Little information on the Zikri faith and the treatment of adherents by the authorities and Muslim extremist groups could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

In several sources, the Zikris are described as a Muslim sect (UNHCR May 1998, 22; Adherents.com n.d), a "Muslim offshoot sect" (Country Reports 1997 1998; IND Mar. 1999, 29; UNHCR May 1998, 21), and as "semi-Muslim" (Ethnologue 1996). Adherents.com claims that the Zikris follow the teachings of a 15th Century mahdi named Nur Pak ("Pure Light") (n.d.), while the UNHCR states that they were formed in the early 17th Century and follow only the oral tradition of Islam rather than the written form followed and accepted by the majority of Pakistan's Muslims (May 1998, 22). Compton's Encyclopedia Online reports only that they follow the teachings of a mahdi who came after Muhammad (n.d.). Adherents.com adds that Zikri "practices and rituals differ from those of orthodox Islam" but does not describe those differences in any way (n.d.).

Zikris number between 500,000 and 750,000 and are found in Baluchistan, Pakistan (Compton's Encyclopedia Online n.d; Adherents.com n.d.), primarily in Makran and Las Bela (ibid.). UNHCR says, however that Zikris are found mainly in southern Baluchistan but also in Sindh and number about one million (May 1998, 22). According to Ethnologue, approximately 700,000 Zikris speak southern Balochi (1996), and are called Zigris in their own language (ibid.; Adherents.com n.d.).

In 1993 there was a movement to declare Zikris non-Muslim (ECOSOC 2 Jan. 1996, #46; UNHCR May 1998, 22), and a campaign was mounted against their annual congregation at Koh-i-Murad in Malakand (ibid.). This was accompanied by demonstrations calling for the destruction of the Zikri Baitullah (House of God), and members of the sect were subjected to violence and harassment (ibid.).

Three sources reported word for word that "discriminatory religious legislation has encouraged an atmosphere of religious intolerance, which has led to acts of violence directed against minority Muslim sects, as well as against Christians, Hindus, and members of Muslim offshoot sects such as Ahmadis and Zikris" (Country Reports 1997, 1998; IND Mar. 1999, 29; Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 1999 9 Sept. 1999). The 9 September 1999 US Department of State publication Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 1999 added that "police at times refuse to prevent such actions or to charge persons who commit them."

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Adherents.com. n.d. "Zikri." http://adherents.com/Na_435.html [Accessed 6 Dec. 1999]

Compton's Encyclopedia Online. n.d. John F. Shroder. "Pakistan." http://www.optonline.com/comptons/ceo/03574_A.html [Accessed 16 Dec. 1999]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997. 1998. US Department of State. http://www3.itu.int/MISSIONS/US/hhr97/pakistan.html [Accessed 6 Dec. 1999]

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), United Nations. 2 January 1996. Implementation Of The Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief: Report submitted by Mr. Abdelfattah Amor, Special Rapporteur, in accordance with Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/23. Addendum. Visit by the Special Rapporteur to Pakistan. http://www.unhcr.ch/refworld/un/chr/chr96/country/95-add1.htm [Accessed 6 Dec. 1999]

Ethnologue. 1996. 13th edition. Edited by Barbara F. Grimes. http://afghan-reality.from.de/pakethn.html [Accessed 16 Dec. 1999]
Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), Home Office, UK. March 1999. Version 3.

Pakistan: Country Assessment.

UNHCR. May 1998.

Background Paper on Refugees and Asylum Seekers from Pakistan.

US Department of State, the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. 9 September 1999. Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 1999. http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/irf_rpt/1999/irf_pakistan99. html [Accessed 2 Dec. 1999]

Additional Sources Consulted

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998. 26 February 1999.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). February 1998.

State of Human Rights in 1997.

Encyclopaedia of Islam. New Edition.

Encyclopedia of Religion. Various volumes.

The Europa World Year Book 1999. 1999.

IRB Databases.

Islam and Islamic Groups: A Worldwide Reference Guide. 1992.

Pakistan: A Country Study. 1984.

Pakistan: A Travel Survival Kit. April 1993.

Religion in Politics: A Worldwide guide. 1989.
Research Directorate. August 1999.

Contextual Information Package: Pakistan.

_____. August 1999.

Human Rights Information Package: Pakistan.

Revolutionary and Dissident Movements of the World: An International Guide. 1991.

World Directory of Minorities. 1997.

Internet sources including:

The World Factbook 1999.

Search engines, including:

Fast

Dogpile

Google

Metacrawler