Decline of Hinduism in Pakistan

There has been in a decline of Hinduism , Buddhism and Sikhism in the areas that now constitute the country of Pakistan which was formed in 1947 happened for a variety of reasons, and even as these religions have continued to flourish beyond the eastern frontiers of Pakistan. Hindus in Pakistan feel that they are treated as second class citizens and many have migrated to India.^[1]

Persecution

Main articles: Hinduism in Pakistan, Persecution of Hindus#Pakistan, and Anti-Hindu#Pakistan

There are a number of instances of persecution of Hindus in Pakistan. In 1951, Hindus constituted 22 percent of the Pakistani population.^[2][3] By 1998 the proportion of Hindus was down to around 1.7 percent.^[4] This huge drop is due to wide forcible conversion and murder of those who resisted it, a situation that is recorded to have continued till date^{[citation needed]}. Minority members of the Pakistan National Assembly have alleged that Hindus were being hounded and humiliated to force them to leave Pakistan.^[5]

The increasing Islamisation of Pakistan and antagonism against India, a nation with a Hindu majority, has been an influential factor in the persecution of religious minorities, among those minorities, Hindus. Such Islamisation 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. Following the Babri Mosque riots in India, riots and attacks on Hindus in retaliation has only increased; Hindus in Pakistan are routinely affected by communal incidents 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 3 million Hindus living in Pakistan. The 1998 census recorded 2,443,614 Hindus in Pakistan^[6].

Hindu minorities, under Taliban rule in Swat, were forced to wear Red headgear such as turbans as a symbol of dhimmi.^[7]. In July 2010, around 60 members of the minority Hindus in Karachi were attacked and ethnically cleansed following an incident when a Hindu youth drank from a water tap near an Islamic mosque^[8][9]

Pakistan Studies curriculum issues

Main article: Pakistani textbooks controversy

According to the Sustainable Development Policy Institute report 'Associated with the insistence on the Ideology of Pakistan has been an essential component of hate against India and the Hindus. For the upholders of the Ideology of Pakistan, the existence of Pakistan is defined only in relation to Hindus, and hence the Hindus have to be painted as negatively as possible'^[10] A 2005 report by the National Commission for Justice and Peace a non profit organization in Pakistan, found that Pakistan Studies textbooks in Pakistan have been used to articulate the hatred that Pakistani policy-makers have attempted to inculcate towards the Hindus. 'Vituperative animosities legitimise military and autocratic rule, nurturing a siege mentality. Pakistan Studies textbooks are an active site to represent India as a hostile neighbour' the report stated. 'The story of Pakistan’s past is intentionally written to be distinct from, and often in direct contrast with, interpretations of history found in India. From the government-issued textbooks, students are taught that Hindus are backward and superstitious.' Further the report stated 'Textbooks reflect intentional obfuscation. Today’s students, citizens of Pakistan and its future leaders are the victims of these partial truths'.^{[11][12][13][14]}

References

1. ^ Sohail, Riaz (2 March 2007). "Hindus feel the heat in Pakistan". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6367773.stm. Retrieved 22 February 2011. 
2. ^ Census of Pakistan, 1951
3. ^ Hindu masjids by Prafull Goradia, 2002 "In 1951, Muslims were 77 percent and Hindus were 22 percent."
4. ^ Census of Pakistan, 1998
5. ^ Reddy, B. Murlidhar (September 23, 2005). "Hindus in Pakistan allege humiliation". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/23/stories/2005092314831800.htm. Retrieved 2006-08-26. 
6. ^ "Hindus feel the heat in Pakistan". BBC News. 2 March 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6367773.stm. 
7. ^ http://specials.rediff.com/news/2009/mar/18sld1-hindu-families-face-the-heat.htm
8. ^ Press Trust of India (12 July 2010). "Hindus attacked, evicted from their homes in Pak’s Sindh". The Hindu. http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article512346.ece. Retrieved 14 July 2010. 
9. ^ "Hindus attacked in Pakistan". Oneindia.in. Tuesday, 13 July 2010. http://news.oneindia.in/2010/07/13/hindus-in-sindh-attacked-pakistan.html. 
10. ^ Nayyar, A.H. and Salim, A. (eds.)(2003). The subtle Subversion: A report on Curricula and Textbooks in Pakistan. Report of the project A Civil Society Initiative in Curricula and Textbooks Reform. Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad.
11. ^ Hate mongering worries minorities, Daily Times (Pakistan), 2006-04-25
12. ^ In Pakistan's Public Schools, Jihad Still Part of Lesson Plan - The Muslim nation's public school texts still promote hatred and jihad, reformers say. By Paul Watson, Times Staff Writer; August 18, 2005; Los Angeles Times. 4 Page article online Retrieved on 02 January 2010
13. ^ Primers Of Hate - History or biology, Pakistani students get anti-India lessons in all their textbooks; 'Hindu, Enemy Of Islam' - These are extracts from government-sponsored textbooks approved by the National Curriculum Wing of the Federal Ministry of Education. By AMIR MIR; Oct 10, 2005; Outlook India Magazine Retrieved on 02 January 2010
14. ^ Noor's cure: A contrast in views; by Arindam Banerji; July 16, 2003; Rediff India Abroad Retrieved on 02 January 2010

External links

• Pakistan Hindu Council
• What Really Happened in 1947 ? An Open Letter to Khushwant Singh