- By: Shahid Ali Tareen
Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Once celebrated for its deep-rooted traditions of hospitality and religious tolerance, Pashtun society in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is now grappling with growing religious intolerance and sporadic violence that threatens interfaith harmony in the region.
Traditionally, the Pashtun code of Pashtunwali, which stresses honor, hospitality, and care for the weak, contributed to an atmosphere of security for religious minorities. Sikh, Hindu, and Christian communities lived in harmony with Muslim Pashtuns for decades in regions such as Peshawar, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, and Swat.
Yet, in the past two decades, the trend has been disturbing.
Old residents of Peshawar’s Dabgari area still remember the times when Sikhs owned successful businesses, and Hindu festivals were openly celebrated. Churches functioned without much fear of being attacked, and relations between communities were friendly even during politically chaotic periods.
“In the 1960s and 70s, there was mutual respect,” says Arjun Singh, a Sikh elder from the provincial capital. “Our Muslim neighbors would join us during our religious events, and we did the same.”
But this harmony has been increasingly disrupted.
The intensification of militancy during the early 2000s, particularly the rise of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), set off a surge of violence that seriously impacted religious minorities. There were bombings at temples and churches, and non-Muslims especially Sikhs and Christians were targeted by killings, abductions, and forced conversions.
There have been attacks on minority individuals and their places of worship over the last few years. Satnam Singh, a Sikh social worker, was gunned down in Peshawar in September 2020. Two Sikh businessmen were murdered in daylight in the same city in 2022. Christian minorities have been victims of land grabbing, social discrimination, and intimidation with accusations of blasphemy as well.
The abuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws has also exacerbated the fears of non-Muslims. In many instances, baseless accusations have resulted in mob attacks or lengthy legal cases for the accused.
In spite of these issues, both majority and minority voices continue to preach peace and tolerance. Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and civil society organizations have always denounced violence against minorities and demanded protection of all citizens irrespective of their religion.
“There is a need to bring back the spirit of “Pashtunwali”, in which protecting the weak was a question of honor,” says Professor Fazal Rehman, a University of Peshawar sociologist. “Religious intolerance is not an indigenous quality; it has been brought in through decades of radicalization and state neglect.”
Faith leaders are also doing their share. Interfaith dialogue has been started in cities such as Mardan, Kohat, and Swat, with Muslim clerics, Christian pastors, and Sikh leaders coming together to foster respect and understanding.
Though the KP government has done some things—like providing minorities with quotas in government employment and money for religious places—critics say these are symbolism unless the state acts more robustly against extremist elements.
“The true test is law enforcement and judicial accountability,” human rights activist Sana Gul writes. “Hate crime perpetrators will walk free until then. Interfaith harmony will never be safe.”
Experts hold the view that durable peace and religious tolerance in KP can only be ensured if there is a mixture of de-radicalization schemes, educational reforms, and positive political will to ensure the safety of minorities.
The interfaith dynamic within Pashtun society remains delicately torn between a chivalrous heritage of living together and the harsher realities of contemporary extremism. If the province is to reassert its legacy of harmony, swift action is necessary before bloodshed wipes out what little remains of its inclusive past.