Hinduism in Pakistan

Hinduism is the second largest religion in Pakistan after Islam. Pakistani Hindus are primarily concentrated in Sindh, speaking a variety of languages including Sindhi, Seraiki and Dhatki, with notable enclaves located in Umerkot District, where Hindus form 54.7 percent of the population, alongside Tharparkar District, which has the largest total Hindu population at 811,505 residents. Hindus are also found in smaller numbers in Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While some Hindu youth associate themselves with ISKCON society, most Pakistani Hindus, especially in rural areas, adhere to a syncretic form of Hinduism which include following the teachings of 14th-century Hindu saint Ramdevji and revering "Mother Goddess" alonside the reverence of local Sufi pīrs and Guru Nanak. One of the most important places of worship for Hindus in Pakistan is the shrine of Shri Hinglaj Mata temple in Balochistan, highlighted by the annual Hinglaj Yatra being the largest Hindu pilgrimage in Pakistan.

Hinduism was the dominant faith in the region through the medieval ages, prior to the Muslim period in South Asia, Prior to the Partition of British India, the 1941 census detailed Hindus formed 14.6 percent of the population in West Pakistan (contemporary Pakistan), numbering approximately 4 million persons. Independence and the ensuing partition in 1947 resulted in millions of Hindus and Sikhs migrating to India as refugees; as a result, the 1951 census revealed Hindus numbered 531,131 persons and constituted 1.58 percent of the total population of West Pakistan (contemporary Pakistan), later falling in proportion to form 1.44 percent of the total population by the 1972 census. In the ensuing five decades, the Hindu population has risen to form 2.17 percent of the national population, with over 5.2 million Pakistanis adhering to the religion according to the 2023 Pakistani census.

Though the Constitution of Pakistan provides equal rights to all citizens and is not supposed to discriminate on the basis of caste, creed or religion, Islam remains the state religion, often meaning Muslims are afforded more privileges than Hindus or other religious minorities. There have been numerous cases of violence and discrimination against Hindus and other minorities, with periodic cases of violence and ill-treatment due to strict blasphemy laws. Notwithstanding, Sindh's significant Hindu heritage, cultural legacy, and historical influence continues to shape the landscape and identity of region into the contemporary era.