Decline of Hinduism in Pakistan - Persecution

Persecution

There are a number of instances of persecution of Hindus in Pakistan. In 1951, Hindus constituted 22 percent of the Pakistani population and the Hindu population was concentrated in East Pakistan which later became Bangladesh, while Hindu population in West Pakistan was less than 2%. By 1998 the proportion of Hindus was down to around 1.7 percent. This huge drop is due to the creation of Bangladesh in 1971, where the bulk of pre-1971 Pakistani Hindus resided and emigration of Hindus from Pakistan. Minority members of the Pakistan National Assembly have alleged that Hindus were being intimidated to force them to leave Pakistan.

The increasing Islamization of Pakistan and antagonism against India, a nation with a Hindu majority, has been an influential factor in the persecution of Hindus. Such Islamization include the blasphemy laws, which make it dangerous for religious minorities to express themselves freely and engage freely in religious and cultural activities. The promulgation of Sharia, Quranic law has also increased the marginalisation of Hindus and other minorities. The destruction of Babri Mosque and anti-Muslim pogroms in 1991 in India, resulted in riots and attacks on Hindus in retaliation. Hindus in Pakistan are routinely affected by anti-Muslim pogroms in India and violent developments on the Kashmir conflict between the two nations. It remains the hope of many that a permanent peace between the two nations will go a long way in making life better for the roughly 2.5 million Hindus living in Pakistan. The 1998 census recorded 2,443,614 Hindus in Pakistan.

Hindu minorities, under Taliban rule in Swat, were forced to wear Red headgear such as turbans as a symbol of dhimmi. In July 2010, around 60 members of the minority Hindus in Karachi were attacked and evicted from their homes following an incident when a Hindu youth drank from a water tap in a mosque.