Pakistan Hindu group launches KP drive for constitutional minority safeguards

Peshawar,UPDATED: Aug 2, 2026 17:00 IST

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

The announcement was made after Haroon Sarab Dayal was unanimously elected president of the All Balmik Hindu Community Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday. He said the community continued to face challenges linked to legal protection, civil registration, education and equal opportunities, and called for stronger mechanisms to protect minorities.

The more than decade-old organisation held a provincial consultative meeting in Kohat district to discuss the challenges facing the Balmik Hindu community in the province and prepare a roadmap for its welfare and constitutional rights. The meeting was attended by representatives from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including community elders, local presidents of Balmik Sabhas, Hindu priests and religious scholars, lawyers, social activists, government officials, educationists, teachers, businesspersons and youth representatives. Dayal told PTI that participants discussed constitutional safeguards, legal reforms, social inclusion and steps to strengthen the community.

Addressing the gathering, Dayal announced the formation of a provincial cabinet. Its priorities include promoting youth and women's leadership, improving access to legal documents such as birth and marriage registration, national identity cards and inheritance rights, engaging in policy advocacy with provincial and federal institutions, and promoting interfaith harmony through education and the media. Dayal, 55, is a member of the Pakistan Hindu Temple Management Committee under the federal Ministry of Religious Affairs. He is also a founding member of the Pakistan Council of World Religions and a leading member of the Lobbying Delegation for Minority Rights.

Dayal said the community had urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure full implementation of constitutional guarantees related to fundamental rights and the protection of minorities. He called on the provincial government to implement Article 9, 10, 20, 25, 27 and 36 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which concern minority and human rights. He also urged the federal government and Parliament to expedite minority personal laws and protection mechanisms, and appealed to national and international human rights organisations, UN 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. Dayal later visited senior members of the community in Kohat to seek their blessings, the statement added.

According to the 2023 Digital Population and Housing Census, described as the most authoritative data available so far, the Hindu population in the province was about 5,090, compared with 5,392 in 2017. The Hindu population declined sharply after the 1947 Partition, and small Hindu community clusters now remain mainly in Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and parts of Hazara. Overall, the meeting focused on the community's demand for constitutional protection, better access to legal rights and wider support for vulnerable minorities in Pakistan.

With PTI Inputs

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