Legal reforms, social inclusion: Pak Hindu body launches campaign for minority rights

New Delhi,UPDATED: Aug 2, 2026 20:10 IST

A Hindu rights organisation in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced a province-wide outreach campaign to urge the provincial government to implement constitutional guarantees for the protection of minorities.

The announcement came after prominent minority rights activist Haroon Sarab Dayal was unanimously elected president of the All Balmik Hindu Community Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (ABHCKP) during the organisation's provincial consultative meeting held in Kohat district on Saturday.

Dayal, 55, serves as a member of the Pakistan Hindu Temple Management Committee under the federal Ministry of Religious Affairs. He said the Balmik Hindu community, like many other vulnerable minority communities in Pakistan, continues to face challenges related to legal protection, civil registration, education and equal opportunities.

The ABHCKP, a body that has existed for more than a decade, convened representatives from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to discuss the challenges facing the Balmik Hindu community and chart a future roadmap for its welfare and constitutional rights.

The meeting brought together community elders (Sarpanchs), local presidents of Balmik Sabhas, Hindu priests and religious scholars, lawyers, social activists, government officials, educationists, teachers, businesspersons and youth representatives.

Participants discussed constitutional safeguards, legal reforms, social inclusion and measures to strengthen the community, Dayal told PTI.

Addressing the gathering, Dayal announced the launch of a province-wide outreach campaign and the formation of a provincial cabinet. He said the body's priorities would include promoting youth and women's leadership, improving access to legal documentation such as birth registration, marriage registration, national identity cards and inheritance rights, advocating policy reforms with provincial and federal institutions, and promoting interfaith harmony through education and media.

Dayal, who is widely known for his work on human rights, interfaith harmony and the protection of minority rights, is also a founding member of the Pakistan Council of World Religions (PCWR) and a leading member of the Lobbying Delegation for Minority Rights.

The community also urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure full implementation of constitutional guarantees related to fundamental rights and the protection of minorities.

Dayal specifically called on the provincial government to implement Articles 9, 10, 20, 25, 27 and 36 of the Constitution of Pakistan, all of which relate to minority and human rights.

He also urged the federal government and Parliament to expedite minority personal laws and strengthen protection mechanisms. In addition, he appealed to national and international human rights organisations, United Nations agencies, diplomatic missions and civil society to support the empowerment and protection of vulnerable minority communities in Pakistan.

During the ceremony, community elders and religious leaders honoured Dayal by applying a traditional tilak, presenting flower garlands and placing a traditional Pashtun turban on his head. Devotional hymns were recited and prayers were offered for peace, equality and prosperity for all citizens of Pakistan.

After the ceremony, Dayal visited senior members of the community in Kohat to seek their blessings, according to the statement.

According to the 2023 Digital Population and Housing Census, the Hindu population in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stood at about 5,090. The statement said the figure had risen to 5,392 in 2017.

The Hindu population in the province declined sharply after the 1947 Partition. Small Hindu community clusters remain mainly in Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and parts of Hazara.

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With PTI inputs.