Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has claimed that Hindus living in Pakistan would prefer to remain in the country rather than move to India, while asserting that Indians “believe in Akhand Bharat”.
Zardari made the remarks while addressing a gathering on Pakistan's Independence Day on August 14, as he spoke about relations with India, Pakistan's armed forces and the broader geopolitical situation in the region.
Drawing a contrast between the two countries, Zardari said Indians had a different perspective and referred to the idea of “Akhand Bharat”. He juxtaposed this with Pakistan's identity as a Muslim-majority nation.
The Pakistan President then referred to the country's Hindu minority, which he estimated at around three to four per cent of the population. He claimed Hindus in Pakistan enjoyed religious freedom and would prefer living there to moving to India.
Zardari also projected Pakistan as a tolerant country, maintaining that members of its Hindu community were free to practise their religion.
His remarks come against the backdrop of longstanding debate over the treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan. Rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about discrimination, blasphemy laws, forced conversions and violence affecting minority communities, including Hindus, Christians and Ahmadis.
Zardari's comments also came at a time when India-Pakistan relations remain strained. His reference to “Akhand Bharat” invoked a concept associated with the idea of an undivided Indian subcontinent, though it is not the stated territorial policy of the Indian government.
During his address, Zardari spoke about Pakistan's armed forces and the country's approach towards India while emphasising what he described as differences in the outlook of the two neighbours.
The comments drew attention because they combined Pakistan's long-running criticism of the “Akhand Bharat” concept with a sweeping claim about the preferences of the country's Hindu population.
According to Pakistan's 2023 census figures, Hindus constitute a little over two per cent of the country's population, with the community overwhelmingly concentrated in Sindh.