Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: March 10, 2025 | 
| 中文
Quaid-e-Azam with members of the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. Seated second from left is Jogendra Nath Mandal.
As of 2023, there were about 5.2 million Hindus in Pakistan, which is roughly 2.17% of the country's population. This makes Hinduism the second largest religion in Pakistan after Islam. This percentage is a substantial decrease from the estimated 14% prior to the 1947 Partition. The widespread violence accompanying Partition resulted in a large-scale migration of both Hindus and Muslims, significantly altering the religious demographics of both Pakistan and India.
Historically, contributions of Hindus in the regions that form Pakistan of today, have been significant. A visionary engineer and philanthropist, Sir Ganga Ram is known as the "Father of Modern Lahore." He designed numerous architectural landmarks, including the Ganga Ram Hospital and Lady Maclagan High School. His charitable efforts, like the establishment of the Ganga Ram Trust, left a lasting legacy of service to the community. A prominent philanthropist and real estate developer, Rai Bahadur Sujan Singh played a key role in shaping Lahore’s architectural identity. His contributions include the Sujan Singh Building and the Baradari in Lawrence Gardens. Gulab Devi, mother of Lala Lajpat Rai, inspired creation of the Gulab Devi Chest Hospital in Lahore established in 1934, and continues to serve as a premier healthcare facility specializing in the treatment of tuberculosis.
Sir Ganga Ram
Deepchand Tejhandas Ojha was a well-known philanthropist of Karachi, he belonged to the renowned family of Ojhas who were vaids by profession. He died in 1928 of tuberculosis and donated his property for a sanitorium. It is on this land that Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, an integral institute of the Dow University of Health Sciences, stands today. In Shikarpur, institutions like the Hira Nand Ganga Bai Ladies Hospital continue to serve patients. Shikarpur also has Chella Singh Sital Das Government Degree College. Designed by Mr. K.V Joshi, the building was constructed with donations from Chella Singh, a banker of Shikarpur, and Sital Das, banker and exchange broker of Bombay in 1933. Hindu philanthropist and sugar trader from Shikarpur, Rai Bahadur Udhe Das Tarachand led various welfare projects including a hospital.
Deepchand Ojha
Pakistan's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah promised equality for Hindus in Pakistan. Jinnah’s inclusiveness was not mere rhetoric, as evidenced by his appointment of Jogendra Nath Mandal from Namasudra Community of Barisal District East Pakistan, a Scheduled Hindu Caste, as the country’s first law minister. Jinnah also advocated for Mandal to preside a session of parliament in which the former was to be sworn in as the first Governor General. The fact that one of the minority members was elected to preside over the session hints at the progressive attitude of the new state, envisioned by its founding father. As Pakistan's first Law Minister, Jogendra Nath Mandal was a key figure in drafting the country’s initial legal framework. A staunch advocate for minority rights, he worked to ensure representation and protection for marginalized communities.
Justice Rana Bhagwandas, born in 1942 into a Sindhi Rajput family of Larkana District, was the first Hindu and third non-Muslim to serve as the Chief Justice of Pakistan (2005–2007). He studied law and received a Master's degree in Islamic Studies going on to join the judiciary in 1967. Known for his integrity, he was a strong proponent of minority rights, setting a benchmark for impartiality in Pakistan’s judiciary. Rana Bhagwandas also served as the Chairman of Federal Public Service Commission. He was also a member of the selection board of the Sindh Madressatul Islam University Karachi and a left behind an illustrious legacy when he passed away in 2015. Following in his footsteps, Suman Pawan Bodani and Diana Kumari are the first Hindu women to be appointed as Civil Judges in Pakistan in 2019.
Justice Rana Bhagwan Das
Like judiciary, Pakistan’s Hindu women found their representation in legislature too with Ratna Bhagwandas Chawla and Krishna Kumari Kohli elected to the Senate of Pakistan in 2006 and 2018 respectively. Hindu male politicians have been part of Pakistan’s lower house over the decades, but mostly on reserve seats through nomination. In 2018, Mahesh Kumar Malani became the first Hindu to win a general seat in Pakistan’s National Assembly, marking a significant step forward for inclusion of minorities in the country’s political system, although representation of Hindus in the national assembly can be traced back to Pakistan’s First National Assembly: Sris Chandra Chattopadhyaya, Birat Chandra Mandal, Prem Hari Barma and Jnanendra Chandra Majumdar represented the Hindu community. Akshay Kumar Das was another Bengali Hindu politician, who played an important role in representing the Bengali Hindu community during Pakistan's early years. Basanta Kumar Das, Harendra Kumar Sur, Canteswar Barman and Rasaraj Mandal were members of Pakistan’s Second National Assembly. Arjun Das Bugti, a Hindu politician from Balochistan, served as the Deputy Speaker of the Provincial Assembly from 1993 to 1996. In recent years, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani is notable as a prominent Hindu politician. Founder of the Pakistan Hindu Council and a member of the National Assembly, Dr. Vankwani has been a tireless advocate for interfaith harmony. His efforts include preserving Hindu temples and fighting for the representation of religious minorities.
Senator Krishna Kumari Kohli
Pushpa Kumari Kohli made history in 2019 as Pakistan's first Hindu woman police officer. Pushpa, born 1990 in a Kohli scheduled caste Hindu family, grew up in Samaro town of Mirpurkhas District of Sindh. Her father ran a grocery store and her mother worked in the population welfare department. Before joining the police force, Pushpa graduated from Dow University of Health Sciences. In 2022, Manisha Ropeta, from Jacobabad District became the first Hindu female police officer to achieve the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, becoming the first Hindu woman in Pakistan to hold such a position. Major Dr Kailash Kumar and Major Dr Anil Kumar belonging to Sindh’s Tharparkar and Badin districts respectively, were promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant Colonels in 2022, a first in the Pakistan army.
Kelash Kumar and Aneel Kumar of the Pakistan Army
Looking at the contributions of Pakistani Hindus in the fields of arts, literature and media, we can trace it back to the one of the pioneers of Pakistan’s film industry. Jagdish Chand Anand, better known as J.C. Anand, from Sargodha District, founded Eveready Pictures, one of Pakistan’s most influential film production and distribution companies, soon after Partition. His work was instrumental in developing Pakistani cinema with films such as Sassi (1954), which went on to become the first golden jubilee film of Pakistan, Miss 56 (1956), Ishq-e-Laila (1957) and Noor-e-Islam (1957), with its super-hit Naat ‘Shah-e-Madina Yasrab Ke Waali'. His son Satish Chand Anand, after graduating from London School of Economics in 1971, continues to make films and television dramas under their home banner. Considered to be a film and television mogul, Satish is a recipient of Sitara-e-Imtiaz and President of Pakistan’s Pride of Performance Award for serving the entertainment industry for almost 80 years with over 600 films and 200 television shows to his credit.
JC Anand
Deepak Perwani is a globally acclaimed fashion designer and actor, who hails from a Hindu family, and was raised in the Mirpurkhas District of Sindh. Deepak is celebrated for his innovative designs and representation of Pakistan at international fashion platforms. Sobho Gianchandani was a renowned writer and scientist, celebrated for his contributions to Sindhi literature and his advocacy for social reform. His works often explore themes of justice and equality. He was also a very prominent member of the Communist Party of Pakistan. Fakeero Solanki is a celebrated sculptor and his intricate artwork reflects the rich heritage of the region. Human rights activists such as Veeru Kohli and Manu Bheel have been some of the strongest voices for addressing issues of bonded labor and social injustice. A prominent journalist and human rights activist, Surendar Valasai has been a vocal advocate for the rights of marginalized communities, including Hindus, in Pakistan.
Deepak Parwani
In sports, Pakistani Hindus have made most contributions in cricket. Anil Dalpat was Pakistan’s first Hindu cricketer; a wicketkeeper who represented the national team in the 1980s. His career paved the way for greater inclusivity in Pakistani cricket. His cousin Danish Kaneria followed in his footsteps and became one of Pakistan’s most successful leg-spinners. Danish is a Khatri Rajput and became the second Hindu, after Anil, to represent Pakistan in Test cricket. Lal Kumar, Mohinder Kumar, Rajesh Ramesh and Anop Santosh have also been prominent cricketers, contributing to regional cricket in Pakistan, representing the Hindu community in sports. Fashion designer Deepak Perwani’s cousin Naveen Perwani, is a snooker player who has represented the country globally in several tournaments.
Danish Kaneria
Traditionally Pakistan’s Hindu population has mainly been merchants and traders, pursuing legacy businesses inherited from their families. It is heartening to note that now, a new breed of Hindu Pakistanis is emerging as modern, educated entrepreneurs. An entrepreneur and software engineer, Vivek Anand Sharma, Co-Founder of Techistan, has made significant contributions to Pakistan’s technology sector, fostering innovation and development. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry is a Pakistani ICT professional and electronics engineer. He is a professor emeritus and advisor at Mehran University of Engineering & Technology in Jamshoro, Sindh.
While the demographic shifts of the past have shaped the present, the Hindu community's ongoing impact on Pakistan's society remains undeniable.
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