The question of Pakistani Hindus

According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Hindus make about 1.60%[1] of all of Pakistan’s population. At the time of independence, there was a sizeable population of Hindus in the areas that became part of Pakistan but majority of them opted for India. However, still a lot of Hindus were living in the Eastern wing of the country but after the dismemberment of Pakistan, the province of Sindh became the largest province to house Hindu population; Hindus make about 6.51% of Sindh’s total population.[2]

In the near past, many Hindu families have migrated from Sindh to India. India is the natural destination for the Pakistani Hindus as they share religious, cultural and familial ties there. The majority of Pakistani Hindus have settled in the Indian states of Gujrat and Rajasthan; both these states share a border with the Pakistani province of Sindh too.

However, for the migrants things have not been all that great in India. As India is not a signatory of UN Refugee Convention. So, the migrants have to live in make shift camps without any electricity and water. Above that they are suspected for being Pakistani spies and the Indian agencies closely monitor their movement. Getting Indian citizenship is also not easy as it comprises of strict and lengthy procedure, the migrants have to bear a life that is, in short, miserable and difficult. Although the Indian government has taken steps to fast track the process of acquiring Indian citizenship but it is still far from producing the desired results.

The real questions here are why this is happening and what the state and citizenry of Pakistan should do about it?

Pakistan repeatedly reiterates that the Hindus are safe in Pakistan, they enjoy religious freedom and all this is mere Indian propaganda to malign Pakistan’s image and to divert world’s attention from the atrocities faced by the Indian minorities at the hands of Hindu extremists. However, all is not false propaganda or mere exaggeration. This situation is an outcome of many stimulants and the major ones are discussed below.

Firstly, extremism is on rise everywhere in the world, Pakistan in general and Sindh in specific are no exception. Secondly, Sindh has a very secular history but today it is not the reference point. The reference point is the bitter partition of 1947 which caused the unfortunate communal riots which took lives of many men, women and children from both the sides (i.e. Hindus & Muslims). Thirdly, in certain parts of interior Sindh, the Hindus do enjoy political and social power; their position makes them susceptible to this kind of defiance. Fourthly, the competition over the economic opportunities, there will be less competition once the Hindus will not be there to claim it. Fifthly, the cultural compatibility is another reason as the Hindus find more cultural affinity in India than in Pakistan. Sixthly, the maltreatment meted out to the Indian Muslims causes irritation, which is eventually vented out on the Pakistani Hindus.   

The frustration has been manifested in the shape of forced conversions, abduction for ransom of the Hindu traders and their families hate speech and the eventual migration of Hindus to India.

It is important to note that the government is not all ignorant of this situation and has shown some concern. Sindh provincial assembly did pass a bill namely “the protection of minorities’ bill” earlier this year. The bill sets an age for marriage and conversion and punishment for forced conversion but due to the pressure from the religious parties and due to some other political compulsions, the bill has been swept under the carpet in the name of “review”. It is imperative that the government should take a stand and that bill should be implemented in its letter and spirit. However, the government should not only stop at passing a bill but it should do more in this regard.

The Federal government should take actions to facilitate the return of willing Hindu migrants from India. Pakistan’s High Commission in India can act as a liaison in this regard. The government should take all necessary actions to rehabilitate them upon their return and take steps to ensure their security and well-being.

Special task forces should be established with members from both the Hindu community and the local civil authorities to address the grievances of Hindus at the grass root level and also to chalk out plans to improve the condition of the Pakistani Hindus.

Places situated in Pakistan that are sacred to Hinduism, should be preserved, renovated and open for carrying out religious activities. This will not only strengthen Pakistan’s Hindu connection but the national exchequer will also benefit from the religious tourism.

The buck stops at the government and they have to realize that they are responsible to their people irrespective of their creed and race. They are the ultimate power in the country. The law provides safeguards to our minorities and the government should make this their priority that these safeguards are rightfully provided to the minorities and it should also school the majority to respect the rights of the minorities. This is the only way through which they can realize Quaid’s vision of Pakistan.
( A version of this piece has been published by Express Tribune in their blog section on 25th August 2017)

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[1] Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, http://www.pbs.gov.pk/content/population-religion, approached on 01/08/2017

[2] ibid