A Pakistani Hindu visited a local barbershop in a village in Pakistan with the intention of getting a haircut. Upon requesting the service, the Islamist barber bluntly refused, stating, “I will not cut the hair of a Hindu.”

Undeterred by the discriminatory treatment, the Pakistani Hindu returned to the barbershop with a camera in hand to document the encounter and seek proof of the denial. Despite the presence of the camera and the request for a haircut, the Islamist Pakistani barber adamantly reiterated his refusal, displaying a brazen disregard for the individual’s rights.

In a shocking display of bigotry, the barber further exclaimed, “Are you mad? I can cut the hair of my community people, not yours,” emphasising the discriminatory nature of his actions and words.

The incident sheds light on the persistent challenges faced by minority communities, particularly the Pakistani Hindu community, in Pakistan.

It is a well-known fact that the Hindu community in Pakistan faces challenges day in and day out due to religious extremism and the imposition of Islamist ideologies. One of the most pressing issues is the forced marriage and conversion of underage Hindu girls to Islam, a practice that affects numerous families each single day. Estimates indicate that up to 1,000 such conversions occur annually, highlighting the alarming frequency of these incidents. Often, girls are abducted by individuals they know or by those seeking brides, including relatives or acquaintances who are complicit in the process.

The Pakistanis also are seen to destroy Hindu temples or convert them to toilets in the country or are desecrated in whatever means possible.

In addition to forced conversions, this recent discriminatory act by the Islamist barber against the minority Hindus underscores the pervasive intolerance faced by religious minorities in Pakistan.