Religion in Pakistan

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. The remaining 3.65% practice Hinduism, Christianity, Ahmadiyya (considered a non-Muslim group as per Pakistani constitution), Sikhism, Zoroastrianism and other religions.

Muslims comprise a number of sects: the majority practice Sunni Islam (estimated at 85-90%), while a minority practice Shia Islam (estimated at 10-15%). Most Pakistani Sunni Muslims belong to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, which is represented by the Barelvi and Deobandi traditions. However, the Ahl-i Hadith movement has also gained popularity together with Wahhabi influence from the Middle East. 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 number of faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism.

Equal rights

Khawaja Nazimuddin, Pakistan's second Prime Minister, argued against equal rights for all citizens in an Islamic state. However, The Constitution of Pakistan establishes Islam as the state religion, and provides that all citizens have the right to profess, practice and propagate their religion subject to law, public order, and morality. The Constitution also states that all laws are to conform with the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Quran and Sunnah.

The Constitution limits the political rights of Pakistan's non-Muslims. Only Muslims are allowed to become the President or the Prime Minister. 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. However, non-Muslims have served as judges in the High Courts and Supreme Court. 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.

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 –

(a) Article 20 : Freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions.

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

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

(d) Article 25 : Equality of citizens.

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

(f) Article 27 : Safeguard against discrimination in services.

(g) Article 36 : Protection of Minorities.

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

Demographics of religion in Pakistan

• The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore was built during the Mughal Empire
  The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore was built during the Mughal Empire
• Prabhunath Hindu Temple in Mithi is dedicated to deities Shiva and Parvati)
  Prabhunath Hindu Temple in Mithi is dedicated to deities Shiva and Parvati)
• St. Patrick's Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi
  St. Patrick's Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi
• The animistic Kalash people at Chilam Joshi festival in Chitral, whose religion resembles ancient Hinduism[25]
  The animistic Kalash people at Chilam Joshi festival in Chitral, whose religion resembles ancient Hinduism

Background

Religious groups in Pakistan (1901–2023)

Religious group	1901 censusTemplate:Efn		1911 censusTemplate:Efn		1921 censusTemplate:Efn		1931 censusTemplate:Efn		1941 censusTemplate:Efn		1951 census		1961 census		1972 census		1981 census		1998 census		2017 census		2023 census
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	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
Hinduism File:Om.svgTemplate:Efn	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
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	529,910		884,987		931,489		1,282,698		1,672,753		—	—	—	—	—	—	2,146		—	—	—	—	15,998
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	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
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	6,529		7,348		7,490		8,096		13,215		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	2,512		3,007		3,407		4,178		4,253		5,320		5,219		9,589		7,007		—	—	—	—	2,348
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	489		702		706		1,019		1,180		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	6		207		373		155		266		680		2,445		4,318		2,639		—	—	—	—	—	—
Tribal	—	—	9,224		8,186		236		37,603		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ahmadiyya File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	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
Note1: 1901, 1911, 1931, and 1941 figures taken from census data by combining the total population of all administrative divisions that compose the region of contemporary Pakistan, including Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit–Baltistan. Note2: 1947 figures (the year of partition and the accompanying mass population transfer) for Pakistan are estimates based on the annualized growth rates between the 1931 censusTemplate:Efn and 1941 censusTemplate:Efn for adherents of Islam (+1.86% p.a.), Hinduism (+1.90% p.a.), Sikhism (+2.69% p.a.), Christianity (+1.85% p.a.), Jainism (+5.02% p.a.), and others (+24.23% p.a.). Note3: 1951 and 1961 figures taken from census data by combining the total population of the former administrative division of West Pakistan.

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 groups in Pakistan (1901)Template:Efn

Religious group	PakistanTemplate:Efn		PunjabTemplate:Efn		SindhTemplate:Efn		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJKTemplate:Efn		Gilgit– BaltistanTemplate:Efn
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	14,022,544		7,951,155		2,609,337		1,890,479		765,368		747,426		58,779
Hinduism File:Om.svg	3,009,842		1,944,363		787,683		129,306		38,158		108,331		2,001
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	529,910		483,999		—	—	25,733		2,972		17,132		74
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	59,387		42,371		7,825		5,119		4,026		18		28
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	6,529		5,562		921		37		8		0		1
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	2,512		300		2,000		46		166		0		0
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	489		9		428		4		48		—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	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		2,050,724Template:Efn		810,746		872,915		60,885
Total population	17,708,014		10,427,765		3,410,223		2,125,480Template:Efn		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 groups in Pakistan (1911)Template:Efn

Religious group	PakistanTemplate:Efn		PunjabTemplate:Efn		SindhTemplate:Efn		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJKTemplate:Efn		Gilgit– BaltistanTemplate:Efn
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	14,966,846		8,494,314		2,822,756		2,039,994		782,648		749,945		77,189
Hinduism File:Om.svg	2,766,581		1,645,758		877,313		119,942		38,326		84,130		1,112
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	884,987		813,441		12,339		30,345		8,390		20,391		81
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	167,178		144,514		10,917		6,585		5,085		55		22
Tribal	9,224		—	—	9,224		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	7,348		5,977		1,349		4		10		8		0
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	3,007		377		2,411		49		170		0		0
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	702		36		595		14		57		—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	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		2,196,933Template:Efn		834,703		854,531		78,404
Total population	20,428,473		11,104,585		3,737,223		3,819,027Template:Efn		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 groups in Pakistan (1921)Template:Efn

Religious group	PakistanTemplate:Efn		PunjabTemplate:Efn		SindhTemplate:Efn		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJKTemplate:Efn		Gilgit– BaltistanTemplate:Efn
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	15,203,501		8,975,288		2,562,700		2,062,786		733,477		780,607		88,643
Hinduism File:Om.svg	2,957,680		1,797,141		876,629		149,881		51,348		81,733		948
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	931,489		863,091		8,036		28,040		7,741		24,491		90
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	276,107		247,030		11,734		10,610		6,693		24		16
Tribal	8,186		—	—	8,186		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	7,490		5,930		1,534		3		17		6		0
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	3,407		309		2,913		20		165		0		0
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	706		16		671		0		19		—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	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		2,251,340Template:Efn		799,625		886,861		89,697
Total population	22,214,152		11,888,985		3,472,508		5,076,476Template:Efn		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 groups in Pakistan (1931)Template:Efn

Religious group	PakistanTemplate:Efn		PunjabTemplate:Efn		SindhTemplate:Efn		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJKTemplate:Efn		Gilgit– BaltistanTemplate:Efn
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	17,557,877		10,570,029		3,017,377		2,227,303		798,093		850,135		94,940
Hinduism File:Om.svgTemplate:Efn	3,298,570		1,957,878		1,055,119		142,977		53,681		87,554		1,361
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	1,282,698		1,180,789		19,172		42,510		8,425		31,709		93
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	360,371		324,730		15,152		12,213		8,059		168		49
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	8,096		6,921		1,144		0		17		11		3
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	4,178		413		3,537		60		167		1		0
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	1,019		6		985		11		17		—	—	—	—
Tribal	236		—	—	204		—	—	32		0		0
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	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		2,425,076Template:Efn		868,617		969,578		96,446
Total population	24,774,056		14,040,798		4,114,253		4,684,364Template:Efn		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 groups in Pakistan (1941)Template:Efn

Religious group	PakistanTemplate:Efn		PunjabTemplate:RpTemplate:Efn		SindhTemplate:RpTemplate:Efn		Khyber PakhtunkhwaTemplate:Rp		BalochistanTemplate:Rp		AJKTemplate:RpTemplate:Efn		Gilgit– BaltistanTemplate:RpTemplate:Efn
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	21,113,214		13,022,160		3,462,015		2,788,797		785,181		939,460		115,601
Hinduism File:Om.svgTemplate:Efn	3,981,565		2,373,466		1,279,530		180,321		54,394		93,559		295
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	1,672,753		1,530,112		32,627		57,939		12,044		39,910		121
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	432,724		395,311		20,304		10,889		6,056		136		28
Tribal	37,603		—	—	37,598		—	—	3		0		2
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	13,215		9,520		3,687		1		7		0		0
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	4,253		312		3,841		24		76		0		0
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	1,180		7		1,082		71		20		0		0
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	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		3,038,067Template:Efn		857,835		1,073,154		116,047
Total population	29,643,600		17,340,103		4,840,795		5,415,666Template:Efn		857,835		1,073,154		116,047

1951 census

File:A refugee special train at Ambala Station during partition of India.jpg

Refugees during Partition of India, 1947

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,Template:Efn 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 percentTemplate:Efn 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.

Religious groups in Pakistan (1951)

Religious group	Pakistan		Punjab		SindhTemplate:Efn		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	32,731,582		20,200,794		5,535,645		5,858,080		1,137,063		—	—	—	—
Hinduism File:Om.svg	531,131		33,052		482,560		2,432		13,087		—	—	—	—
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	432,978		402,617		22,601		3,823		3,937		—	—	—	—
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	5,320		195		5,046		—	—	79		—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	680		9		670		—	—	1		—	—	—	—
Others	1,476		35		1,226		215		0		—	—	—	—
Total responses	33,703,167Template:Efn		20,636,702Template:Efn		6,047,748Template:Efn		5,864,550Template:Efn		1,154,167Template:Efn		—	—	—	—
Total population	33,779,555		20,651,140		6,054,474		5,899,905		1,174,036		—	—	—	—

1961 census

Religious groups in Pakistan (1961)

Religious group	Pakistan		Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	41,666,153		25,013,796		7,936,979		7,569,026		1,146,352		—	—	—	—
Hinduism File:Om.svg	621,805		41,965		568,530		1,474		9,836		—	—	—	—
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	583,884		524,770		46,931		7,463		4,720		—	—	—	—
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	5,219		251		4,866		10		92		—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	2,445		757		1,683		4		1		—	—	—	—
Others	872		104		549		209		10		—	—	—	—
Total responses	42,880,378Template:Efn		25,581,643Template:Efn		8,559,538Template:Efn		7,578,186Template:Efn		1,161,011Template:Efn		—	—	—	—
Total population	42,978,261		25,619,437		8,566,512		7,599,627		1,192,685		—	—	—	—

1972 census

Religious groups in Pakistan (1972)

Religious group	Pakistan		Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		ICT		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	60,434,659		36,610,508		13,212,500		7,998,232		2,381,810		231,609		—	—	—	—
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	907,861		786,494		95,777		12,828		9,807		2,955		—	—	—	—
Hinduism File:Om.svg	900,206		61,405		815,452		5,014		18,223		112		—	—	—	—
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	9,589		375		8,923		39		173		79		—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	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		8,032,324Template:Efn		2,428,678		234,813		—	—	—	—
Total population	65,309,340		37,610,159		14,155,909		10,879,781Template:Efn		2,428,678		234,813		—	—	—	—

1981 census

Religious groups in Pakistan (1981)

Religious group	Pakistan		Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		ICT		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	81,450,057		46,110,205		17,556,712		13,194,345		4,257,628		331,167		—	—	—	—
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	1,310,426		1,061,037		176,898		44,514		20,131		7,846		—	—	—	—
Hinduism File:Om.svg	1,276,116		29,268		1,221,961		5,253		19,598		36		—	—	—	—
Ahmadiyya File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg	104,244		63,694		21,210		12,333		5,824		1,183		—	—	—	—
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	7,007		1,766		4,305		462		439		35		—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	2,639		756		1,714		58		106		5		—	—	—	—
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	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 groups in Pakistan (1998)

Religious group	Pakistan		Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		ICT		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	127,433,409		71,574,830		27,796,814		20,808,480		6,484,006		769,279		—	—	—	—
Hinduism File:Om.svg	2,443,614		116,410		2,280,842		7,011		39,146		205		—	—	—	—
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	2,092,902		1,699,843		294,885		38,974		26,462		32,738		—	—	—	—
Ahmadiyya File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg	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.

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, 31,543 were Baháʼís, 8,852 were Sikhs, 4,020 were Parsis, 1,884 were Buddhist and others such as Kalashas. The NADRA makes it nearly impossible to declare and change the religion to anything from Islam making the statistics somewhat misleading.

Religious groups in Pakistan (2017)

Religious group	Pakistan		Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		ICT		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	200,362,718		107,541,602		43,234,107		35,428,857		12,246,275		1,911,877		—	—	—	—
Hinduism File:Om.svg	4,444,870		211,641		4,176,986		6,373		49,133		737		—	—	—	—
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	2,642,048		2,063,063		408,301		50,018		33,819		86,847		—	—	—	—
Ahmadiyya File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg	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. 96.47% are Muslims, followed by 2.14% Hindus, 1.27% Christians, 0.09% Ahmadis 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.

Here are some maps of Pakistan's religious minority groups as of the 2017 census by district:

• Hindu proportion of each Pakistani District of each Pakistani District as of the 2017 Pakistan Census
  Hindu proportion of each Pakistani District of each Pakistani District as of the 2017 Pakistan Census
• Christian proportion of each Pakistani District of each Pakistani District as of the 2017 Pakistan Census
  Christian proportion of each Pakistani District of each Pakistani District as of the 2017 Pakistan Census
• Ahmadiyya proportion of each Pakistani District of each Pakistani District as of the 2017 Pakistan Census
  Ahmadiyya proportion of each Pakistani District of each Pakistani District as of the 2017 Pakistan Census

2023 census

Religious groups in Pakistan (2023)

Religious group	Pakistan		Punjab		Sindh		Khyber Pakhtunkhwa		Balochistan		ICT		AJK		Gilgit– Baltistan
	Total Population	Percentage	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	231,686,709		124,462,897		50,126,428		40,486,153		14,429,568		2,181,663		—	—	—	—
Hinduism File:Om.svg	5,217,216		249,716		4,901,407		6,102		59,107		884		—	—	—	—
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	3,300,788		2,458,924		546,968		134,884		62,731		97,281		—	—	—	—
Ahmadiyya File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg	162,684		140,512		18,266		951		557		2,398		—	—	—	—
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	15,998		5,649		5,182		4,050		1,057		60		—	—	—	—
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	2,348		358		1,763		36		181		10		—	—	—	—
Others	72,346		15,249		38,395		8,944		8,810		948		—	—	—	—
Total responses	240,458,089		127,333,305		55,638,409		40,641,120		14,562,011		2,283,244		—	—	—	—
Total population	241,499,431		127,688,922		55,696,147		40,856,097		14,894,402		2,363,863		—	—	—	—

Demographics of religion by province/territory

Punjab

Religion in Punjab, Pakistan (1881–2023)

Religious group	1881Template:Efn		1901Template:Efn		1911Template:Efn		1921Template:Efn		1931Template:Efn		1941Template:Efn		1951		1998		2017		2023
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	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
Hinduism File:Om.svgTemplate:Efn	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
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	272,908		483,999		813,441		863,091		1,180,789		1,530,112		—	—	—	—	—	—	5,649
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	12,992		42,371		144,514		247,030		324,730		395,311		402,617		1,699,843		2,063,063		2,458,924
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	4,352		5,562		5,977		5,930		6,921		9,520		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	354		300		377		309		413		312		195		—	—	—	—	358
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	0		6		168		172		32		87		9		—	—	—	—	—	—
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	—	—	9		36		16		6		7		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ahmadiyya File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	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

Religion in Sindh (1872−2023)

Religious group	1872Template:Efn		1881Template:Efn		1891Template:Efn		1901Template:Efn		1911Template:Efn		1921Template:Efn		1931Template:Efn		1941Template:RpTemplate:Efn		1951Template:Efn		1998		2017		2023
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	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
Hinduism File:Om.svgTemplate:Efn	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
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	3,329		6,082		7,768		7,825		10,917		11,734		15,152		20,304		22,601		294,885		408,301		546,968
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	810		1,063		1,534		2,000		2,411		2,913		3,537		3,841		5,046		—	—	—	—	1,763
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	35		153		210		428		595		671		985		1,082		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	—	—	1,191		923		921		1,349		1,534		1,144		3,687		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	—	—	9		2		0		21		41		53		111		670		—	—	—	—	—	—
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	—	—	—	—	720		—Template:Efn	—	12,339		8,036		19,172		32,627		—	—	—	—	—	—	5,182
Tribal	—	—	—	—	—	—	—Template:Efn	—	9,224		8,186		204		37,598		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ahmadiyya File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	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

Religion in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (1881–2023)

Religious group	1881		1891		1901		1911		1921		1931		1941		1951		1998		2017		2023
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	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
Hinduism File:Om.svgTemplate:Efn	154,081		166,984		129,306		119,942		149,881		142,977		180,321		2,432		7,011		6,373		6,102
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	9,205		21,110		25,733		30,345		28,040		42,510		57,939		—	—	—	—	—	—	4,050
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	4,725		5,437		5,119		6,585		10,610		12,213		10,889		3,823		38,974		50,018		134,884
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	106		108		37		4		3		0		1		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	52		48		46		49		20		60		24		—	—	—	—	—	—	36
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	0		0		0		0		0		2		25		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	—	—	4		4		14		0		11		71		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ahmadiyya File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	48,703		7,204		951
Others	5		2		0		0		0		0		0		215		16,808		9,512		8,944
Total ResponsesTemplate:Efn	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 PopulationTemplate:Efn	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
Note1: Pre-partition populations for religious data is for North-West Frontier Province only and excludes the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (both administrative divisions later merged to form Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018), as religious data was not collected in the latter region at the time. Note2: 1951, 1998, and 2017 populations for religious data combine the North-West Frontier Province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas, both administrative divisions which later merged to form Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.

Balochistan

Religion in Balochistan (1901–2023)

Religious group	1901		1911		1921		1931		1941		1951		1998		2017		2023
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	765,368		782,648		733,477		798,093		785,181		1,137,063		6,484,006		12,255,528		14,429,568
Hinduism File:Om.svg	38,158		38,326		51,348		53,681		54,394		13,087		39,146		49,378		59,107
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	2,972		8,390		7,741		8,425		12,044		—	—	—	—	—	—	1,057
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	4,026		5,085		6,693		8,059		6,056		3,937		26,462		33,330		62,731
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	166		170		165		167		76		79		—	—	—	—	181
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	48		57		19		17		20		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	8		10		17		17		7		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	0		16		160		68		43		1		—	—	—	—	—	—
Ahmadiyya File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	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 groups in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (1891–1941)

Religious group	1891Template:Efn		1901Template:Efn		1911Template:Efn		1921Template:Efn		1931Template:Efn		1941Template:RpTemplate:Efn
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	659,265		747,426		749,945		780,607		850,135		939,460
Hinduism File:Om.svg	92,639		108,331		84,130		81,733		87,554		93,559
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	6,918		17,132		20,391		24,491		31,709		39,910
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	64		0		8		6		11		0
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	21		18		55		24		168		136
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	0		0		2		0		0		0
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	0		0		0		0		1		0
Tribal	0		—	—	—	—	—	—	0		0
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0
Others	0		8		0		0		0		89
Total population	758,907		872,915		854,531		886,861		969,578		1,073,154

Gilgit–Baltistan

Religious groups in Gilgit–Baltistan (1891–1941)

Religious group	1891Template:Efn		1901Template:Efn		1911Template:Efn		1921Template:Efn		1931Template:Efn		1941Template:RpTemplate:Efn
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	110,161		58,779		77,189		88,643		94,940		115,601
Tribal	16,615		—	—	—	—	—	—	0		2
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	239		0		0		0		0		0
Hinduism File:Om.svg	77		2,001		1,112		948		1,361		295
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	2		28		22		16		49		28
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	0		74		81		90		93		121
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	0		1		0		0		3		0
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	0		0		0		0		0		0
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0
Others	0		2		0		0		0		0
Total population	127,094		60,885		78,404		89,697		96,446		116,047

Islam

File:Faisal Mosque by M Ali Mir.jpg

The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, which is the largest mosque of Pakistan and is also one of the largest in the world, was built by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.

Islam is the state religion of Pakistan, and about 96–98% of Pakistanis are Muslim. Pakistan has the second largest number of Muslims in the world after Indonesia. The majority are Sunni (estimated at 80-90%), with an estimated 10-20% Shia. A PEW survey in 2012 found that 6% of Pakistani Muslims were Shia. 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. 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. Many rituals and ceremonies are celebrated according to Islamic calendar.

Sunni

Barelvi and Deobandi Sunni Muslims

The two major Sunni Islamic movements in Pakistan are the Barelvi and Deobandi schools of thought. While estimates of their respective populations vary, the Deobandi movement holds significant influence, particularly through its extensive network of madrasas. Approximately 65% of Pakistan's Islamic seminaries are affiliated with the Deobandi school, compared to 25% associated with the Barelvi tradition. This widespread educational infrastructure has enabled the Deobandi movement to play a pivotal role in shaping religious education and discourse across the country.

The Deobandi movement is especially prominent in regions such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where it forms the majority among Sunni Muslims. Its influence extends beyond education into political spheres, with parties like Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) playing active roles in national politics.

In contrast, the Barelvi movement, while representing a significant portion of Pakistan's Sunni population, has historically had less institutional influence. However, it has seen a resurgence in recent years, with increased political activism and the formation of parties like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.

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.

Sufi

File:Shrine Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Sehwan Shareef, Sindh, Pakistan.jpg

The shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar

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.

Ahmadiyya

File:Yadgar Masjid.jpg

Yadgar Mosque, the first mosque of Rabwah

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.

In 1974, the government of Pakistan amended the Constitution of Pakistan to define a Muslim according to Qu'ran 33:40, 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. 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

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Shri Hinglaj Mata temple shakti peetha is the largest Hindu pilgrimage centre in Pakistan. The annual Hinglaj Yathra is attended by more than 250,000 people.

Hinduism is the second largest religion affiliation in Pakistan after Islam. As of 2020, Pakistan has the fourth largest Hindu population in the world after India, Nepal and Bangladesh. 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. 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. They speak a variety of languages such as Sindhi, Seraiki, Aer, Dhatki, Gera, Goaria, Gurgula, Jandavra, Kabutra, Koli, Loarki, Marwari, Sansi, Vaghri and Gujarati.

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

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. 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.

Christianity

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Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore

Christians (Template:Langx) make up 1.3% of Pakistan's population. 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. 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, St. Patrick's Institute of Science & Technology and Saint Joseph's College for Women, Karachi.

Sikhism

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Gurdwara Janam Asthan, the birthplace of the founder of Sikhism in Nankana Sahib

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). 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. Other sources, including the US Department of State, claim the Sikh population in Pakistan to be at 20,000. 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
• 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.

Other religions

Baháʼí

The Baháʼí Faith in Pakistan was present 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, with Shaykh Sa'id Hindi who was from Multan. 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.

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

Zoroastrianism

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Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi School, Karachi

There are at least 4,000 Pakistani citizens practicing the Zoroastrian religion. The region of Balochistan is believed to have been a stronghold of Zoroastrianism before the advent of Islam. 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. 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.

Kalash

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Guardians of a Kalasha village in the valley of Mumuret (Bumburet)

The Kalash people practise a form of ancient Hinduism mixed with animism. 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. It is more similar to the historical Vedic religion, than later forms of Hinduism.

Jainism

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A Jain Temple at Sirkap, part of the Indo-Greek kingdom, near modern-day Taxila, Punjab, Pakistan

Several ancient Jain shrines are scattered across the country. 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

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A statue of Buddha (at Jaulian, Taxila) with a hole in the navel is an odd artifact. It is called the "Healing Buddha". Buddhist pilgrims put their fings in the navel hole and pray for the ailment of the patients.

Buddhism has an ancient history in Pakistan; currently there is a small community of at least 1,500 Pakistani Buddhists 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.

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

Judaism

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. 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.

Irreligion

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. 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. A 2012 study by Gallup Pakistan found that people not affiliated to any religion account for 1% of the population. 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.

Freedom of religion in Pakistan

A few aspects of secularism have also been adopted by Pakistani constitution from British colonial concept. In 2022, Freedom House rated Pakistan’s religious freedom as 1 out of 4, 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 Shi’ite Muslims and wahabi Muslims and Hindus.

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
• Secularism in Pakistan

External links

• Template:Official website – (Government of Pakistan) Official website