Religion

                                                                                           Religion in Pakistan

The 17th century Badshahi Masjid was the world's largest mosque for 300 years.

Pakistan is the second most populous Muslim-majority country and has the second largest Shi'a population in the world.About 97% of Pakistanis are Muslim. The majority are Sunni, with an estimated 5–20% Shi'a.A further 2.3% are Ahmadis, who are officially considered non-Muslims by virtue of a 1974 constitutional amendment.There are also several Quraniyoon communities.Sectarian violence among Muslim denominations has increased in recent times with over 400 targeted deaths of Shias in the year 2012 alone. After the Quetta blast in 2013 there were country wide protest by Shia Muslims supported by fellow Sunni Muslims calling an end to sectarian violence in the country and urging for Shia-Sunni unity in the country.

Sufism, a mystical Islamic tradition, has a long history and a large popular following in Pakistan. Popular Sufi culture is centered on Thursday night gatherings at shrines and annual festivals which feature Sufi music and dance. Contemporary Islamic fundamentalists criticize its popular character, which in their view, does not accurately reflect the teachings and practice of the Prophet and his companions. There have been terrorist attacks directed at Sufi shrines and festivals, five in 2010 that killed 64 people.

After Islam, Hinduism and Christianity are the largest religions in Pakistan, each with 2,800,000 (1.6%) adherents in 2005.They are followed by the Bahá'í Faith, which has a following of 30,000, then Sikhism, Buddhism and Parsis, each claiming 20,000 adherents,and a very small community of Jains.