History of the Jews in Pakistan

Pakistani Jews

پاکستانی یہودی יהודים פקיסטנים‎
Mehndi ceremony, Jewish wedding in Karachi, 1959.
Languages
Hebrew, Urdu
Religion
Judaism
Related ethnic groups
Iranian Jews, Bene Israel, and Bangladeshi Jews (formerly East Pakistan)

Part of a series on the
History of Pakistan
Timeline
Ancient Palaeolithic Soanian culture, c. 500,000 – 250,000 BCE Neolithic Mehrgarh, c. 7000 – c. 3000 BCE Indus Valley Civilisation, c. 3300 – c. 1700 BCE Vedic Civilization, c. 1500 – c. 500 BCE Achaemenid Empire, c. 550 – c. 330 BCE Gedrosia, c. 542 – c. 330 BCE Gandhara, c. 518 – c. 330 BCE Arachosia, c. 518 – c. 330 BCE Hindush, c. 517 – c. 330 BCE Sattagydia, c. 516 – c. 330 BCE Ror dynasty, c. 489 – c. 450 BCE Macedonian Empire, c. 329 – c. 323 BCE Arachosia, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Gedrosia, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Paropamisadae, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Porus, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Taxiles, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Mauryan Empire, c. 322 – c. 200 BCE Seleucid Empire, c. 312 – c. 63 BCE Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, c. 190 – c. 140 BCE Indo-Greek Kingdom, c. 170 – c. 50 BCE Indo-Scythian Kingdom, c. 110 BCE – c. 95 CE Apracharajas, c. 25 BCE – c. 50 CE Paratarajas, c. 120 – c. 300 CE
Classical Parthian Empire, c. 90 BCE – c. 25 CE Indo-Parthian Kingdom, c. 25 – c. 80 CE Kushan Empire, c. 60 – 345 CE Sasanian Empire, c. 250 – 655 CE Indo-Sasanians, c. 240 – 410 CE Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom, c. 240 – 410 CE Gupta Empire, c. 345 – c. 455 CE Rai dynasty, c. 415 – 644 CE Hephthalite Empire, c. 450 – 560 CE Brahman dynasty, c. 641 – 725 CE
Medieval Caliphate, c. 643 – 860 CE Rashidun Caliphate, c. 643 – 661 CE Umayyad Caliphate, c. 670 – 860 CE Pala Empire, c. 770 – 850 CE Habbari dynasty, c. 841 – 1024 CE Hindu Shahi, c. 870 – 1010 CE Samanid Empire, c. 905 – 999 CE Ghaznavids, c. 999 – 1186 CE Soomra dynasty, c. 1024 – 1351 CE Ghurid dynasty, c. 1170 – 1215 CE Delhi Sultanate, c. 1206 – c. 1526 CE Mamluk dynasty, c. 1206 – c. 1290 CE Khalji dynasty, c. 1290 – c. 1320 CE Tugluq dynasty, c. 1320 – c. 1413 CE Sayyid dynasty, c. 1414 – c. 1451 CE Lodhi dynasty, c. 1451 – c. 1526 CE Mongol Empire, c. 1221 – c. 1327 CE Chagatai Khanate, c. 1225 – c. 1485 CE Ilkhanate, c. 1256 – c. 1353 CE Raees dynasty, c. 1320 – 1620 CE Katoor dynasty, c. 1570 – c. 1947 CE Samma dynasty, c. 1351 – c. 1524 CE Arghun dynasty, c. 1520 – c. 1554 CE Mughal Empire, c. 1526 – c. 1707 CE Bombay Presidency, c. 1618 – c. 1947 CE Suri dynasty, c. 1540 – c. 1556 CE Tarkhan dynasty, c. 1554 – 1591 CE
Early modern Durrani Empire, c. 1747 – c. 1826 CE Las Bela, c. 1802 – c. 1947 CE Misl, c. 1716 – c. 1799 CE Maratha Empire, c. 1758 – c. 1760 CE Sikh Empire, c. 1799 – c. 1849 CE British Raj, c. 1858 – c. 1947 CE Independence Movement
Modern Pakistan, c. 1947 CE – present Dominion of Pakistan, c. 1947 – 1956 CE Republican Pakistan, c. 1956 CE – present
History of provinces Azad Kashmir Balochistan East Pakistan Gilgit-Baltistan Islamabad Capital Territory Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Punjab Sindh
Category Portal
v t e

Pakistani Jews (Urdu: پاکستانی یہودی) are a small, historic community, mainly in Karachi. Most migrated to Israel after the 1948 Israeli-occupation of Palestinian territories. Their history in Pakistan goes back to 1839 when Pakistan was part of British India.^[1][2] Various estimates suggest that there were about 50,000 to 60,000 Jews living in Karachi at the beginning of the 20th century, mostly comprising Iranian Jews and Bene Israel;^[3][4][5] a substantial Jewish community lived in Rawalpindi,^[1] and a smaller community also lived in Peshawar.

The Partition of British India in August 1947 led to the establishment of two independent sovereign states: a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan. Following this event, Pakistani Jews began to leave the new country for India, Canada and the United States before the rise of their persecution in Pakistan after the establishment of Israel in 1948, which ultimately led to their exodus from the country; today, Pakistani Jews are predominantly found in the Israeli city of Ramla, while the Government of Pakistan claims to host a modest Jewish population. According to Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), there are 745 registered Jewish families in the country.^[6] However, the accuracy and transparency of the NADRA's database has been challenged;^[7] Liel Leibovitz, an Israeli journalist, has doubted the correctness of the official numbers.^[8]

In Pakistan, liberals, non-Muslim minorities, and Muslims who interpret Islam through logic and the Quran and Sunnah—such as those from the Farahi school of thought—generally do not oppose the presence of ordinary Jewish people who are not involved in any conflict. On the contrary, they often defend minority rights in the country. However, some extremist and intolerant elements remain opposed to Jews living in Pakistan. This has led the remaining members of the Jewish community in Pakistan to conceal their religious identity.

Jemima Goldsmith, the former wife of Imran Khan, faced significant public criticism in Pakistan despite her conversion to Islam. As someone with a Jewish background, she encountered societal prejudice, even after embracing Islam. This hostility, largely stemming from her background, led to challenges, and eventually, the couple divorced.

Imran Khan, too, faced accusations from some critics who labeled him a "Jewish agent," primarily due to his marriage to Jemima. Due to this, Khan faced negative attentions and challenges in his political career, as well.

It has been widely reported in Pakistani media that a man known as Fishel Benkhald, who preserves the last standing Jewish cemetery in Karachi, has claimed to be last Jew in Pakistan.^[9][10] However, Benkhald's identity has been challenged by his brothers, who claim to be Muslims,^[11][12] and he has been targeted and attacked in the country due to his activism for religious minorities in Pakistan. However, his Jewishness was formally recognized by the Pakistani government in 2017 after numerous appeals.^[13]