Pakistan, the cradle of the Indus Valley Civilization, is home to numerous religious sites of significance to three religions i.e. Sikhism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. This presents immense potential for religious tourism.
Religious tourism is a rapidly growing global industry, offering vast opportunities for visitors to explore holy sites and attend religious events.
According to the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), there are 480 tourist sites across Pakistan, 120 of which are religious sites.
However, despite hosting some of the most important religious sites in the world, Pakistan has yet to generate substantial revenue from this sector. Currently, tourism contributes only about 1.2 percent to the country’s total GDP.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI), Pakistan is ranked 101 out of 119 countries.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, said that there is a desire amongst the faithful of Buddhist, Sikh, or Hindu religions to visit their historic lands in Pakistan and in that context, “it is our responsibility as a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious society to facilitate them.”
During an interview with WE News, the spokesperson said that the number of tourists who visit Pakistan is much higher than in the past.
Baloch said, “When any tourist visits Pakistan, it is the obligation of our society to provide them with a welcoming environment and with that respect our tourism department is working to develop many mechanisms to facilitate the tourists who come to Pakistan.”
Sikh Tourism
Pakistan hosts the majority of Sikhism’s most important sacred sites, including Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. The country has 195 Gurdwaras, with four of the most significant being Kartarpur Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore, and Nankana Sahib.
Under the Nehru-Liaquat Pact, a bilateral agreement signed between Pakistan and India in 1950, approximately 3,000 Sikh pilgrims are permitted to visit Sikh holy sites in Pakistan on four major occasions: Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary, Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom day, Baisakhi, and the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Last month, Pakistan and India agreed to extend the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor Agreement for another five years, ensuring ongoing access for Sikh pilgrims to the sacred Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, where Baba Guru Nanak spent the final 18 years of his life.
The corridor, inaugurated on Nov 9, 2019, links Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Punjab to the Gurdwara in Kartarpur, Pakistan. Under the agreement, up to 5,000 Indian pilgrims can visit the Gurdwara daily, from dawn to dusk, without requiring a visa.
The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) said that between October 1 and November 29, 2024, over 60,000 Sikh pilgrims visited Pakistan to carry out religious rituals in various cities.
Additionally, more than 13,000 Sikh pilgrims arrived from countries like the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, and Australia, while 2,559 pilgrims came from different cities in India.
Buddhist Tourism
While Pakistan has a small Buddhist population today, its northwestern region, particularly the Gandhara region, has been a historic centre of Buddhist teachings. This area, which includes Takht Bhai, Taxila, and Swat, is a major destination for Buddhist tourists due to its rich cultural and religious heritage.
Key sites include the Dharma Rajika Stupa, Julian University, the Sleeping Buddha, and Sirkap near Taxila. It is believed that the Dharma Rajika Stupa contained the ashes of Lord Budha, thus making it one of the most revered sites for followers of Buddhism.
The Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Sahr-i-Bahlol in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are also very important relics of Buddhism.
Tourists from countries such as Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, and Sri Lanka visit Pakistan annually to explore these Buddhist heritage sites. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan attracts approximately 2,000 Buddhist pilgrims each year for religious tourism. The global Buddhist tourism market presents a significant opportunity for Pakistan, which could contribute greatly to the economy and create thousands of employment opportunities.
Hindu Tourism
In addition to Sikh and Buddhist sites, Pakistan is home to important Hindu temples, where religious ceremonies and rituals are regularly performed.
Prominent Hindu pilgrimage sites include the Shri Hinglaj Mata Temple in Hingol Park, Balochistan, and the Katas Raj Temple complex in Punjab.
Shri Hinglaj Mata Temple, a key Hindu site, hosts one of the largest Hindu pilgrimages in Pakistan, attracting over 250,000 pilgrims annually. Additionally, the Chandragup mud volcano in Hingol Park is also considered sacred by Hindu pilgrims.
The Katas Raj Temple complex, dating from the Hindu Shahis period (615-950 CE), is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is considered one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites in Pakistan.
Hindus still regularly visit the site, both from within the country and from abroad. The Holy Pond at Katas Raj, where Lord Shiva is believed to have shed two tears upon the death of his wife Sati, is considered sacred by pilgrims.
Pakistan has recently constructed a modern residential facility at the Katas Raj Temples complex to facilitate Hindu pilgrims visiting the sacred Hindu site from India and other regions of the world.
Muslim Shrines
Pakistan is also renowned for its rich Sufi culture, with numerous Sufi shrines visited by millions of followers from within the country and abroad. Notable among these is the Sehwan Sharif shrine, dedicated to the 12th-century Sufi saint, Syed Muhammad Usman Marwandi, popularly known as Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. The shrine attracts not only Muslims but also Hindus.
Another major religious gathering which takes place annually in Raiwind, Punjab, drawing thousands of Muslims from across the world. This event, which focuses on spreading the teachings of Islam, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, second only to the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Benefits for Pakistan
With a diverse religious heritage and several sacred sites, Pakistan has the potential to greatly benefit from this industry. If the government and relevant stakeholders take pragmatic steps to enhance the religious tourism infrastructure, the country could reap significant financial rewards, create new employment opportunities, and foster cultural and spiritual exchanges that would enhance its global standing.
