A fragile unity?
The origins of Mithi’s peaceful existence are rooted in the geographical location of the city, which rose out of the sand dunes in the majestic Tharparkar desert that borders the Indian state of Rajasthan.
Local researchers claim a group of peace-loving Hindus founded the town in the early
16th century, as war and looting raged all around. The soil was not fertile and it was difficult to access water, so the city attracted only those of little means who had few other options.
“We are the descendants of the original residents of this region, as positive and peace-loving as they were,” said Allah Jurio, a 53-year-old imam in Mithi, which is also renowned for its low crime rate.
“Non-violence is inherently our second nature,” Jurio added.
But as religious extremism and hate speech flourish in Pakistan, and “faith-based violence in the name of religion continues unabated”, according to the HRCP, the fear that this oasis of tolerance may disappear is palpable.
However, Chandar Kumar, a 24-year-old Hindu computer scientist, sees no problems over the long term among Mithi’s residents. He said: “There are elements from outside who aspire to spread discrimination”, declining to elaborate.
Extremist groups, such as the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, labelled a terrorist organisation by the United Nations, are accused of being active in the area.