million in 2023, but their share in the total population went down from 1.73 to 1.61 per cent, which showed other minority communities increased at a faster rate.
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