Minorities in Balochistan
By Professor Mansoor Akbar Kundi
University of Balochistan, Quetta
Balochistan contains a large number of minority population which in many anthropologists/sociologists, analysis, not only stands a significance of minority division but a symbol of minority population status quo in an ideological state. There might have appeared a threat to the religious freedom of few of them; nevertheless, the minorities in Balochistan have enjoyed more socio-cultural assimilation and political rights.
According to the census report 1981; the minorities division in Balochistan was following. The total number of Christians were 29, 00; Huindus 27,00; Ahmadis/Qadiyanis 6,000; Parsee 4,000; Sikh 1,000 and Bhahis 700. Their population, nonetheless, like the rest of population has increased during the past years. Constituency five percent of the total population and 20 percent of Quetta population, the minorities in Balochistan have shared an important socio-cultural and economic co-existence with the rest of population. They have three minority seats in 43 member provincial assembly which proportion of minority seats wise higher than any other province.
Christians' and Hindus are the two leading minority communities of Balochistan. The Christian communities, majority of who belong to the protestant church, are living in Quetta, Loralai, and Sibi. Quetta contains a big number of them. The three Churches show every Sunday hundreds of those coming to Church services.
University of Balochistan, Quetta
Balochistan contains a large number of minority population which in many anthropologists/sociologists, analysis, not only stands a significance of minority division but a symbol of minority population status quo in an ideological state. There might have appeared a threat to the religious freedom of few of them; nevertheless, the minorities in Balochistan have enjoyed more socio-cultural assimilation and political rights.
According to the census report 1981; the minorities division in Balochistan was following. The total number of Christians were 29, 00; Huindus 27,00; Ahmadis/Qadiyanis 6,000; Parsee 4,000; Sikh 1,000 and Bhahis 700. Their population, nonetheless, like the rest of population has increased during the past years. Constituency five percent of the total population and 20 percent of Quetta population, the minorities in Balochistan have shared an important socio-cultural and economic co-existence with the rest of population. They have three minority seats in 43 member provincial assembly which proportion of minority seats wise higher than any other province.
Christians' and Hindus are the two leading minority communities of Balochistan. The Christian communities, majority of who belong to the protestant church, are living in Quetta, Loralai, and Sibi. Quetta contains a big number of them. The three Churches show every Sunday hundreds of those coming to Church services.
By Professor Mansoor Akbar Kundi
University of Balochistan, Quetta
Balochistan contains a large number of minority population which in many anthropologists/sociologists, analysis, not only stands a significance of minority division but a symbol of minority population status quo in an ideological state. There might have appeared a threat to the religious freedom of few of them; nevertheless, the minorities in Balochistan have enjoyed more socio-cultural assimilation and political rights.
According to the census report 1981; the minorities division in Balochistan was following. The total number of Christians were 29, 00; Huindus 27,00; Ahmadis/Qadiyanis 6,000; Parsee 4,000; Sikh 1,000 and Bhahis 700. Their population, nonetheless, like the rest of population has increased during the past years. Constituency five percent of the total population and 20 percent of Quetta population, the minorities in Balochistan have shared an important socio-cultural and economic co-existence with the rest of population. They have three minority seats in 43 member provincial assembly which proportion of minority seats wise higher than any other province.
Christians' and Hindus are the two leading minority communities of Balochistan. The Christian communities, majority of who belong to the protestant church, are living in Quetta, Loralai, and Sibi. Quetta contains a big number of them. The three Churches show every Sunday hundreds of those coming to Church services.
University of Balochistan, Quetta
Balochistan contains a large number of minority population which in many anthropologists/sociologists, analysis, not only stands a significance of minority division but a symbol of minority population status quo in an ideological state. There might have appeared a threat to the religious freedom of few of them; nevertheless, the minorities in Balochistan have enjoyed more socio-cultural assimilation and political rights.
According to the census report 1981; the minorities division in Balochistan was following. The total number of Christians were 29, 00; Huindus 27,00; Ahmadis/Qadiyanis 6,000; Parsee 4,000; Sikh 1,000 and Bhahis 700. Their population, nonetheless, like the rest of population has increased during the past years. Constituency five percent of the total population and 20 percent of Quetta population, the minorities in Balochistan have shared an important socio-cultural and economic co-existence with the rest of population. They have three minority seats in 43 member provincial assembly which proportion of minority seats wise higher than any other province.
Christians' and Hindus are the two leading minority communities of Balochistan. The Christian communities, majority of who belong to the protestant church, are living in Quetta, Loralai, and Sibi. Quetta contains a big number of them. The three Churches show every Sunday hundreds of those coming to Church services.
Church in Quetta
The Christians community of Balochistan is economically not much advanced. Most of them belong to lower or lower middle class without having made any significant advancement in trade, finance, or business. Those in service belong largely to medical and education professions. "In the promotion of medical and education in Balochistan" said a sociologist, "Christian's provided enormous service." In his analysis, a larger number of nursing staff all over civil hospitals in the province are Christians".
The mission/Christian hospital Quetta is one of the leading hospitals with a nursing school for Mission hospital in Pakistan. Similarly, services rendered by the community in the field of education are distinct, particularly in schools. Three of the famous schools; Mission High school, Grammar School, and Saint Joseph High School and St Marry. There is one in Zhob: Trench Middle School. They all started functioning before partitions. A large number of civil and military servants from Balochistan studied in these schools.
According to an ex-Attorney General of Pakistan from Balochistan, " When the province was lagging behind schooling, the Christians community-run school catered for educational needs of the people, and enhanced the cause of education."
The community is active politically. The community's political interests are served by one MPA in Balochistan Assembly. The total number of Christians registered votes in Balochistan is 7,774.
The Hindu minority in Balochistan constitutes a considerable portion of the over all Hindu population in Pakistan. They being indigenous to the land have enjoyed the status of a religious minority by their assimilation in socio-cultural and economic fabric of life in an overwhelmingly ideological sate. They are settled I many of Urban and rural areas of Balochistan, particularly in Balochi/Brauhi areas. They speak the native languages, and adapted much too socio-cultural norms of the area without developing any gulf in the relationship with the local populace.
At the time of partition, when sectarian riots ravaged the sub-continent, the Hindu population of Balochistan remained unharmed, mainly due to two factors. First, the major portion of Balochistan, native Balochistan were majority of Hindus lived, was under the firm control of Sardars and Khan ofKalat who respected indigenousness of the Hindu community, has assured them of economic and religious freedom in case they decided to continue living in Balochistan. Second, reciprocity of mutual relationship between Muslim and Hindus, and prosperity in business encouraged them to abandon the idea of migrating to India. After the inclusion of Kalat state into Pakistan 1n 1848, the Hiindus population continued enjoying religious and economic freedom. They were prospering in trade.
The Hindu population live in Quetta, kalat, Sibi, Mastung, Dhadhar, Duki, Dalbandin, Chamman and Gandawa, a tiny twon and newly raised headquarter of Jhall Magsi district, the Hindus have big temple. They dwell in their own little colonies, usually not away from their temples. They belong to business class, without any major interest in education and government offices. Some of them are wealthy merchants owning large jewelry and general stores, but majority are of middle and lower middle class businessmen with their shops/stores in the bazaars of various towns. The community received a setback to their life and property interests after the Ayodhya incident, where in retaliation to Hindu fanaticism to Babri mosque in UP, many Hindus were killed; temples and houses/shops were destroyed in mob violence against them. The anti-Hindus riots created serious doubts among the Hindu community in Balochistan about there peaceful co-existence with the Muslims that they had enjoyed since 1947.
Ahmadis are the third largest minority in Balochistan. The large number of them lives in Quetta, though some of them own properties and are settles down in sibi, Khuzadar and Loralai. The Ahmadis in Balochistan are highly educated. The ratio of literacy among the community is highest than all the other minorities, however, they show less inclination towards joining offices. A fact accountable for this is that after they were declared minority not less encouragement was shown to them in government services. Before they were declared minority the community was very influential in government affairs and even politics of province, "said a civil servant, "as many of the community member carried higher ranks military/civil services and judiciary."Now their influence is minimal," agreed he. The community had undergone a change of aptitude, a senior member of the community believes, from public offices to private business. It is largely because the minority status and resistance to their religious activities by government. They, however have number in various professions, such as education, health, journalism, and judiciary. Many of them are leading advocates in Balochistan. The community members blame the government of showing religious prejudices against the community through the Prohibition of Qadiyaniat Ordinance where two wections of Pakistan Penal code were amended and they were prohibited from use of word,"masjid" and reciting Azan and building minarets .
The Parsee community in Balochistan, like Hindus, constitutes a larger portion of the Parsee population in Pakistan. Their ancestors believed to have migrated from Persia in the 19th century to India. They claim that their kith and kin live in Bombay and other cities of India. They are urban people. The bulk of them live in Quetta, some families may have settles in few other cities of Balochistan. In Quetta, they have a large colony on Jinnah Road where they live under a strong group homogeneity and they with little acceptance of establishing a relationship outside the community. "The Parsees are educated and culturally advanced, "said an anthropologist, "they may to be much inclined to government offices, however, they promote the idea of education." Many of the community members from Balochistan have held important offices, such as Mr. Poonegar, the ex-chief secretary of Balochistan, and Mr. Jamshid Marker, the Pakistani ex-ambassador to US.
The Parsee people are more inclined towards business. They own properties and shops in important localities of Quetta. Parsee community shows no interest in politics and have remained politically inactive in politics, although they could mobilize and influential role. The community's relationship with that In Iran is believed to be a source of major financial help before the Islamic revolution in 1979 as they enjoyed trade and business benefits and concessions by the shah regime. "The revolution in Iran undermined Parsees" economic interests in Iran, and so ours," said a Parsee merchant in Quetta."
Bhais constituting a smaller number are settled in Quetta. The Baha'i community in Balochistan is engaged in business without much establishment. They believed to have received major financial help from Bahi community in Iran before the revolution. They perceived the revolution a blow to their interests too as loss of business and trade preferences, the Bhais had enjoyed in Iran suffered their fellows in Balochistan. A large number of them who migrated from Iran to Balochistan after revolution have now secured asylum abroad.
Minorities in Balochistan stand a symbol of minority population as they have enjoyed more socio-political and economic assimilation and religious freedom. The religious extremism assimilation and religious freedom. The religious extremism of fundamentalist's parties might have undermined the he minority rights communities, particularly over religion as experienced during anti-Hindu riots last year or religious resistance to Ahamadis in Pakistan, nonetheless, they have experienced broader mobilization of minority status quo then other areas of Balochistan.
Originally published by Professor Mansoor Akbar Kundi, in Balochistan: A Socio-Cultural and Political Analysis.
The author published many research articles for foreign journals of international repute.