MITHI, Pakistan: Cows roam freely in the Pakistani city of Mithi, as in neighboring India. Considered sacred animals among Hindus, they embody the religious tolerance of this community in conservative Muslim Pakistan, where minorities face heavy discrimination.
Here, “Muslims respect the beliefs of Hindus,” said Sham Das, a 72-year-old pensioner. “They do not kill cows, or only in remote places, but not in Hindu neighborhoods.”
Unlike in the rest of Pakistan, cattle in Mithi live very well. They eat as they please, often from rubbish bins, and fall asleep on the roads.
At times tuk-tuks and motorcycles navigate a weaving path around the animals. At others, the traffic waits patiently for them to wake.
Mithi is a mostly Hindu city of 60,000 people, a rarity in a country where some 95 percent of the population is Muslim.
As they enter Shri Krishna temple, the Hindu faithful ring a bell, the sound of which mingles with the azan, the call to prayer for Muslims sounded just a few streets away.
A relaxed group of young Hindus talk outside the colorful, intricately carved exterior, where not a single guard is employed.
It is a sharp contrast to the Hindu neighborhoods in the megacity of Karachi, some 300 kilometers (around 200 miles) away, which are under armed surveillance.
Vijay Kumar Gir, a Hindu priest in Karachi, said that of the 360 temples in the city, merely a dozen are still functioning.
“The rest of them have been shut down and their land is being encroached,” he said.
It is a bleak situation that is far more representative of the stigmatization Hindus face across Pakistan, where they are often assumed to be “pro-India because of their religion,” according to Marvi Sirmed, of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission (HRCP).
“So they are always looked at with suspicion to be anti-Pakistan,” she added, referring to the tense relationship between the two countries, which have fought three wars since partition in 1947.
The HRCP describes Pakistani Hindus as feeling “uneasy” in their country, saying in its annual report that “the migration of Hindus to India may soon turn into an exodus if the discrimination against them continues.”
According to the HRCP, which cites religious leaders, the biggest problem facing the community is the “forced conversion” to Islam of women and girls, many of whom are abducted before being married off to Muslim men.
But none of this appears to affect Mithi, where Muslims and Hindus say they live together in harmony, even sending one another gifts and sweets to mark their religious holidays, residents say.
“Since I was old enough to reason, I have witnessed fraternity, love and harmony between Hindus and Muslims,” said Sunil Kumar, a 35-year-old businessman.
“That has been going on for generations of our forefathers... it shall go on forever.”
The origins of Mithi’s peaceful existence are rooted in the geographical location of the city, which rose out of the sand dunes in the majestic Tharparkar desert that borders the Indian state of Rajasthan.
Local researchers claim a group of peace-loving Hindus founded the town in the early 16th century, as war and looting raged all around.
The soil was not fertile and it was difficult to access water, so the city attracted only those of little means who had few other options.
“We are the descendants of the original residents of this region, as positive and peace-loving as they were,” said Allah Jurio, a 53-year-old imam in Mithi, which is also renowned for its low crime rate.
“Non-violence is inherently our second nature.”
But as religious extremism and hate speech flourish in Pakistan, and “faith-based violence in the name of religion continues unabated,” according to the HRCP, the fear that this oasis of tolerance may disappear is palpable.
Although Chandar Kumar, a 24-year-old Hindu computer scientist, sees no problems in the long-term among Mithi’s residents, he said “there are elements from outside who aspire to spread discrimination,” declining to elaborate.
Extremist groups, such as the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, labeled a terrorist organization by the UN, are accused of being active in the area.
“They want to end the unity,” said Kumar.
Pakistan’s Mithi, an oasis of Muslim-Hindu tolerance
Pakistan’s Mithi, an oasis of Muslim-Hindu tolerance
- Mithi is a mostly Hindu city of 60,000 people, a rarity in a country where some 95 percent of the population is Muslim
- The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in its annual report says “the migration of Hindus to India may soon turn into an exodus if the discrimination against them continues”
UK announces ‘major reset’ of Pakistan development partnership with new trade, climate, education initiatives
- UK commits to increased investment-led cooperation in climate, business regulation and higher education
- London shifts from aid donor to investment-focused partner as bilateral trade crosses $7.3 billion
ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom on Wednesday unveiled what it called a “major reset” in its development partnership with Pakistan, announcing new investment-focused cooperation, education programs and a bilateral climate compact during a visit by UK Minister for Development Jennifer Chapman.
The trip marks the first federal-level development dialogue between the two governments in eight years and reflects London’s shift from a traditional aid-donor role toward investment-based partnerships. The British government said the new approach aims to use UK expertise to help partner economies build capacity and unlock domestic growth.
Pakistan-UK trade has also reached a record high, crossing £5.5 billion ($7.3 billion) for the first time, with more than 200 British firms now active in Pakistan, an increase London says signals growing two-way commercial confidence.
“Pakistan is a crucial partner for the UK. We work together to tackle the drivers behind organized crime and illegal migration, keeping both our countries safer,” Chapman was quoted as saying in a statement by the British High Commission in Islamabad.
“Our strong bilateral trading relationship brings jobs and growth to us both. And we’re working together to tackle climate change, a global threat.”
The minister and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday jointly launched a package of business regulatory reforms aimed at improving Pakistan’s investment climate and making it easier for UK firms to operate. Officials said the initiative supports Pakistan’s economic recovery agenda and creates new commercial avenues for British companies.
A second key announcement was the next phase of the Pak-UK Education Gateway, developed with the British Council and Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission. The expanded program will enable joint research between universities in both countries, support climate- and technology-focused academic collaboration, and introduce a startup fund to help commercialize research. The Gateway will also promote UK university courses delivered inside Pakistan, giving students access to British degrees without traveling abroad.
Accompanied by Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change Dr. Musadik Malik, Chapman also launched a Green Compact, a framework for climate cooperation, green investment, environmental protection and joint work at global climate forums.
The UK emphasized it remains one of Pakistan’s largest development partners, citing ongoing work in education, health, climate resilience and anti-trafficking capacity building.
During the visit to Pakistan, Chapman will meet communities benefiting from UK-supported climate programs, which London says helped 2.5 million Pakistanis adapt to climate impacts in the past year, and observe training of airport officers working to prevent human trafficking.
“We remain firm friends of Pakistan, including in times of crisis, as shown through our floods response,” Chapman said. “And we know to accelerate growth in both our countries, we must work together in partnership to tackle the problems we face.”
