Religion in Pakistan

Religion in Pakistan (2023 census)^[1]

Islam (96.35%)
Hinduism (2.17%)
Christianity (1.37%)
Others (0.11%)

The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore was built during the Mughal Empire

Prabhunath Hindu Temple in Mithi is dedicated to deities Shiva and Parvati

St. Patrick's Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi

The animistic Kalash people at Chilam Joshi festival in Chitral, whose religion resembles ancient Hinduism^[2]

The official religion of Pakistan is Islam,^[3] as enshrined by Article 2 of the Constitution,^[4] and is practised by an overwhelming majority of 96.35% of the country's population. The remaining 3.65% practice Hinduism, Christianity, Ahmadiyya (considered a non-Muslim group as per Pakistani constitution^[5]), Sikhism, Zoroastrianism and other religions.^[1]

Muslims comprise a number of sects: the majority practice Sunni Islam (estimated at 80-85%), while a minority practice Shia Islam (estimated at 10-20%).^[6]^[7]^[8] Most Pakistani Sunni Muslims belong to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence,^[3] which is represented by the Barelvi and Deobandi traditions. However, the Hanbali school is also gaining popularity due to Ahl-i Hadith and Wahhabi influence from the Middle East.^[9] The majority of Pakistani Shia Muslims belong to the Twelver Islamic law school, with significant minority groups who practice Ismailism, which is composed of Nizari (Aga Khanis), Mustaali, Dawoodi Bohra, Sulaymani, and others.

Before the arrival of Islam beginning in the 8th century, the region comprising Pakistan was home to a diverse plethora of faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism.^[10]^[11]

^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference 2023CensusB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ West, Barbara A. (19 May 2010). Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania. Infobase Publishing. p. 357. ISBN 9781438119137.
^ ^a ^b Esposito, John L., ed. (2003). "Pakistan, Islam in". The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. New York, New York: Oxford University Press. p. 242. ISBN 0-19-512558-4. Approximately 97 percent of Pakistanis are Muslim. The majority are Sunnis following the Hanafi school of Islamic law. Between 10 and 15 percent are Shiis, mostly Twelvers.
^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Surviving as an Ahmadi in Pakistan | Pulitzer Center".
^ Cite error: The named reference LoC_Pak was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Pakistan", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 25 March 2025, retrieved 30 March 2025
^ "The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity". Pew Research Center. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2016. On the other hand, in Pakistan, where 6% of the survey respondents identify as Shia, Sunni attitudes are more mixed: 50% say Shias are Muslims, while 41% say they are not.
^ Pabst, Adrian (20 August 2009). "Pakistan must confront Wahhabism". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
^ Stubbs, John H.; Thomson, Robert G. (10 November 2016). Architectural Conservation in Asia: National Experiences and Practice. Taylor & Francis. p. 427. ISBN 978-1-317-40619-8. Perhaps best known as home to Asia's earliest cities, the Harappan sites of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, Pakistan's rich history includes contributions from prominent Buddhist, Hindu, Hellenistic, Jain and Zoroastrian civilizations, as well as those connected to its Islamic heritage.
^ Malik, Iftikhar Haider (2006). Culture and Customs of Pakistan. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-313-33126-8.

[2023CensusB-1] Cite error: The named reference 2023CensusB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[West-2010-a-2] West, Barbara A. (19 May 2010). Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania. Infobase Publishing. p. 357. ISBN 9781438119137.

[Oxford_Dictionary_of_Islam-3] Esposito, John L., ed. (2003). "Pakistan, Islam in". The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. New York, New York: Oxford University Press. p. 242. ISBN 0-19-512558-4. Approximately 97 percent of Pakistanis are Muslim. The majority are Sunnis following the Hanafi school of Islamic law. Between 10 and 15 percent are Shiis, mostly Twelvers.

[:4-4] Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[5] "Surviving as an Ahmadi in Pakistan | Pulitzer Center".

[LoC_Pak-6] Cite error: The named reference LoC_Pak was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:2-7] "Pakistan", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 25 March 2025, retrieved 30 March 2025

[Pew:1-8] "The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity". Pew Research Center. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2016. On the other hand, in Pakistan, where 6% of the survey respondents identify as Shia, Sunni attitudes are more mixed: 50% say Shias are Muslims, while 41% say they are not.

[:5-9] Pabst, Adrian (20 August 2009). "Pakistan must confront Wahhabism". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2025.

[10] Stubbs, John H.; Thomson, Robert G. (10 November 2016). Architectural Conservation in Asia: National Experiences and Practice. Taylor & Francis. p. 427. ISBN 978-1-317-40619-8. Perhaps best known as home to Asia's earliest cities, the Harappan sites of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, Pakistan's rich history includes contributions from prominent Buddhist, Hindu, Hellenistic, Jain and Zoroastrian civilizations, as well as those connected to its Islamic heritage.

[11] Malik, Iftikhar Haider (2006). Culture and Customs of Pakistan. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-313-33126-8.

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Religion in Pakistan

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