The Hindu population in the regions that now form Pakistan has undergone significant changes due to the Partition of India in 1947 and the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. This article examines the Hindu population in pre-Partition India (encompassing West and East Pakistan), post-Partition Pakistan, and post-1971 Pakistan after Bangladesh’s independence, alongside Hindu migration during the 1971 war. It draws exclusively on official government records, census data, and scholarly sources to ensure authenticity.
Table of Contents
1. Hindu Population Before 1947: Pre-Partition Context
Historical Background
Before the 1947 Partition, the Indian subcontinent was under British colonial rule, with religious demographics documented through decadal censuses. The areas that would become West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan) and East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) were part of undivided India, where Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and others coexisted amid growing communal tensions driven by demands for separate nations.
Census Data: 1901–1941
British Indian censuses provide reliable data on the Hindu population in regions that would form Pakistan:
- 1901 Census: The population of these regions was approximately 17.7 million, with Hindus numbering 3,009,842 (17.1%). In areas that would become East Pakistan (Bengal), Hindus comprised about 33%.
- 1911 Census: The population grew to 20.4 million, with Hindus at 2,766,581 (14.7%), reflecting higher Muslim population growth and conversions.
- 1941 Census: The last pre-Partition census recorded a population of 29.6 million in West Pakistan and 42 million in East Pakistan (Bengal). Hindus constituted:
- West Pakistan: 14.6% (approximately 4.3 million).
- East Pakistan: 28% (approximately 11.8 million).
Regional Distribution
- West Pakistan: Hindus were prominent in Sindh (urban traders and rural peasants), Punjab (20.7% combined with Sikhs), and parts of Baluchistan.
- East Pakistan: Hindus were a significant minority in Bengal, particularly in urban centers like Dhaka and Chittagong, and among landowners and professionals.
Sources
- British Indian Census Reports (1901, 1911, 1941). National Archives of India and Pakistan.
- D’Costa, Bina. Nationbuilding, Gender and War Crimes in South Asia. Routledge, 2011.
2. Hindu Population After Partition (1947–1951)
The Partition of India (1947)
The 1947 Partition, enacted through the Indian Independence Act, created India and Pakistan, the latter comprising West and East Pakistan. It triggered a massive migration of approximately 15 million people and 200,000 to 2 million deaths due to communal violence. Hindus and Sikhs migrated from Pakistan to India, while Muslims moved in the opposite direction.
Demographic Impact
The Hindu population in Pakistan plummeted due to migration, violence, and forced conversions, as documented in the 1951 Census of Pakistan:
- West Pakistan (Present-Day Pakistan):
- 1941: Hindus were 14.6% (4.3 million).
- 1951: Hindus dropped to 1.6% (approximately 0.55 million out of 33.7 million).
- Cause: Around 4.7 million Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India, driven by violence, fear of persecution, and the desire to live in a Hindu-majority state. In Punjab, the Hindu/Sikh population fell from 20.7% to 1.7%; in Sindh, 0.77 million Hindus left.
- East Pakistan (Present-Day Bangladesh):
- 1941: Hindus were 28% (11.8 million).
- 1951: Hindus declined to 22% (9.2 million out of 42 million).
- Cause: Approximately 2.5 million Hindus migrated to India, particularly to West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura, due to violence and property expropriation under the East Bengal Evacuees Act.
Socio-Political Factors
- Communal Violence: Partition-related massacres decimated Hindu populations, especially in Punjab.
- Legal Framework: The 1949 Objective Resolution declared Pakistan an Islamic state, fostering discrimination against Hindus.
- Economic Dispossession: In East Pakistan, Hindu properties were seized, prompting migration.
Sources
- 1951 Census of Pakistan. Pakistan Census Organization.
- Dalrymple, William. The Bloody Legacy of Indian Partition. The New Yorker, 2015.
- The Vanishing Hindus of Pakistan – a Demographic Study. Newslaundry, 2015.
3. Hindu Population and Migration During and After the 1971 War
The Bangladesh Liberation War (1971)
In 1971, East Pakistan seceded to form Bangladesh after a brutal war marked by genocide, with Hindus disproportionately targeted by the Pakistani military and collaborators. Estimates suggest 200,000 to 3 million deaths, with significant Hindu casualties.
Demographic Changes
The separation of Bangladesh redefined Pakistan as the former West Pakistan, where the Hindu population remained small due to prior migrations.
- Pre-1971 (1961 Census):
- West Pakistan: Hindus were 1.6% (0.7 million out of 42.8 million).
- East Pakistan: Hindus were 18.4% (9.3 million out of 50 million).
- Post-1971 (1972 Census, Pakistan; 1974 Census, Bangladesh):
- Pakistan: Hindus remained at 1.6%–2% (1 million out of 65.3 million).
- Bangladesh: Hindus declined to 13.5% (9.6 million out of 71 million).
Hindu Migration During the 1971 War
The war triggered massive Hindu migration from East Pakistan to India:
- Scale: Approximately 10 million refugees, 80% Hindu, fled to India. Post-independence, 1.5 million Hindus remained in India, primarily in West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura.
- Causes:
- Genocide: The Pakistani military targeted Hindus, blaming them for supporting secession. Mass executions, rapes, and property destruction were widespread.
- Vested Property Act: Rooted in the 1965 Enemy Property Ordinance, it expropriated Hindu lands, forcing migration.
- Insecurity: Hindus faced social and political marginalization as “Indian stooges.”
- Destinations:
- West Bengal: Absorbed the majority of refugees, altering its demographics.
- Assam and Tripura: Saw significant inflows, with Tripura’s tribal population dropping from 63.77% in 1881 to 31.78% in 2011 due to Bengali Hindu migration.
Sources
- 1972 Census of Pakistan. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- 1974 Census of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
- World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples – Bangladesh: Hindus. Refworld, 2023.
- Dastidar, Sachi. Demographic study cited in Hinduism in Bangladesh. Wikipedia, 2024.
4. Post-1971 Hindu Population Trends in Pakistan
Demographic Trends
The Hindu population in Pakistan (former West Pakistan) stabilized post-1971:
- 1981 Census: Hindus were 1.6% (1.3 million out of 84 million).
- 1998 Census: Hindus were 1.6% (2.1 million out of 132 million), rising to 1.85% with Scheduled Castes.
- 2017 Census: Hindus reached 2.14% (4.4 million out of 207.7 million), driven by higher birth rates in Sindh. Umerkot District became Pakistan’s first Hindu-majority district.
Socio-Economic Conditions
- Concentration: 96% of Hindus live in rural Sindh (Sanghar, Tharparkar), often as landless bonded laborers from Scheduled Castes.
- Challenges: Hindus face constitutional discrimination, social stigma, and periodic violence, such as the 1992 temple destructions post-Babri Masjid demolition.
- Progress: The 2017 Hindu Marriage Act legalized Hindu marriages, but forced conversions remain a concern.
Sources
- Pakistan Census Reports (1981, 1998, 2017). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- Hindus in Pakistan. Minority Rights Group, 2023.
- Hajari, Nisid. Midnight’s Furies. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.
5. Conclusion
The Hindu population in Pakistan has experienced dramatic declines due to the 1947 Partition and the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. From 14.6% in West Pakistan and 28% in East Pakistan in 1941, the Hindu share fell to 1.6% and 22% by 1951, respectively, due to migration and violence. The 1971 war reduced Bangladesh’s Hindu population to 13.5% by 1974, with 10 million refugees, mostly Hindus, fleeing to India. In Pakistan, the Hindu population stabilized at 2.14% by 2017, concentrated in Sindh.
Official censuses and scholarly works provide a robust foundation for this narrative. The Hindu decline reflects communal violence, discriminatory laws, and systemic marginalization, yet the community’s persistence in Sindh highlights resilience. Inclusive policies are essential to protect Pakistan’s Hindu minority.
References
- British Indian Census Reports (1901, 1911, 1941). National Archives of India and Pakistan.
- Pakistan Census Reports (1951, 1961, 1972, 1981, 1998, 2017). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- Bangladesh Census Reports (1974, 2001, 2011). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
- D’Costa, Bina. Nationbuilding, Gender and War Crimes in South Asia. Routledge, 2011.
- Dalrymple, William. The Bloody Legacy of Indian Partition. The New Yorker, 2015.
- Hajari, Nisid. Midnight’s Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India’s Partition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.
- The Vanishing Hindus of Pakistan – a Demographic Study. Newslaundry, 2015.
- World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples – Pakistan: Hindus. Refworld, 2023.
- World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples – Bangladesh: Hindus. Refworld, 2023.
- Hinduism in Pakistan. Wikipedia, 2023.
- Hinduism in Bangladesh. Wikipedia, 2024.
