Number of non-Muslim voters in Pakistan shows rise of over 30%

[Mian]

ISLAMABAD: The number of voters belonging to religious minorities in the country has climbed to 3.63 million from 2.77m registered in electoral rolls for the 2013 general elections — registering an increase of 0.860m or 30 per cent in five years.

According to the latest official document available with Dawn, Hindu voters continue to maintain their majority among the minorities, but they no more constitute over half of total non-Muslim voters as was the case in 2013.

The number of Hindu voters before 2013 polls was 1.40m while total number of voters of minority communities was 2.77m — the former being higher than the collective number of all other minorities. The number of Hindu voters now stands at 1.77m. They are mostly concentrated in Sindh where in two districts they form over 40 per cent of total registered voters.

Christians form the second largest group of non-Muslim voters, totalling 1.64m with over 1m settled in Punjab followed by over 200,000 in Sindh. Their number has grown at a relatively high pace as compared to Hindu voters as it was 1.23m before 2013 general polls.

The total number of Ahmadi voters is 167,505 — most of whom dwell in Punjab, followed by Sindh and Islamabad. The number in 2013 stood at 115,966.

Of the total 8,852 Sikh voters, most are settled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa followed by Sindh and Punjab. Their presence in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas is more than their combined strength in Balochistan and Islamabad. They numbered 5,934 in 2013.

The number of Parsi voters has grown from 3,650 in 2013 to 4,235. Majority of them is settled in Sindh followed by KP. The number of Buddhist voters has increased from 1,452 in 2013 to 1,884. Most of them live in Sindh and Punjab.

There are a total of 31,543 voters from the Bahai community on the electoral rolls.

The document obtained by Dawn makes no mention of Jewish voters in Pakistan, though in 2013 there were 809 Jewish voters in the country — 427 women and 382 men.

While the district-wise data of non-Muslim voters is yet to be prepared, according to official statistics related to 2013 elections, Umerkot and Tharparkar districts in Sindh had as high percentage as 49pc and 46pc of total voters, respectively. In Umerkot, there were a total of 386,924 voters of whom 189,501 belonged to religious minorities. In Tharparkar, out of a total of 473,189 voters, 219,342 were non-Muslim.

In Mirpurkhas, the total number of voters was 590,035 and among them 192,357 (33pc) were non-Muslim. In Tando Allahyar, 74,954 non-Muslims constituted 26pc of total 288,460 voters.

In Tando Mohammad Khan, 39,847 non-Muslims accounted for 17pc of total 231,522 voters. In Matiari, 81,589 non-Muslims constituted 13pc of total 302,265 voters. In Karachi’s South district, total number of voters was 1,070,321 and among them 81,589 (8pc) were non-Muslim. In Ghotki and Hyderabad, 41,031 and 62,243 non-Muslims accounted for 7pc of total 571,636 and 928,236 voters, respectively.

In Chiniot and Lahore districts of Punjab, 35,335 and 247,827 non-Muslims constituted 6pc of total 604,991 and 4,424,314 voters, respectively.

In Jamshoro and Kashmore districts of Sindh, 18,912 and 17,495 non-Muslims were 5pc of total 373,097 and 355,904 voters, respectively.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1410442/number-of-non-muslim-voters-in-pakistan-shows-rise-of-over-30pc

 

[Pakistanian]

It's good to know that there's a sizable Parsi and Bahai population.

 

[Mian]

It's good to know that there's a sizable Parsi and Bahai population.

yep and these are just the number of voters so the actual numbers are even higher

 

[Major]

yep and these are just the number of voters so the actual numbers are even higher

i think everyone with a NIC gets his vote registered automatically

 

[Mian]

i think everyone with a NIC gets his vote registered automatically

Nope you need to manually register/transfer your vote and the date for current elections ended on 30 April last month after one extension. https://www.ecp.gov.pk/frmGenericPage.aspx?PageID=4

and than there is also under 18 non muslim population

In Baluchistan out of 5.8 million female population only 1.8 million are registered voters that's a worrying sign for all of us.

 

[DeadBall]

i think everyone with a NIC gets his vote registered automatically

What do you mean automatically?

 

[Slog]

i think everyone with a NIC gets his vote registered automatically

Not true.

My friend had an NIC but wasn't registered to vote

 

[Arham_PakFan]

i think everyone with a NIC gets his vote registered automatically

I turned 18 this year but could not register myself to vote before the deadline.I already had my SmartCard made and it is the same as NIC

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Pleasantly surprised to learn that there are still a few Jews left in the country.Aside from an article from a couple of years ago I couldn't find anything on the Internet about them.

 

[Major]

hmm, when i got my ID card made, i also found out later on that i was also a registered voter.

I checked it through those sms thingy.

Never filed for any registration as such.

You guys sure though?

 

[Mian]

hmm, when i got my ID card made, i also found out later on that i was also a registered voter.

I checked it through those sms thingy.

Never filed for any registration as such.

You guys sure though?

Before 2013 GE they were sending these teams to homes to get your vote registered. Are you sure you or someone from the family didn't shared your NIC number to get you vote registered?

 

[Major]

Before 2013 GE they were sending these teams to homes to get your vote registered. Are you sure you or someone from the family didn't shared your NIC number to get you vote registered?

yup im sure.

even i was surprised.

But i would also like to tell you that the place where my vote got registered was a place that had nothing to do with my current or permanent address. Even if my vote was to be registered automatically it should had been near the place at my address.

Even my mothers vote which was registered at a place where she voted in 2008 was automatically trasferred to where my vote was.

People say this is how PMLN does rigging.

 

[Nostalgic]

Bahais outnumber Parsis, Sikhs and Buddhists? If the number of registered voters as a percentage of the total population is the same for all groups, that would suggest there are more Bahais than all of Parsis, Sikhs and Buddhists taken together.

Either the Bahais are more educated, urban and politically alert and therefore more likely to register, or it is a misspelling and they really meant Bhais.

 

[Napa]

Bahais outnumber Parsis, Sikhs and Buddhists? If the number of registered voters as a percentage of the total population is the same for all groups, that would suggest there are more Bahais than all of Parsis, Sikhs and Buddhists taken together.

Either the Bahais are more educated, urban and politically alert and therefore more likely to register, or it is a misspelling and they really meant Bhais.

There were 2.2 million Baha'is in India back in 2004, and probably a lot more now. So 31K Bahais in Pakistan in Pakistan shouldn't be a surprise.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahá'í_Faith

 

[Mian]

yup im sure.

even i was surprised.

But i would also like to tell you that the place where my vote got registered was a place that had nothing to do with my current or permanent address. Even if my vote was to be registered automatically it should had been near the place at my address.

Even my mothers vote which was registered at a place where she voted in 2008 was automatically trasferred to where my vote was.

People say this is how PMLN does rigging.

Now thats strange but this is possible i personally know people who had their vote registered outside their constituency

 

[Slog]

hmm, when i got my ID card made, i also found out later on that i was also a registered voter.

I checked it through those sms thingy.

Never filed for any registration as such.

You guys sure though?

My parents got me registered before 2013 elections when I was outside the country

 

[Major]

Now thats strange but this is possible i personally know people who had their vote registered outside their constituency

this happened with us.

I asked my uncles, they said this is the actual way PMLN does vote rigging.

 

[Major]

My parents got me registered before 2013 elections when I was outside the country

so could had it been possible that this was part of rigging scheme.

They registered my vote automatically. I dont show up to vote, they drop it in the ballot by themselves?

its not like they are confirming the finger prints.

 

[Mian]

so could had it been possible that this was part of rigging scheme.

They registered my vote automatically. I dont show up to vote, they drop it in the ballot by themselves?

its not like they are confirming the finger prints.

They had these 29,000 new bogus voters in just 1 constituency in recent NA120 byelections where Kulsoom Nawaz won so you can understand the level of rigging Khawaja Saad won because of massive rigging and it was proved in ECP back in 2015 but he got a stay order from SC and remained Federal minister for next 3 years until the end of his govt.

 

[Greenstorm]

Nope you need to manually register/transfer your vote and the date for current elections ended on 30 April last month after one extension. https://www.ecp.gov.pk/frmGenericPage.aspx?PageID=4

and than there is also under 18 non muslim population

In Baluchistan out of 5.8 million female population only 1.8 million are registered voters that's a worrying sign for all of us.

I never got registered but just now checked my status by sending my CNIC to 8300 and they are telling me that I am already registered. I think everyone with a CNIC automatically gets registered in their parental constituency.

 

[Nostalgic]

There were 2.2 million Baha'is in India back in 2004, and probably a lot more now. So 31K Bahais in Pakistan in Pakistan shouldn't be a surprise.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahá'í_Faith

31k are the registered voters, the actual numbers are probably well in excess of that, I was just surprised that they outnumbered Parsis, Sikhs and Buddhists.

There have been a number of famous Pakistani Parsis, including Bapsi Sidhwa, Jamshed Marker, Ardeshir Cowasjee, the Avaris etc, and particularly in the major cities one is bound to encounter a few, but I don't recall meeting or hearing of the Baha'is, in spite of their population exceeding the Parsis.

 

[Mian]

31k are the registered voters, the actual numbers are probably well in excess of that, I was just surprised that they outnumbered Parsis, Sikhs and Buddhists.

There have been a number of famous Pakistani Parsis, including Bapsi Sidhwa, Jamshed Marker, Ardeshir Cowasjee, the Avaris etc, and particularly in the major cities one is bound to encounter a few, but I don't recall meeting or hearing of the Baha'is, in spite of their population exceeding the Parsis.

Parsis also owns Murree Brewery Pakistan's largest and oldest producer of alcoholic products.

 

[DeadBall]

Parsis also owns Murree Brewery Pakistan's largest and oldest producer of alcoholic products.

Parsis seem to be the cool minority.

 

[Mian]

Parsis seem to be the cool minority.

Yea a few years ago i heard they were thinking about moving business out of country because government wasn't allowing them to export alcoholic products although they were allowed to sell it within Pakistan i am not sure what's the situation now but i love their non alcoholic malt drinks and fizzy drinks.

 

[Nostalgic]

Legend has it that when the first Parsis arrived in the subcontinent, the local prince sent them a glass of milk, full to the brim. The message was that the prince's realm was full, and couldn't afford to accommodate another community. The Parsis stirred a spoonful of sugar into the milk, and sent it back. They were allowed to stay.

 

[Mian]

Legend has it that when the first Parsis arrived in the subcontinent, the local prince sent them a glass of milk, full to the brim. The message was that the prince's realm was full, and couldn't afford to accommodate another community. The Parsis stirred a spoonful of sugar into the milk, and sent it back. They were allowed to stay.

They are mostly sweet people but Cowasjee (late) was kinda bitter that was visible in his columns

 

[TM Riddle]

Legend has it that when the first Parsis arrived in the subcontinent, the local prince sent them a glass of milk, full to the brim. The message was that the prince's realm was full, and couldn't afford to accommodate another community. The Parsis stirred a spoonful of sugar into the milk, and sent it back. They were allowed to stay.

Despite that they have managed to maintain a distinct identity for themselves.
For a small community their success has been astonishing to say the least.
Also have some weird customs such as they don't cremate or bury, they simply leave the dead body out in the open to be eaten by kites/eagles.

 

[Nostalgic]

They are mostly sweet people but Cowasjee (late) was kinda bitter that was visible in his columns

I don’t know about bitter, Admiral Adi, as he was known, was an old-school gentleman who just couldn’t stand the fact that people he considered boors had ended up running both the government and the media. This was a far cry from the world he grew up in, in the early years of Pakistan.

 

[Nostalgic]

Despite that they have managed to maintain a distinct identity for themselves.
For a small community their success has been astonishing to say the least.
Also have some weird customs such as they don't cremate or bury, they simply leave the dead body out in the open to be eaten by kites/eagles.

They’ve now resorted to burials in some locales, where there aren’t enough Parsis and/or enough vultures to justify a “Tower of Silence.”

The “sky burial” is meant to be one last act of charity: even in death, they are providing sustenance to one of God’s creatures. The towers are designed so that when the vultures fly out, they can only just clear the walls. If they are carrying a piece of the corpse in their talons or beaks, they crash into the wall.

 

[TM Riddle]

They’ve now resorted to burials in some locales, where there aren’t enough Parsis and/or enough vultures to justify a “Tower of Silence.”

The “sky burial” is meant to be one last act of charity: even in death, they are providing sustenance to one of God’s creatures. The towers are designed so that when the vultures fly out, they can only just clear the walls. If they are carrying a piece of the corpse in their talons or beaks, they crash into the wall.

Yeah Fascinating stuff isn't it?
Re sky burial thing, I think one of the reasons why they are moving away from it is due to the dwindling population of Vultures in the Indian Subcontinent.

Such a sad state of affairs that a region which used to boast of it's several natural species of Vultures has now very few left in the wild.

My grandma says in her days, the Peepal tree try behind our house in the village was home to hundreds of Vultures , clattering all night. Sadly not a single one of them is left now. All dead :/

 

[Nostalgic]

Yeah Fascinating stuff isn't it?
Re sky burial thing, I think one of the reasons why they are moving away from it is due to the dwindling population of Vultures in the Indian Subcontinent.

Such a sad state of affairs that a region which used to boast of it's several natural species of Vultures has now very few left in the wild.

My grandma says in her days, the Peepal tree try behind our house in the village was home to hundreds of Vultures , clattering all night. Sadly not a single one of them is left now. All dead :/

Fascinating, but I get the chills just thinking about what the insides of a tower would be like. Only priests and pallbearers were allowed inside, and for a novice, before it becomes just another job, it must be quite a terrifying sight to be in the presence of corpses in various states of decomposition or consumption. Being in a graveyard is terrifying enough, and the corpses aren’t even visible.

 

[PakLFC]

Good news. We must encourage the non Muslim's of Pakistan to be more politically active and speak their mind.

 

[TM Riddle]

Fascinating, but I get the chills just thinking about what the insides of a tower would be like. Only priests and pallbearers were allowed inside, and for a novice, before it becomes just another job, it must be quite a terrifying sight to be in the presence of corpses in various states of decomposition or consumption. Being in a graveyard is terrifying enough, and the corpses aren’t even visible.

Speaking of graveyards, I wonder if you have heard about Aghoris, the most mystical cult of India. They are known to consume flesh of corpses and make love on the cremation sites.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aghori

 

[Nostalgic]

Speaking of graveyards, I wonder if you have heard about Aghoris, the most mystical cult of India. They are known to consume flesh of corpses and make love on the cremation sites.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aghori

Fascinating, if morbid.

Wikipedia says there are only about 70 or so left. Have you ever met one?

 

[Napa]

There have been a number of famous Pakistani Parsis, including Bapsi Sidhwa, Jamshed Marker, Ardeshir Cowasjee, the Avaris etc, and particularly in the major cities one is bound to encounter a few,

Tragically, like many other high performing communities like the Unitarians, Quakers, Jains etc., their numbers are steadily declining.

but I don't recall meeting or hearing of the Baha'is, in spite of their population exceeding the Parsis.

I believe the Bahai's keep a much lower profile and restrict themselves to business activities like metal trading.

 

[Nostalgic]

Tragically, like many other high performing communities like the Unitarians, Quakers, Jains etc., their numbers are steadily declining.

I believe the Bahai's keep a much lower profile and restrict themselves to business activities like metal trading.

Isn't the primary reason for the decline in Parsi numbers the prohibition on conversion of non-Parsis into the faith? I'm not sure if that also applies to the Unitarians, Quakers and Jains.

 

[TM Riddle]

Fascinating, if morbid.

Wikipedia says there are only about 70 or so left. Have you ever met one?

I doubt the wiki number. Although it's hard to truly ascertain their Population considering their general aloofness from rest of the humans, I'm pretty sure there has to be more.
Yes I did meet one last year in Varanasi.
Had a friend accompany me to a short trip to the holy city (for Mary Jane actually, some really strong stuff in that area and quite cheap as well)

Anyway we struck up conversation with this boat guy who told us about these people and how he supposedly knew one. Naturally having heard about them since childhood we couldn't let the chance to go by esp when we were this close. Turns out this guy wasn't bluffing and
had a meeting arranged with the baba after the dark(in the middle of the Ganga!!!)
Trust me you don't want to fool around with these people. They have this certain aura about them, something really powerful that automatically makes you bow to them.We chatted for around couple of hours. Pretty interesting fellow that aghori sadhu was. Had a unique perspective on almost everything.
Amazing experience really. I still get shivers down my spine whenever I recall the incident.

 

[Napa]

Isn't the primary reason for the decline in Parsi numbers the prohibition on conversion of non-Parsis into the faith? I'm not sure if that also applies to the Unitarians, Quakers and Jains.

Prohibition on conversions is part of the reason. The major reason is that these are the most well educated communities. Women of these communities delay or forgo childbearing and their fertility rates are way below the replacement rate (which is 2.1).

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I don’t know about bitter, Admiral Adi, as he was known, was an old-school gentleman who just couldn’t stand the fact that people he considered boors had ended up running both the government and the media. This was a far cry from the world he grew up in, in the early years of Pakistan.

True, his column was the only one I took any notice of in the Pakistani press, really insightful writer, and a a gentleman indeed.