Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim nation, has a rich and diverse Hindu legacy that dates back to ancient times. However, this heritage is under threat as most of the Hindu temples in the country are either demolished, converted, or neglected. According to a survey by the All Pakistan Hindu Rights Movement (APHRM), out of 1288 Hindu temples in Pakistan, only 30 are functional and the rest are in various stages of decay.
The survey also revealed that many of the temples have been turned into toy stores, restaurants, government offices, and schools. Some of the ancient and sacred sites, such as the Sharda Peeth in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, are inaccessible to Hindu pilgrims due to political and security reasons.
The APHRM blamed the government and the local authorities for their apathy and indifference towards the preservation and protection of the Hindu temples and the rights of the Hindu minority. The organization also accused the government of double standards and hypocrisy, as it often raises the issue of mosques being destroyed or damaged in India, while ignoring the plight of its own religious minorities.
One of the most contentious examples of this is the Babri Masjid, a mosque in Ayodhya, India, which many Hindus believe was built upon the site of Ram Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Rama, a principal deity of Hinduism. In 1992, thousands of right-wing Hindu supporters from groups including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) climbed the walls surrounding the Babri Masjid and tore the mosque down, brick by brick. This led to months of violence that spread across the country and killed more than 2,000 people, mostly Muslims.
In 2020, the Supreme Court of India ruled in favour of the Hindus and allowed the construction of a temple on the disputed site. The temple was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024, amid a grand ceremony that was hailed as a historic moment by his supporters and a betrayal by his critics.
Pakistan strongly condemned the opening of the temple and called it a violation of the rights of the Muslims and the international law. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that the temple was built on the remains of an ancient mosque that was “illegally and immorally demolished by Hindu extremists”.
The Hindu community in Pakistan, which constitutes about 2.14% of the population or about 4.4 million people, faces discrimination, persecution, and violence on a regular basis. They are often targeted by extremists, forced to convert, or abducted and married off to Muslim men. They also suffer from social and economic marginalization, as they are mostly confined to the lower castes and professions.
The APHRM urged the government to take immediate and concrete steps to restore and safeguard the Hindu temples and to ensure the dignity and security of the Hindu minority. The organization also appealed to the international community and the human rights groups to raise their voice against the injustice and oppression faced by the Hindus in Pakistan.
The report by the APHRM is a stark reminder of the erosion of Pakistan’s Hindu heritage and the violation of its secular and democratic principles. It is also a call for action and solidarity among the people of goodwill and conscience, who value the diversity and harmony of the human civilization.