Minorities in Pakistan

Last updated

Contents

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 23.2% 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] due to disproportionate birth rates between the two communities.

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 occur largely in rural and backward areas in Pakistan. November 2019, Pakistan formed parliamentary committee to stop the act of forced conversion in the country. [10] 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". [11]

According to the Western religious freedom and human rights monitoring group Global Human Rights Defence, [12] [13] the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, and the United States Department of State, religious minorities face severe discrimination in Pakistan. [14] [15] [16] [17]

However in recent years, Pakistan has seen development in safeguarding the rights of the minorities. For instance In 2019, Supreme Court of Pakistan gave verdict that Christians would be able to register their marriages with an official marriage certificate. [18] In another case, Pakistan opened the Kartarpur Corridor, allowing Sikh pilgrims from around the world to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, one of the holiest shrines in Sikhism as a goodwill gesture towards minorities. [19] Similarly, a judge nullified the “free-will” marriage of a Hindu girl, Mehik Kumari, and confirmed that she was underage when she “embraced” Islam and married a Muslim man. Activists had argued Kumari was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam. [20]

Religious minorities

Demographics

Pakistan Religious minorities as per (2017 census) [21]
Religious minoritiesPopulation %
Hindus ( Om.svg )4,444,4372.14%
Christians ( ChristianitySymbol.svg )2,637,5861.27%
Ahmadiyyas 207,6880.09%
Sikhs ( Khanda.svg )20,7680.01%
Others (inc. Jews, Jains, Buddhists, Irreligious)20,7670.01%
Total7,331,2463.53%

As per 2017 census, Pakistan have a population of 207,684,000. [22]

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: [23]

Communities in Pakistan Faces Smeared with Holi Colours.jpg
Communities in Pakistan

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. [4] 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 estimated the Shi'a population to be between 10 and 15%, [24] of which between 550,000 and 600,000 are Ismailis, a sect of Shi'a Muslims and who pay tribute to their living spiritual leader, the Aga Khan.

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." [25]

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. [10]

In 1995, the Parsis put their number at 2,831. [26]

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." [27] 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] [12]

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] [28] The USCIRF has designated Pakistan as "country of particular concern" since 2002. [15] [29] 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." [30]

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. [31] 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 there 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." [32]

Mass anti-Christian violence recently occurred in the 2009 Gojra riots and in the 2013 Joseph Colony riot and the 2013 Gujranwala riot. [33] Recent anti-Shia violence includes the February 2012 Kohistan Shia Massacre, the August 2012 Mansehra Shia Massacre [34] and the particularly deadly January 2013 [35] and February 2013 Quetta bombings. [36] The Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan was targeted in the similarly deadly May 2010 attacks on Ahmadi mosques in Lahore. [37] [38]

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. [39] 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. [40]

Forced conversion

The Human Rights Council of Pakistan has reported that cases of forced conversion are increasing. [41] [42] A 2014 report by the Movement for Solidarity and Peace (MSP) says about 1,000 women in Pakistan are forcibly converted to Islam every year (700 Christian and 300 Hindu). [43] [44] [45] However, an opposing view also exists and was recently documented in an interview published in The Times of India; "[t]he All Pakistan Hindu Panchayat (APHP)...[says 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". [11]

Sikhs in Hangu district stated they were being pressured to convert to Islam by Yaqoob Khan, the assistant commissioner of Tall Tehsil, in December 2017. However, the Deputy Commissioner of Hangu Shahid Mehmood denied it occurred and claimed that Sikhs were offended during a conversation with Yaqub though it wasn't intentional. [46] [47] [48] [49]

Many Hindu girls living in Pakistan are kidnapped, forcibly converted and married to Muslims. [50] According to the National Commission of Justice and Peace and the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) around 1000 Christian and Hindu minority women are converted to Islam and then forcibly married off to their abductors or rapists. This practice is being reported increasingly in the districts of Tharparkar, Umerkot and Mirpur Khas in Sindh. [51] According to another report from the Movement for Solidarity and Peace, about 1,000 non-Muslim girls are converted to Islam each year in Pakistan. [52] According to the Amarnath Motumal, the vice chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, every month, an estimated 20 or more Hindu girls are abducted and converted, although exact figures are impossible to gather. [53] In 2014 alone, 265 legal cases of forced conversion were reported mostly involving Hindu girls. [54]

Within Pakistan, the province of the southern Sindh had over 1,000 forced conversions of Christian and Hindu girls according to the annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in 2018. According to victims' families and activists, Mian Abdul Haq, who is a local political and religious leader in Sindh, has been accused of being responsible for forced conversions of girls within the province. [55]

Hindu Temples

Gurdwaras

Churches

See also

Related Research Articles

Religious persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or a group of individuals as a response to their religious beliefs or affiliations or their lack thereof. The tendency of societies or groups within societies to alienate or repress different subcultures is a recurrent theme in human history. Moreover, because a person's religion often determines his or her morality, world view, self-image, attitudes towards others, and overall personal identity to a significant extent, religious differences can be significant cultural, personal, and social factors.

Freedom of religion in Pakistan Overview

Formally, Freedom of religion in Pakistan is guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan for individuals of various religions and religious sects.

Religious segregation Separation of people according to their religion

Religious segregation is the separation of people according to their religion. The term has been applied to cases of religious-based segregation which occurs as a social phenomenon, as well as segregation which arises from laws, whether they are explicit or implicit.

Islam in Pakistan Overview of the role and impact of Islam in Pakistan

Pakistan has the second-largest Muslim population in the world. Islam is the largest and the state religion of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pakistan has been called a "global center for political Islam". Pakistani nationalism is religious in nature being Islamic nationalism. Religion was the basis of Pakistani nationalist narrative.

Freedom of religion in India is a fundamental right guaranteed by Article 25-28 of the Constitution of India. Modern India came into existence in 1947 and the Indian constitution's preamble was amended in 1976 to state that India is a secular state. However, in S.R Bommai v. Union of India, Supreme Court of India ruled that India was already a secular state from the time it adopted its constitution, what actually was done through this amendment is to state explicitly what was earlier contained implicitly under article 25 to 28. Every citizen of India has a right to practice and promote their religion peacefully. However, there have been numerous incidents of religious intolerance that resulted in riots and violence, notably, the 1984 Anti-Sikh Massacre in Delhi, 1990 Anti-Hindu riots in Kashmir, 2002 Gujarat Riots and the 2008 Anti-Christian riots in Odisha. Some perpetrators of the 1984 Anti-Sikh Massacre in Delhi have not been brought to justice despite widespread condemnation.

While Hindus have experienced both historical and ongoing religious persecution and systematic violence, in the form of forced conversions, documented massacres, demolition and desecration of temples, as well as the destruction of educational centres, these events are to be viewed in their historical context and relative impact.

Hinduism in Pakistan Overview of the presence, role and impact of Hinduism in Pakistan

Hinduism is the second largest religious affiliation in Pakistan after Islam. Once the dominant faith in the region, Hindus presently account for 2.14% of Pakistan's population or 4.44 million people according to the 2017 Pakistan Census, although the Pakistan Hindu Council claims there are around more than 8 million in Pakistan, While the other official estimation shows that there are 7.5 million Hindus living in Pakistan as of 2021. However, one of the biggest issue the Hindu community faces in Pakistan is the forced conversion of minor Hindu girls to Islam; the number of such conversions, according to one highest estimate, is up to 1,000 per year.

Christianity in Pakistan Overview of the role and impact of Christianity in Pakistan

Christianity is the third largest religion in Pakistan. According to the 2017 Census, the proportion of Christians in Pakistan was estimated as about 1.27% of the population. Of these, approximately half are Catholic and half Protestant. A small number of Eastern Orthodox Christians, and Oriental Orthodox Christians also live in Pakistan.

Religion in Pakistan Religions in Pakistan

The official religion of Islamic republic of Pakistan is Islam enshrined by of the constitution, which is practised by approximately 96.47% of the country's population. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Pakistani constitution, which established a fundamental right of Pakistani citizens, irrespective of their religion, to equal rights. A few aspects of Secularism has also have been adopted by Pakistani constitution from British colonial concept. The remaining less than 4% practice Hinduism, Christianity, Ahmadiyya, Sikhism and other religions.

Human rights in Pakistan Pakistan human rights

The situation of Human Rights in Pakistan is complex as a result of the country's diversity, large population, its status as a developing country and a sovereign Islamic democracy with a mixture of both Islamic and secular law. The Constitution of Pakistan provides for fundamental rights. The Clauses also provide for an independent Supreme Court, separation of executive and judiciary, an independent judiciary, independent Human Rights commission and freedom of movement within the country and abroad. However these clauses are not respected in practice.

Blasphemy in Pakistan

The Pakistan Penal Code, the main criminal code of Pakistan, punishes blasphemy against any recognized religion, providing penalties ranging from a fine to death. According to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, around 80 people are known to be incarcerated in Pakistan on blasphemy charges — half of those face life in prison or the death penalty. From 1967 to 2014, over 1,300 people were accused of blasphemy, with Muslims constituting most of those accused. According to human rights groups, blasphemy laws in Pakistan have been exploited not only for persecuting minorities but also for settling personal rivalries, often against other Muslims. Though no judicial execution has been carried out under these laws, many of those accused, their lawyers and any persons speaking against blasphemy laws and proceedings have become victims of lynchings or street vigilantism in Pakistan. More than 75 people were murdered for blasphemy between 1987 and 2017.

Forced conversion is the adoption of a different religion or the adoption of irreligion under duress. Someone who has been forced to convert to a different religion or irreligion may continue, covertly, to adhere to the beliefs and practices which were originally held, while outwardly behaving as a convert. Crypto-Jews, crypto-Christians, crypto-Muslims and crypto-Pagans are historical examples of the latter.

In the Constitution of Bangladesh, Islam is referred to twice in the introduction and Part I of the constitution. The document begins with the Islamic phrase which in English is translated as “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful” and article (2A) declares that :"Islam is the state religion of the republic". Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stated that Bangladesh will be governed in line with the spirit of the Constitution of Medina. But at the same time, Constitution of Bangladesh pays lip service to secularism as it is one of the four fundamental principles of the original Constitution of Bangladesh. Despite having Islam as the state religion, Bangladesh is mostly governed by secular laws, set up during the times when the country was ruled by the British Crown. The constitution also states that "the State shall ensure equal status and equal right in the practice of the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and other religions". "Freedom of religion" is its basic structure guaranteed by Bangladeshi constitution in which it calls for equal rights to all its citizens irrespective of their religious differences and it also bans discrimination on the grounds of religion in various platforms. Bangladesh is one of the few secular Muslim-majority nation and "proselytizing" i.e. conversions from one religion to another are generally accepted and is legalized by law under article 41 of the constitution, subject to law, public order and morality. The major religion in Bangladesh is Islam (90.4%), but a significant percentage of the population adheres to Hinduism (8.5%) as per the 2011 census ; other religious groups include Buddhists 0.6%,, Christians, and Animists (0.2%). Bangladesh was founded as a secular state, but Islam was made the state religion in the 1980s. But in 2010, the High Court held up the secular principles of the 1972 constitution. The High Court also strengthened its stance against punishments by Islamic edict (fatwa), following complaints of brutal sentences carried out against women by extra-legal village courts.

Islam is the state religion of Saudi Arabia. No law requires residents to be Muslim, however, public worship by adherents of religions other than Islam is forbidden. Any non-Muslim attempting to acquire Saudi Arabian nationality must convert to Islam. Furthermore, Wahhabism is the official version of Sunni Islam and adherence to other strands even within Sunnism is restricted. Saudi Arabia has been criticized for its implementation of Islamic law and its human rights record. According to a 2012 online poll by WIN-Gallup International, 5% of 502 Saudi Arabians surveyed stated they were "convinced atheists".

National Commission for Justice and Peace

Catholic (National) Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) was formed in 1985 by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan. It provides services in the field of human rights advocacy.

Religious discrimination in Pakistan is a serious issue for the human rights situation in modern-day Pakistan. Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Shias and Ahmadis among other religious minorities often face discrimination and at times are even subjected to violence. In some cases Christian churches and Ahmadi mosques and the worshippers themselves have been attacked. Khawaja Nazimuddin, the 2nd Prime Minister of Pakistan, stated: "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".

Mian Abdul Haq, also known as "Mian Mitthu" and "Mitthu Mian", is a Muslim cleric and Pakistani politician. He is a member of Bharchundi Shareef Dargah and notorious for alleged forced conversion and abduction. He was a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. He is alleged to have participated in kidnapping at least 117 underage Hindu girls, Forced conversion to Islam in Pakistan and marrying them to older Muslim men at that dargah. He is further alleged to incite violence against Hindus, especially by misusing Pakistan's blasphemy laws against non-Muslims. He is allegedly involved in the 2019 Ghotki riots, though he denied his involvement in the attack.

The status of religious freedom in Asia varies from country to country. States can differ based on whether or not they guarantee equal treatment under law for followers of different religions, whether they establish a state religion, the extent to which religious organizations operating within the country are policed, and the extent to which religious law is used as a basis for the country's legal code.

Dargah-e-Aliya Bharchundi Shareef Dargah is situated 8 KM from railway station of Daharki in Ghotki District in the Sindh province of Pakistan The Bharchundi Sharif is notorious for giving protection to convert to Islam and are known to have the support and protection of ruling political parties and state. According to the media reports, between 2014 to 2017, more than 150 Hindu girls were allegedly forcefully converted to Islam in the Bharchundi Shariff.

Forced conversion of minority girls in Pakistan Prominent human rights issue in Pakistan

In Pakistan, underage girls belonging to the minority Hindu, Christian and Sikh community are kidnapped and forcefully converted to Islam and forcibly married and subjected to rape. Alleged Forced conversions of girls belonging to the Kalash community were also reported in media. Most of the targets are Hindu and Christian girls from lower Castes and poor families. Such cases of forced conversions are being reported increasingly in the Southern Sindh districts of Tharparkar, Umerkot and Mirpur Khas and in the South Punjab, particularly the Rahim Yar Khan District and adjacent areas. Some of these victims are as young as 12 years old.

References

  1. ↑ Kosinski, Leszek A.; Elahi, K. Maudood, eds. (2012). Population Redistribution and Development in South Asia. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 136. ISBN   9780706908374.
  2. ↑ Rawat, Mukesh (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. 1 2 Population by Religion, Census of Pakistan Archived 2010-11-13 at the Wayback Machine
  5. 1 2 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. 1 2 "Cleansing Pakistan of Minorities" (PDF). Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 Cirio, Alberto; Martusciello, Fulvio; Czarnecki, Ryszard; Tarand, Indrek; Becker, Heinz K. 'Religious Minorities in Pakistan' compiled by Members of European Parliament (PDF) (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Pak. forms parliamentary committee to prevent forced conversions of minorities". The Hindu. 23 November 2019.
  11. 1 2 Rana, Yudhvir (30 January 2020). "Most marriages between Hindu women and Muslim men result of love affairs, not abduction, says All Pakistan Hindu Panchayat". The Times of India . Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  12. 1 2 "Open Complaint Letter to the UN Human Rights Council: Subject: Forced conversion of underage girls from minority communities in Pakistan". Global Human Rights Defence. 26 March 2019. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  13. ↑ "GHRD Written Submission to UN Human Rights Council – 41st Regular Session". Global Human Rights Defence. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  14. 1 2 3 Global Human Rights Defence 'Human Rights Report 2019' (PDF). Global Human Rights Defence (Report). 7 March 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  15. 1 2 3 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. ↑ "Supreme Court orders registration of Christian marriages | SAMAA". Samaa TV. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  19. ↑ "Goodwill gesture, Pakistan opens corridor to Sikh shrine for Indian pilgrims". 9 November 2019.
  20. ↑ "Pakistan court nullifies converted minor Hindu girl Mehak Kumari's marriage - OrissaPOST". Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST. 19 February 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  21. ↑ https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files//population_census/sailent_feature_%20census_2017.pdf
  22. ↑ https://www.dawn.com/news/1624375
  23. ↑ "Over 35,000 Buddhists, Baha'is call Pakistan home". The Express Tribune. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  24. ↑ Pakistan, International Religious Freedom Report 2002 (Report). United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. 7 October 2002.
  25. ↑ Ishtiaq Ahmed (2011). The Politics of Religion in South and Southeast Asia. Taylor & Francis. p. 82. ISBN   978-1-136-72703-0.
  26. ↑ Yousafzai, Arshad (29 April 2018). "Two decades from now, Pakistan will have no Parsis". The News International . Karachi.
  27. ↑ "Pakistan Penal Code (Act XLV of 1860)" . Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  28. ↑ "U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Annual Report 2012 | OSCE". www.osce.org. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  29. ↑ "Tier 1 Countries of Particular Concern". United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  30. ↑ Amina Jilani (10 May 2013). "Of particular concern". The Express Tribune.
  31. ↑ "Slow genocide of minorities in Pakistan: Farahnaz Ispahani Mint". Mint .
  32. ↑ "Q&A: Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws". 20 November 2012. Archived from the original on 20 November 2012.
  33. ↑ 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
  34. ↑ "Pakistan Shias killed in Gilgit sectarian attack". BBC. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  35. ↑ Formidable power of Pakistan's anti-Shia militants www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20983153
  36. ↑ Sattar, Abdul; Zada, Shirin (10 January 2013). "Bombings kill 115 people in Pakistan". USA Today . Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  37. ↑ "Lahore tense after mosques' attacks". Al Jazeera English . 28 May 2010. Archived from the original on 29 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  38. ↑ "Pakistan mosque attacks in Lahore kill scores". BBC News. 29 May 2010.
  39. ↑ Gishkori, Zahid (25 March 2014). "95% of worship places put to commercial use: Survey". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  40. ↑ "Pakistan to restore, hand over 400 Hindu temples". Gulf News. 13 November 2019.
  41. ↑ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (30 April 2013). "Refworld – USCIRF Annual Report 2013 – Countries of Particular Concern: Pakistan". Refworld. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  42. ↑ "Pakistan: Religious conversion, including treatment of converts and forced conversions (2009–2012)" (PDF). Responses to Information Requests. Government Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. 14 January 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  43. ↑ "1,000 Christian, Hindu girls forced to convert to Islam every year in Pakistan: report". India Today . 8 April 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  44. ↑ Anwar, Iqbal (8 April 2014). "1,000 minority girls forced in marriage every year: report". Dawn. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  45. ↑ Dunya, Author (20 December 2014). "India ruling party chief urges law against religious conversions". Dunya News . New Delhi. AFP . Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  46. ↑ "Sikh community in Hangu 'being forced to convert'". The Express Tribune. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  47. ↑ "Sikhs in Pakistan complain of pressure to convert". 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  48. ↑ "Sikhs told to 'convert to Islam' by Pakistani official". Rabwah Times . 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  49. ↑ Anwar, Madeeha (23 December 2017). "Authorities Investigate Cases of Forced Conversion of Sikh Minority in Pakistan". Extremism Watch Desk. Voice of America . Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  50. ↑ Forced conversions torment Pakistan's Hindus | India | Al Jazeera
  51. ↑ Forced conversions of Pakistani Hindu girls - Daily Times
  52. ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/world/pakistan/story/1000-christian-hindu-girls-forced-to-convert-to-islam-every-year-in-pakistan-report-188177-2014-04-08
  53. ↑ https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/08/forced-conversions-torment-pakistan-hindus-201481795524630505.html
  54. ↑ https://www.dawn.com/news/1170682
  55. ↑ "Forced conversions, marriages spike in Pakistan".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.