Only 37 (2%) of 1,817 Hindu temples/Sikh gurdwaras functional; most abandoned post-Partition due to migration.
Curriculum purge of hate content, minority scholarships/jobs quota, heritage preservation for pilgrims.
USCIRF flags ongoing blasphemy misuse; minorities (4% population) face forced conversions, violence in Punjab/Sindh.
A report presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Minority Caucus has revealed that only 37 out of 1,817 Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras across Pakistan remain operational, highlighting decades of state apathy and the exodus of minority communities post-1947 Partition.
The data, shared during a recent caucus meeting, underscores the dire state of these sacred sites, many of which have fallen into disrepair due to lack of maintenance funding and shrinking local populations, as reported by Dawn.
MNA Kesoo Mal Kheal Das, a key voice in the committee, lamented that most structures were abandoned after Partition when Hindus and Sikhs migrated en masse to India, leaving behind cultural landmarks now vulnerable to encroachment and vandalism.
He urged the government to prioritize their preservation as national heritage, reopening them for pilgrims from India and beyond to foster interfaith tourism and reconciliation. The report also flagged broader systemic failures, including hate material in school curricula that perpetuates discrimination against minorities comprising about 4% of Pakistan's 240 million population, primarily Hindus (1.6%), Christians (1.3%), and Ahmadis (0.2%).
In response, the caucus unanimously adopted terms of reference to enforce constitutional equality and religious harmony, demanding scholarships equivalent to the 20-mark Hifz-i-Quran quota for non-Muslim students, increased job reservations, and mandatory senior bureaucrat attendance at meetings for accountability. This comes amid rising incidents of forced conversions, blasphemy accusations, and mob violence against minorities, with groups like Christians and Ahmadis facing targeted persecution in Punjab and Sindh.
