Hinduism in Balochistan, Pakistan

Hinduism in Balochistan (; ), specifically the Pakistani province of Balochistan, followed by 0.41% of the population of the province. It is the largest minority religion in Balochistan. Balochistan is home to the shrine of Shri Hinglaj Mata temple, which is one of the most sacred Hindu temples. The annual Hinglaj Yatra to the temple is the largest Hindu pilgrimage sites in Pakistan.

History

Ancient era After the victory of the Mauryan Empire against the Greeks in the Seleucid–Mauryan war, much of Balochistan came under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya of ancient India. Chandragupta and Seleucus made a peace settlement in 303 BCE. Selecucus Nucator ceded the satrapies, including those in Balochistan to the expanding Mauryan Empire. The alliance was solidified with a marriage between Chandragupta Maurya and a princess of the Seleucid Empire. The outcome of the arrangement proved to be mutually beneficial. The border between the Seleucid and Mauryan Empires remained stable in subsequent generations, and friendly diplomatic relations are reflected by the ambassador Megasthenes, and by the envoys sent westward by Chandragupta's grandson Ashoka.

From the 1st century to the 3rd century CE, the region of modern Pakistani Balochistan was ruled by the Paratarajas (the "Patatahaa kings"), a Hindu dynasty of Indo-Scythian or Indo-Parthian kings. The Hindu Parata kings are essentially known through their coins, which typically exhibit the bust of the ruler with long hair in a headband on the obverse and a swastika within a circular legend on the reverse, written in Brahmi script, usually silver coins, or Kharoshthi copper coins. These coins are mainly found in Loralai in today's western Pakistan. In 635 or 636 CE, the Hindu Brahman dynasty of Sindh controlled parts of Balochistan, under Chach of Aror.

Iranian Balochistan had some of the earliest human civilizations in history. The Burnt City near Dozaap (Zahedan) dates to 2000 BCE. All of what is now Balochistan was incorporated in the Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian, and Sassanid Iranian empires. There were five major Hindu kings in the 2nd century; Yolamira, son of Bagavera, Arjuna, son of Yolamira, Hvaramira, another son of Yolamira, Mirahvara, son of Hvaramira, and Miratakhma, another son of Hvaramira.Pankaj Tandon. New Light on the Pāratarājas p 19.

The earliest people in Balochistan were the Brahui people, a Dravidian speaking people closely related to the Dravidian speaking people of south India. The Hindu Sewa Dynasty ruled much of region of Balochistan up until the 7th century AD. The Sibi division which was carved out of the Quetta division still derives its name from Rani Sewi, the queen of the Hindu Sewa dynasty.The tribal Baluchistan by Syed Abdul Quddus page 49 The migration of the Muslims and Baloch to the southern and central Balochistan displaced the Dravidian Hindu Sewais, while the existing remaining Dravidian Hindus intermingled with Baloch tribes, which led to the formation of Brahui language. The Baloch migration to the region occurred in the Western Makaran, however they didn't spread to Kalat region due to the Hindu Sewa Dynasty. But by the end of 13th century, when Mughals started invasions within south Asia, they formed alliance with Baloch and defeated the Sewais, which led to their migration to Sindh.

In , the Hindu Brahman dynasty of Sindh controlled parts of Balochistan.

Colonial era During the colonial era, detailed decadal census reports covered Hinduism in the Baluchistan Agency of British India. The 1911 census counted a total of 38,326 Hindus in the province, forming approximately 4.6 percent of the total population. Of the total, 14,985 Hindus (39 percent) belonged to indigenous tribes of the Balochistan region, and 22,617 Hindus (59 percent) were migrants from other regions of the country.

Being a religious minority in the region for centuries, colonial officials found that indigenous Baloch Hindus developed a form of religious syncretism that incorporated many aspects of Islam into their cultures and traditions, greatly differing from the forms of orthodox Hinduism practiced in other parts of the subcontinent. Furthermore, caste and family ancestry was often difficult to ascertain, as Hindus indigenous to the Balochistan region mainly solely identified as a member of their respective Baloch tribe, typically unknowing of their caste background.

The 1921 census counted a total of 51,348 Hindus in Balochistan, forming approximately 6.4 percent of the total population. Hindus belonging to the indigenous tribes of the Balochistan region numbered 17,479 persons and formed 34 percent of the total Hindu population, while migrants from other regions of the country numbered 33,869 persons or 66 percent of the total Hindu population.

The 1931 census counted a total of 53,681 Hindus in Balochistan, forming roughly 6.2 percent of the total population. Hindus associated with the indigenous tribes of the Balochistan region numbered 16,905 persons and formed nearly 31.5 percent of the total Hindu population. Conversely, migrants from other regions of the country numbered 36,776 persons and made up approximately 68.5 percent of the total Hindu population.

After the partition of British India and the ensuing creation of Pakistan, many Hindus migrated to India, particularly the Bhagnaris community.

Modern era

During the 2005–2006 armed uprising in Balochistan, members from the Hindu community were attacked and targeted by the Pakistani security forces. All the Hindus residing in the town of Dera Bugti fled and were forced to take refugee in the Sui region of Balochistan and other provinces of Pakistan. These attacks resulted in deaths of 33 Hindus, most of them were men and children.

In February 2025, two Hindu men Hari Lal and Moti Lal were gunned down while another person, Shero Mal sustained injury. These were targeted killings by unidentified assailants who opened fired near Star Plus market in Turbat within the Kech District.

Demographics

According to the 1998 Census, Balochistan had approximately 39,000 Hindus (including the Scheduled Castes) constituting 0.59% of the population; the 2017 Census revealed that despite the population growing to 49,133, the percentage decreased to 0.4%, while as per the 2023 Census, the percentage increased slightly to 0.41%, with a population of 59,107 Hindus in Balochistan. The Pakistan Hindu Council estimates that there are 117,345 Hindus in Balochistan in 2018, while the Pakistan Hindu Panchayat estimated the population to be over 100,000 in 2012.

The Hindu population is predominantly Urban, about 73%. The urban areas with largest Hindu population are Bela city (7.22%), Sohbatpur (6.83%), Bhag (5.71%), Winder (5.57%), Usta Muhammad (5.11%), Sibi city (4.57%), Uthal (4.37%) and Dalbandin (4.21%). CensusYearHinduism in Baluchistan Agency and Balochistan Province (1901–2023)Hindu PopulationHindu PercentageTotal Population 1901 38,158 810,746 1911 38,326 834,703 1921 51,348 799,625 1931 53,681 868,617 1941 54,394 857,835 1951 13,087 1,154,167 1961 9,836 1,161,011 1972 18,223 2,428,678 1981 19,598 4,332,376 1998 39,146 6,565,885 2017 49,133 12,344,408 2023 59,107 14,562,011

Colonial era At the district level in Baluchistan Agency, as per the 1941 census, the largest Hindu concentrations existed in Quetta–Pishin District (Hindus formed 18.32 percent of the total population and numbered 28,629 persons), Bolan District (15.81 percent or 950 persons), and Zhob District (6.97 percent or 4,286 persons).

+ Hindus in the Districts & Princely states of Baluchistan Agency (1901–1941)District or Princely State19011911192119311941 Kalat State 13,780 10,102 11,205 10,806 7,971 Quetta–Pishin District 11,752 13,746 22,300 26,718 28,629 Thal–Chotiali District/Sibi District 6,560 7,420 6,449 5,893 6,425 Zhob District 3,086 1,391 3,398 2,839 4,286 Las Bela State 2,069 1,736 1,465 1,443 1,701 Bolan District 582 540 969 1,165 950 Chaghai District 329 385 1,931 1,313 1,204 Loralai District 3,006 3,631 3,504 3,129 Kharan State 99 Total Hindus (Princely States) 15,849 11,838 12,670 12,249 9,771 Total Hindus (Districts) 22,309 26,488 38,678 41,432 44,623 Total Hindus (Baluchistan Agency) 38,158 38,326 51,348 53,681 54,394 Total Population (Districts) 347,165 414,412 420,648 463,508 501,631 Total Population (Princely States) 463,581 420,291 378,977 405,109 356,204 Total Population (Baluchistan Agency) 810,746 834,703 799,625 868,617 857,835

Modern era

+ Hindus in the administrative divisions within Balochistan (1951–2023)District195120172023 Kalat State/Kalat District 7,666 1,263 1,067 Sibi District 2,717 4,330 4,252 Lasbela State/Lasbela District 1,030 9,096 8799 Quetta–Pishin District/Quetta District 945 6,362 5,775 Chagai District 323 977 896 Loralai District 161 627 435 Kharan State/Kharan District 114 470 1,912 Zhob District 73 191 232 Makran State 58 Jafarabad District 6,872 3,381 Khuzdar District 3,642 4,950 Kachhi District 3,229 3,956 Nasirabad District 3,213 2,666 Sohbatpur District 1,355 1,804 Dera Bugti District 1,346 1,099 Kech District 1,293 406 Jhal Magsi District 1,196 1,252 Nushki District 1,001 1,427 Gwadar District 657 833 Mastung District 525 914 Killa Abdullah District 393 34 Harnai District 314 421 Panjgur District 227 302 Ziarat District 190 154 Awaran District 94 19 Kohlu District 62 38 Barkhan District 57 4 Washuk District 49 26 Killa Saifullah District 36 16 Musakhel District 29 7 Sherani District 19 15 Pishin District 18 61 Hub District 7,681 Usta Muhammad District 3,998 Chaman District 213 Duki District 39 Surab District 23 Total Hindus 13,087 49,133 59,107 Total responses 1,154,167 12,335,129 14,562,011 Total population 1,174,036 12,335,129 14,894,402

Community life

Only a minority of Baloch people are Hindus. There are ethnic Hindu Balochs among the Bugti, Marri, Rind, Bezenjo, Zehri, Mengal, and other Baloch tribes. They also live under the Balochi tribal system There are also Pashtun Hindus. Sanzari Hindu is a Hindu sub-tribe of Kakar Sanzarkhel pashtun tribe.

Compared to the rest of the country, the Hindus in Balochistan province are relatively more secure and face less religious persecution. The tribal chiefs in Balochistan, particularly the Jams of Lasbela and Bugti of Dera Bugti, consider non-Muslims including Hindus as members of their own extended family and allows religious freedom. They have never forced Hindus to convert. In Balochistan Hindu places of worship are proportionate to their population. For example, between Uthal and Bela jurisdiction in Lasbela District, there are 18 temples for 5,000 Hindus living in the area, which is an indicator of religious freedom. However, in Khuzdar District and Kalat District, Hindus face discrimination.

Hindu marriages in Balochistan are registered under the Hindu marriage act of 2017. In Balochistan provincial assembly, there are three seats reserved for minorities. Hindus usually get elected on 1–2 seats.

Temples The Hinglaj Mata mandir is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in Hinduism. It is revered by local Hindus, Sikhs, and a few Muslims who refer to it as nani pir or nani mandir.

Hinduism in Balochistan, Pakistan

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