Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Diwali greetings to the nation’s Hindu community have been met with widespread criticism, with many online users highlighting the severe decline and ongoing persecution of Hindus in the country. Sharif extended “heartfelt greetings” on the “auspicious occasion of Diwali,” wishing for the festival to “dispel darkness, foster harmony, and guide us all toward a future of peace, compassion, and shared prosperity.”
However, this message starkly contrasts with the grim reality faced by religious minorities. Social media commentators, including influencer Rishi Bagree, pointed out the dramatic reduction in Pakistan’s Hindu population since the 1947 Partition, when Hindus constituted approximately 15% of the populace. Today, this figure has plummeted to about 1.63%, representing roughly 3.8 million individuals within a total population of 240 million.
Critics denounced Sharif’s message as hypocritical, with some accusing the government of attempting to “whitewash genocide with Diwali greetings.” Concerns were raised about the “systematic persecution of Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, and Ahmadis,” questioning the sincerity of such gestures in bridging deep societal divides.
Recent incidents underscore the vulnerability of the Hindu community. In July 2023, the historic Mari Mata Temple in Karachi, over 150 years old, was demolished under the guise of being a dangerous structure. The revered Hinglaj Mata Mandir has also been a frequent target for extremists. Official figures indicate a troubling trend in reported violence against Hindus, with 241 cases in 2022, decreasing to 103 in 2023, and seeing a slight rise to 112 in the first ten months of 2024.
These sentiments stand in contrast to the divisive rhetoric previously espoused by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, who emphasized the fundamental differences between Pakistanis and Hindus, invoking the two-nation theory. His statements urged Pakistanis to teach their children that they are “fundamentally different from Hindus.”
