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 a non-Muslim group as per Pakistani constitution^[3]), Sikhism, Zoroastrianism 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 also gaining popularity due to Ahl-i Hadith and 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]

The main principles of Human rights 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^[24] –

(a) Article 20 : Freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions.^[25]

(b) Article 21 : Safeguard against taxation for purposes of any particular religion.^[26]

(c) Article 22 : Safeguards as to educational institutions in respect of religion, etc.^[27]

(d) Article 25 : Equality of citizens.^[28]

(e) Article 26 : Non-discrimination in respect of access to public places.^[29]

(f) Article 27 : Safeguard against discrimination in services.^[30]

(g) Article 36 : Protection of Minorities.^[31]

(h) Article 38 : Promotion of social and economic well-being of all the people.^[32]

Demographics of religion in Pakistan

Background

Religious
group! colspan="2"

1901	1911		1921		1931		1941		1951		1961		1972		1981		1998		2017		2023[33]
	14,022,544		14,966,846		15,203,501		17,557,877		21,113,214		32,731,582		41,666,153		60,434,659		81,450,057		127,433,409		200,362,718		231,686,709
	3,009,842		2,766,581		2,957,680		3,298,570		3,981,565		531,131		621,805		900,206		1,276,116		2,443,614		4,444,870		5,217,216
	529,910		884,987		931,489		1,282,698		1,672,753								2,146						15,998
	59,387		167,178		276,107		360,371		432,724		432,978		583,884		907,861		1,310,426		2,092,902		2,642,048		3,300,788
	6,529		7,348		7,490		8,096		13,215
	2,512		3,007		3,407		4,178		4,253		5,320		5,219		9,589		7,007						2,348
	489		702		706		1,019		1,180
	6		207		373		155		266		680		2,445		4,318		2,639
Tribal			9,224		8,186		236		37,603
																	104,244		286,212		191,737		162,684
Others	2,039		299		77		1,553		19,228		1,476		872		205,250		101,009		96,142		43,253		72,346
Total responses	17,633,258		18,806,379		19,389,016		22,514,768		27,266,001		33,703,167		42,880,378		62,461,883		84,253,644		132,352,279		207,684,626		240,458,089
Total population	17,708,014		20,428,473		22,214,152		24,774,056		29,643,600		33,779,555		42,978,261		65,309,340		84,253,644		132,352,279		207,684,626		241,499,431

1901 census

The total population of the region that composes contemporary Pakistan was approximately 17,708,014 according to the 1901 census. 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 17,633,258, for an overall response rate of 99.6 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"

Pakistan	Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	14,022,544		7,951,155		2,609,337		1,890,479		765,368		747,426		58,779
	3,009,842		1,944,363		787,683		129,306		38,158		108,331		2,001
	529,910		483,999				25,733		2,972		17,132		74
	59,387		42,371		7,825		5,119		4,026		18		28
	6,529		5,562		921		37		8		0		1
	2,512		300		2,000		46		166		0		0
	489		9		428		4		48
	6		6		0		0		0		0		0
Others	2,039		0		2,029		0		0		8		2
Total responses	17,633,258		10,427,765		3,410,223		2,050,724		810,746		872,915		60,885
Total population	17,708,014		10,427,765		3,410,223		2,125,480		810,746		872,915		60,885

1911 census

The total population of the region that composes contemporary Pakistan was approximately 20,428,473 according to the 1911 census. 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 18,806,379, for an overall response rate of 92.1 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"

Pakistan	Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	14,966,846		8,494,314		2,822,756		2,039,994		782,648		749,945		77,189
	2,766,581		1,645,758		877,313		119,942		38,326		84,130		1,112
	884,987		813,441		12,339		30,345		8,390		20,391		81
	167,178		144,514		10,917		6,585		5,085		55		22
Tribal	9,224				9,224
	7,348		5,977		1,349		4		10		8		0
	3,007		377		2,411		49		170		0		0
	702		36		595		14		57
	207		168		21		0		16		2		0
Others	299		0		298		0		1		0		0
Total responses	18,806,379		11,104,585		3,737,223		2,196,933		834,703		854,531		78,404
Total population	20,428,473		11,104,585		3,737,223		3,819,027		834,703		854,531		78,404

1921 census

The total population of the region that composes contemporary Pakistan was approximately 22,214,152 according to the 1921 census. 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 19,389,016, for an overall response rate of 87.3 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"

Pakistan	Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	15,203,501		8,975,288		2,562,700		2,062,786		733,477		780,607		88,643
	2,957,680		1,797,141		876,629		149,881		51,348		81,733		948
	931,489		863,091		8,036		28,040		7,741		24,491		90
	276,107		247,030		11,734		10,610		6,693		24		16
Tribal	8,186				8,186
	7,490		5,930		1,534		3		17		6		0
	3,407		309		2,913		20		165		0		0
	706		16		671		0		19
	373		172		41		0		160		0		0
Others	77		8		64		0		5		0		0
Total responses	19,389,016		11,888,985		3,472,508		2,251,340		799,625		886,861		89,697
Total population	22,214,152		11,888,985		3,472,508		5,076,476		799,625		886,861		89,697

1931 census

The total population of the region that composes contemporary Pakistan was approximately 24,774,056 according to the 1931 census. 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 22,514,768, for an overall response rate of 90.9 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"

Pakistan	Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	17,557,877		10,570,029		3,017,377		2,227,303		798,093		850,135		94,940
	3,298,570		1,957,878		1,055,119		142,977		53,681		87,554		1,361
	1,282,698		1,180,789		19,172		42,510		8,425		31,709		93
	360,371		324,730		15,152		12,213		8,059		168		49
	8,096		6,921		1,144		0		17		11		3
	4,178		413		3,537		60		167		1		0
	1,019		6		985		11		17
Tribal	236				204				32		0		0
	155		32		53		2		68		0		0
Others	1,553		0		1,510		0		43		0		0
Total responses	22,514,768		14,040,798		4,114,253		2,425,076		868,617		969,578		96,446
Total population	24,774,056		14,040,798		4,114,253		4,684,364		868,617		969,578		96,446

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"

Pakistan	Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	21,113,214		13,022,160		3,462,015		2,788,797		785,181		939,460		115,601
	3,981,565		2,373,466		1,279,530		180,321		54,394		93,559		295
	1,672,753		1,530,112		32,627		57,939		12,044		39,910		121
	432,724		395,311		20,304		10,889		6,056		136		28
Tribal	37,603				37,598				3		0		2
	13,215		9,520		3,687		1		7		0		0
	4,253		312		3,841		24		76		0		0
	1,180		7		1,082		71		20		0		0
	266		87		111		25		43		0		0
Others	19,228		19,128		0		0		11		89		0
Total responses	27,266,001		17,340,103		4,840,795		3,038,067		857,835		1,073,154		116,047
Total population	29,643,600		17,340,103		4,840,795		5,415,666		857,835		1,073,154		116,047

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 20.7 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.^{[34] [35]}

Religious
group! colspan="2"

Pakistan	Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	32,731,582		20,200,794		5,535,645		5,858,080		1,137,063
	531,131		33,052		482,560		2,432		13,087
	432,978		402,617		22,601		3,823		3,937
	5,320		195		5,046				79
	680		9		670				1
Others	1,476		35		1,226		215		0
Total responses	33,703,167		20,636,702		6,047,748		5,864,550		1,154,167
Total population	33,779,555		20,651,140		6,054,474		5,899,905		1,174,036

1961 census

Religious
group! colspan="2"

Pakistan	Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	41,666,153		25,013,796		7,936,979		7,569,026		1,146,352
	621,805		41,965		568,530		1,474		9,836
	583,884		524,770		46,931		7,463		4,720
	5,219		251		4,866		10		92
	2,445		757		1,683		4		1
Others	872		104		549		209		10
Total responses	42,880,378		25,581,643		8,559,538		7,578,186		1,161,011
Total population	42,978,261		25,619,437		8,566,512		7,599,627		1,192,685

1972 census

Religious
group! colspan="2"

Pakistan	Punjab[36]		Sindh[37]		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa[38] [39]		Balochistan[40]		ICT[41]		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	60,434,659		36,610,508		13,212,500		7,998,232		2,381,810		231,609
	907,861		786,494		95,777		12,828		9,807		2,955
	900,206		61,405		815,452		5,014		18,223		112
	9,589		375		8,923		39		173		79
	4,318		1,386		2,736		77		61		58
Others	205,250		149,991		20,521		16,134		18,604		0
Total responses	62,461,883		37,610,159		14,155,909		8,032,324		2,428,678		234,813
Total population	65,309,340		37,610,159		14,155,909		10,879,781		2,428,678		234,813

1981 census

Religious
group! colspan="2"

Pakistan	Punjab[42]		Sindh[43]		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa[44]		Balochistan[45]		ICT		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	81,450,057		46,110,205		17,556,712		13,194,345		4,257,628		331,167
	1,310,426		1,061,037		176,898		44,514		20,131		7,846
	1,276,116		29,268		1,221,961		5,253		19,598		36
	104,244		63,694		21,210		12,333		5,824		1,183
	7,007		1,766		4,305		462		439		35
	2,639		756		1,714		58		106		5
	2,146		832		393		729		189		3
Others	101,009		24,883		45,473		2,181		28,461		11
Total responses	84,253,644		47,292,441		19,028,666		13,259,875		4,332,376		340,286
Total population	84,253,644		47,292,441		19,028,666		13,259,875		4,332,376		340,286

1998 census

Religious
group! colspan="2"

Pakistan	Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		ICT		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	127,433,409		71,574,830		27,796,814		20,808,480		6,484,006		769,279
	2,443,614		116,410		2,280,842		7,011		39,146		205
	2,092,902		1,699,843		294,885		38,974		26,462		32,738
	286,212		181,428		43,524		48,703		9,800		2,757
Others	96,142		48,779		23,828		16,808		6,471		256
Total responses	132,352,279		73,621,290		30,439,893		20,919,976		6,565,885		805,235
Total population	132,352,279		73,621,290		30,439,893		20,919,976		6,565,885		805,235

2017 census

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,^[46] Pakistan has a population of 224,418,238 as of 2021.^[47]

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.^[48] The NADRA makes it nearly impossible to declare and change the religion to anything from Islam making the statistics somewhat misleading.^[49]

Religious
group! colspan="2"

Pakistan	Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		ICT		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
Total Population	Percentage
	200,362,718		107,541,602		43,234,107		35,428,857		12,246,275		1,911,877
	4,444,870		211,641		4,176,986		6,373		49,133		737
	2,642,048		2,063,063		408,301		50,018		33,819		86,847
	191,737		158,021		21,661		7,204		2,113		2,738
Others	43,253		15,328		13,455		9,512		3,789		1,169
Total responses	207,684,626		109,989,655		47,854,510		35,501,964		12,335,129		2,003,368
Total population	207,684,626		109,989,655		47,854,510		35,501,964		12,335,129		2,003,368

Details

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics released religious data of Pakistan Census 2017 on 19 May 2021.^[50] 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^[51]

Religion	Population	%
Muslims	231,686,709	96.35%
Hindus	5,217,216	2.17%
Christians	3,300,788	1.37%
Ahmadiyya Muslims	162,684	0.07%
	15,992	0.01%
Zoroastrians	2,348	<0.01%
Others (inc. Kalashas,Baháʼís, Buddhists)	72,346	0.03%
Total	240,458,089	100%

Demographics of religion by province/territory

Punjab

Religious
group! colspan="2"

1881[52] [53] [54] [55]	1901[56] [57]		1911[58] [59]		1921[60]		1931[61]		1941[62]		1951[63]		1998[64]		2017		2023[65]
	6,201,859		7,951,155		8,494,314		8,975,288		10,570,029		13,022,160		20,200,794		71,574,830		107,541,602		124,462,897
	1,449,913		1,944,363		1,645,758		1,797,141		1,957,878		2,373,466		33,052		116,410		211,641		249,716
	272,908		483,999		813,441		863,091		1,180,789		1,530,112								5,649
	12,992		42,371		144,514		247,030		324,730		395,311		402,617		1,699,843		2,063,063		2,458,924
	4,352		5,562		5,977		5,930		6,921		9,520
	354		300		377		309		413		312		195						358
	0		6		168		172		32		87		9
			9		36		16		6		7
															181,428		158,021		140,512
Others	21		0		0		8		0		19,534		35		48,779		15,328		15,249
Total responses	7,942,399		10,427,765		11,104,585		11,888,985		14,040,798		17,350,103		20,636,702		73,621,290		109,989,655		127,333,305
Total population	7,942,399		10,427,765		11,104,585		11,888,985		14,040,798		17,350,103		20,651,140		73,621,290		109,989,655		127,688,922

Sindh

Religious
group! colspan="2"

1872[66]	1881[67]		1891[68]		1901[69]		1911[70]		1921[71]		1931[72]		1941[73]		1951		1998		2017		2023
	1,712,221		1,989,630		2,318,180		2,609,337		2,822,756		2,562,700		3,017,377		3,462,015		5,535,645		27,796,814		43,234,107		50,126,428
	475,848		544,848		674,371		787,683		877,313		876,629		1,055,119		1,279,530		482,560		2,280,842		4,176,986		4,901,407
	3,329		6,082		7,768		7,825		10,917		11,734		15,152		20,304		22,601		294,885		408,301		546,968
	810		1,063		1,534		2,000		2,411		2,913		3,537		3,841		5,046						1,763
	35		153		210		428		595		671		985		1,082
			1,191		923		921		1,349		1,534		1,144		3,687
			9		2		0		21		41		53		111		670
					720				12,339		8,036		19,172		32,627								5,182
Tribal									9,224		8,186		204		37,598
																			43,524		21,661		18,266
Others	172		0		3		2,029		298		64		1,510		0		1,226		23,828		13,455		38,395
Total Responses	2,192,415		2,542,976		3,003,711		3,410,223		3,737,223		3,472,508		4,114,253		4,840,795		6,047,748		30,439,893		47,854,510		55,638,409
Total Population	2,322,765		2,542,976		3,003,711		3,410,223		3,737,223		3,472,508		4,114,253		4,840,795		6,054,474		30,439,893		47,854,510		55,696,147

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Religious
group! colspan="2"

1881[74]	1891[75]		1901[76]		1911[77]		1921[78]		1931[79]		1941[80]		1951[81]		1998		2017		2023
	1,787,341		2,088,015		1,890,479		2,039,994		2,062,786		2,227,303		2,788,797		5,858,080		20,808,480		35,428,857		40,486,153
	154,081		166,984		129,306		119,942		149,881		142,977		180,321		2,432		7,011		6,373		6,102
	9,205		21,110		25,733		30,345		28,040		42,510		57,939								4,050
	4,725		5,437		5,119		6,585		10,610		12,213		10,889		3,823		38,974		50,018		134,884
	106		108		37		4		3		0		1
	52		48		46		49		20		60		24								36
	0		0		0		0		0		2		25
			4		4		14		0		11		71
																	48,703		7,204		951
Others	5		2		0		0		0		0		0		215		16,808		9,512		8,944
Total Responses	1,955,515		2,281,708		2,050,724		2,196,933		2,251,340		2,425,076		3,038,067		5,864,550		20,919,976		35,501,964		40,641,120
Total Population	1,955,515		2,281,708		2,125,480		3,819,027		5,076,476		4,684,364		5,415,666		5,899,905		20,919,976		35,501,964		40,856,097

Balochistan

Religious
group! colspan="2"

1901[82]	1911[83]		1921[84]		1931[85]		1941[86]		1951[87]		1998		2017		2023
	765,368		782,648		733,477		798,093		785,181		1,137,063		6,484,006		12,255,528		14,429,568
	38,158		38,326		51,348		53,681		54,394		13,087		39,146		49,378		59,107
	2,972		8,390		7,741		8,425		12,044								1,057
	4,026		5,085		6,693		8,059		6,056		3,937		26,462		33,330		62,731
	166		170		165		167		76		79						181
	48		57		19		17		20
	8		10		17		17		7
	0		16		160		68		43		1
													9,800		2,469		557
Others	0		1		5		75		14		0		6,471		3,703		8,810
Total responses	810,746		834,703		799,625		868,617		857,835		1,154,167		6,565,885		12,344,408		14,562,011
Total population	810,746		834,703		799,625		868,617		857,835		1,174,036		6,565,885		12,344,408		14,894,402

Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Religious
group! colspan="2"

1901[88]	1911[89]		1921[90]		1931[91]		1941[92]
	747,426		749,945		780,607		850,135		939,460
	108,331		84,130		81,733		87,554		93,559
	17,132		20,391		24,491		31,709		39,910
	18		55		24		168		136
	0		8		6		11		0
	0		2		0		0		0
	0		0		0		1		0
Tribal							0		0
									0
Others	8		0		0		0		89
Total population	872,915		854,531		886,861		969,578		1,073,154

Gilgit–Baltistan

Religious
group! colspan="2"

1901	1911		1921		1931		1941
	58,779		77,189		88,643		94,940		115,601
	2,001		1,112		948		1,361		295
	74		81		90		93		121
	28		22		16		49		28
	1		0		0		3		0
	0		0		0		0		0
	0		0		0		0		0
Tribal							0		2
									0
Others	2		0		0		0		0
Total population	60,885		78,404		89,697		96,446		116,047

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.^[93] The majority are Sunni (estimated at 85-90%),^{[94] [95]} with an estimated 10–15% Shia.^{[94] [95] [11] [96]} A PEW survey in 2012 found that 6% of Pakistani Muslims were Shia.^[97] 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.^[98] 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.^{[99] [100]} 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",^[101] 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.^{[102] [103] [104]}

However, the Hanbali school is also gaining popularity due to Ahl-i Hadith movement and also recent Wahhabi and Salafi movement influence from the Middle East.^[105]

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.^{[106] [107]}

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.^[108]

In 1974, the government of Pakistan amended the Constitution of Pakistan to define a Muslim according to Qu'ran 33:40,^[109] 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.^[110] 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.^[111] As of 2020, Pakistan has the fourth largest Hindu population in the world after India, Nepal and Bangladesh.^[112] 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.^[46] 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.^[113] They speak a variety of languages such as Sindhi, Seraiki, Aer, Dhatki, Gera, Goaria, Gurgula, Jandavra, Kabutra, Koli, Loarki, Marwari, Sansi, Vaghri^[114] and Gujarati.^[115]

The Rig Veda, the oldest Hindu text, is believed to have been composed in the Punjab region in the Indian subcontinent around 1500 BCE^[116] and spread from there across South and South East Asia slowly developing and evolving into the various forms of the faith we see today.^[117]

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.^{[118] [119]}

Christianity

See main article: Christianity in Pakistan. Christians (ur|مسيحى، عیسائی) make up 1.3% of Pakistan's population.^[120] The majority of the Pakistani Christian community consists of Punjabis who converted during the British colonial era and their descendants. In British colonial India, there were waves of conversions to Christianity among the Chuhra and Chamar between the 1870s and 1930s in the Punjab Province and United Provinces of Agra and Oudh.^[121] Christians mainly live in the urban centres of Punjab. 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.

There are a number of church-run schools in Pakistan that admit students of all religions, including Forman Christian College,^{[122] [123]} St. Patrick's Institute of Science & Technology and Saint Joseph's College for Women, Karachi.

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).^[124] 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.^[125] Other sources, including the US Department of State, claim the Sikh population in Pakistan to be at 20,000.^{[126] [127]} 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):

• 2013: 5,934 Sikh Voters ^[128]
• 2018: 8,852 Sikh Voters

In recent years, their numbers have increased with many Sikhs migrating from neighboring Afghanistan who have joined their co-religionists in Pakistan.^[129]

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,^[130] with Shaykh Sa'id Hindi who was from Multan.^[131] 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.^[132]

The Baháʼís in Pakistan have the right to hold public meetings, establish academic centers, teach their faith, and elect their administrative councils.^[133] Bahá'í sources claim their population to be around 30,000.^[134] 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.^[135] 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.^[136]

Zoroastrianism

There are at least 4,000 Pakistani citizen practicing the Zoroastrian religion.^[137] The region of Balochistan is believed to be a stronghold of Zoroastrianism before the advent of Islam.^{[138] [139]} 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.^{[140] [141]} 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.^[142]

Kalash

See main article: Kalash people. The Kalash people practise a form of ancient Hinduism^[143] mixed with animism.^[144] 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.^[143] 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.^[145] 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.^[146]

The number of Buddhist voters was 1,884 in 2017 and are mostly concentrated in Sindh and Punjab.^[147]

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.^{[148] [149]} 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.^{[150] [151] [152]}

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.^[153] 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.^[129] A 2012 study by Gallup Pakistan found that people not affiliated to any religion account for 1% of the population.^[154] 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.^[155]

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,^[156] 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.^{[157] [158]}

See also

• Blasphemy law in Pakistan
• Demographics of Pakistan
• List of religious populations
• Major religious groups
• Religious Minorities in Pakistan
• Shamanism in Pakistan
• Freedom of religion in Pakistan
• Pakistan National Commission for Minorities

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73. Web site: Census of India, 1941. Vol. 12, Sind . saoa.crl.28215545 . 21 August 2022. 1941 . 12 . India Census Commissioner . 28.
74. 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 . 17–18.
75. 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 . 14–15.
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79. 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. . 373–375.
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83. Web site: Census of India 1911. Vol. 4, Baluchistan : pt. 1, Report; pt. 2, Tables. . saoa.crl.25393764 . 9 November 2024 . India Census Commissioner . 1911 . 4 . 9–13.
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85. Web site: Census of India 1931. Vol. 4, Baluchistan. Pts. 1 & 2, Report [and] Imperial and provincial tables. ]. saoa.crl.25797115 . 9 November 2024 . India Census Commissioner . 1931 . 4 . 149.
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91. Web site: Census of India 1931. Vol. 24, Jammu & Kashmir State. Pt. 2, Imperial & state tables. . saoa.crl.25797120 . 3 November 2024 . 1931 . 267.
92. Web site: Census of India, 1941. Vol. 22, Jammu & Kashmir . saoa.crl.28215644 . 28 January 2023. 1941 . 22 . India Census Commissioner .
93. 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..
94. 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.
95. 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.
96. Web site: Country Profile: Pakistan. 2005. Library of Congress. 2, 3, 6, 8. 28 December 2011.
97. 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..
98. News: Heart of darkness: Shia resistance and revival in Pakistan. Herald. 2015-10-29. 2018-03-20.
99. Malik, Jamal. Islam in South Asia: A Short History. Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2008.
100. 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.
101. Book: A New Era of Sectarian Violence in Pakistan . 2022 . International Crisis Group . 20 July 2023 . Group . International Crisis . Page 8–Page 14 .
102. Web site: Reviving Pakistan's Pluralist Traditions to Fight Extremism . Curtis . Lisa . Mullick . Haider . 4 May 2009 . 2011-07-31 . The Heritage Foundation.
103. 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..
104. 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 .
105. Web site: 20 August 2009 . Pakistan must confront Wahhabism | Adrian Pabst . TheGuardian.com.
106. 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.
107. News: The Islam That Hard-Liners Hate. 2018-03-20. The New York Times. 2011-01-06. Huma. Imtiaz. Charlotte. Buchen. blog.
108. 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:
     • over 2 million: Web site: 2008-12-04. Pakistan: The situation of Ahmadi Muslims, including legal status and political, education and employment rights; societal attitudes toward Ahmadi Muslims (2006 – Nov. 2008). 2018-03-20.
     • 3 million: International Federation for Human Rights: International Fact-Finding Mission. Freedoms of Expression, of Association and of Assembly in Pakistan. Ausgabe 408/2, Januar 2005, S. 61 (PDF)
     • 3–4 million: Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. 2005, S. 130
     • 4.910.000: James Minahan: Encyclopedia of the stateless nations. Ethnic and national groups around the world. Greenwood Press . Westport 2002, page 52
     • Web site: Pakistan: Situation of members of the Lahori Ahmadiyya Movement in Pakistan. 2018-03-20.
109. Web site: Surah Al-Ahzab – 40.
110. Web site: Ordinance No. XX of 1984. 14 November 2011. The Persecution.
111. Web site: Population Distribution by Religion, 1998 Census. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. 26 December 2016.
112. Web site: Countries with the Largest Hindu Populations. 15 January 2019.
113. Web site: Population by religion. https://web.archive.org/web/20140402081116/http://www.census.gov.pk/Religion.htm. 2014-04-02. dead.
114. Web site: Pakistan. Ethnologue. 2018-03-20.
115. 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.
116. News: Rigveda Hindu literature. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2018-03-20.
117. Book: Bronkhorst, Johannes . How the Brahmins Won: From Alexander to the Guptas . 2016 . Brill . 978-90-04-31519-8 . 9–10 . en.
118. Web site: Forced conversions of Pakistani Hindu girls. 19 September 2017. 20 January 2019.
119. 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.
120. Web site: Country Profile: Pakistan. February 2005. Library of Congress Country Studies on Pakistan. Library of Congress. 2010-09-01.
121. Book: Frykenberg . Robert Eric . Christianity in India: From Beginnings to the Present . 26 June 2008 . . 978-0-19-826377-7 . 240 . en.
122. Web site: Najam . Adil . Forman Christian (F.C.) College's Political Clout . Pakistaniat . 30 March 2008 . 7 October 2019.
123. News: Bangash . Yaqoob Khan . FC College: an amazing transformation . . 7 October 2019.
124. News: 2022-12-15 . Pakistan census to have column for Sikhs . The Times of India . 2023-08-17 . 0971-8257.
125. 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..
126. Web site: 17 April 2015 . Pakistan's dwindling Sikh community wants improved security . 16 December 2018 . Dawn.com.
127. Web site: 14 September 2007 . Pakistan . 2010-08-13 . State.gov.
128. 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.
129. Web site: Pakistan – International Religious Freedom Report 2008. United States Department of State. 19 September 2008. 2010-08-28.
130. 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.
131. 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.
132. Encyclopedia: Bahá'í History . Draft A Short Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith . Bahá'í Library Online . 2018-03-20 . Smith . Peter . Momen . Moojan.
133. 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 .
134. 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 .
135. 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.
136. Religious and SOcial Life of Religious Minorities . International Islamic University . Islamabad, Pakistan . 2015 . Thesis . en . Abdul . Fareed.
137. News: Over 35,000 Buddhists, Baha'is call Pakistan home . Irfan . Ghauri . . 2012-09-02 . 2018-03-20.
138. Book: Zeb, Rizwan . Ethno-political Conflict in Pakistan: The Baloch Movement . 2019-12-12 . Routledge . 978-1-000-72992-4 . 63 . en.
139. 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.
140. Web site: 'Two decades from now, Pakistan will have no Parsis' . 2022-12-25 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
141. Web site: 2019-12-13 . In a shrinking community, one Parsi family chooses Pakistan . 2022-12-25 . The Express Tribune . en.
142. 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.
143. 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..
144. 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)....
145. News: Khalid . Haroon . 4 September 2016 . Sacred geography: Why Hindus, Buddhist, Jains, Sikhs should object to Pakistan being called hell . Dawn . 4 September 2016.
146. Book: Macdonell, Arthur Anthony . A History of Sanskrit Literature. 9788120800953. 31 December 1997. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. .
147. News: Pakistan elections: Non-Muslim voters up by 30%, Hindus biggest minority . Imtiaz . Ahmad . . 2018-05-28 . 2020-10-05.
148. Web site: Brothers of Pakistani man claiming to be Jewish call him insane. Israel National News. 9 April 2017 . 2018-03-20.
149. 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.
150. News: Pakistan's last Jew in battle to win 'empathy'. Simon. Caldwell. 2015-11-26. 2018-03-20.
151. News: 'Last Jew in Pakistan' beaten by mob, arrested. Express Tribune. 2015-03-06. 2018-03-20.
152. News: Brothers of Pakistani man claiming Jewish roots call him 'insane'. 2017-04-09. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2018-03-20.
153. News: Being Pakistani and atheist a dangerous combo, but some ready to brave it. Pakistan Today. 2011-09-17. 2018-03-20.
154. Web site: Gallup Pakistan – Pakistan's Foremost Research Lab.
155. News: Pakistan's forced conversions shame Imran Khan. Kunwar Khuldune. Shahid. 11 June 2020. The Spectator. 2 September 2020.
156. https://www.freedomhouse.org/country/pakistan/freedom-world/2022 Freedom House, Retrieved 2023-04-25
157. Web site: Pakistan: How real is freedom of religion? Special Report thenews.com.pk . 2023-09-04 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
158. Web site: 2019-06-30 . Pakistan and religious freedom . 2023-09-04 . Daily Times . en-US.

External links

• – (Government of Pakistan) Official website