PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Tuesday directed the chief census commissioner to include the famous Kalasha religion in the form for the imminent second phase of population census in Chitral district.

Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Ikramullah Khan disposed of a petition jointly filed by four Kalash community members, including Shah Hussain and others, asking the respondents including the chief census commissioner to specifically mention the religion of the petitioners in the census form to the extent of Chitral district only for their census.

Respondents in the petition were the federal government through the interior secretary; chief statistician and chief census commissioner, and provincial census commissioner.

Amir Sabir, lawyer for the petitioners, said his clients were the citizens of Pakistan, lived in Kalash valleys in Chitral district and followed Kalasha religion.

He said the religions of Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Qadiani (Ahmadis), and members of scheduled caste and other religious minorities were mentioned in the census form but ironically, the form didn’t carry the name of Kalasha religion.

The lawyer said the government had admitted Kalasha as a religion through a letter issued by the then ministry of minority affairs on April 22, 2009.

He added that on the basis of the said letter, Kalasha religion was included by the National Database and Registration Authority in the computerised national identity card forms.

The lawyer said the high court had already ordered the inclusion of Sikhism in the census form.

He said the petitioners had learned that their religion’s name was missing in the census form as Chitral district, where Kalasha people lived, was to be covered in the second phase of population census.

Mr Sabir also said Kalasha was recognised across the world as a religion.

He said under Article 25 of the Constitution, every citizen had to be treated equally.

The lawyer said the census took place after a delay of many years as the last such exercise was conducted in 1998 and that the data to be obtained during the current census would be used for distribution of government facilities and resources to provinces.

He said the petitioners belonged to a very backward area and were entitled to be dealt with in accordance with the law and to be given equal protection as enjoyed by other religions.

The bench observed that Kalasha had already been recognised as a separate religion by the government of Pakistan as was evident in the Apr 22, 2009, official letter.

Deputy attorney general Manzoor Khan Khalil appeared for the federal government, whereas the deputy census commissioner, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Akhtar Ali Khan, also turned up before the bench.

Members of Kalash community living in three remote valleys of Chitral district, including Bamburet, Rambore and Birir, are known for unique culture and traditions.

The second phase of census will begin on April 25 in different areas of the country, including Chitral.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2017