Searching for Pakistan's Jewish heritage: Karachi's Jewish Cemetery

At Pakistan's Independence in 1947, the country's Jewish community numbered between 1,000 – 2,500, with most residing in the port city of Karachi. Based on official data, by 2019 the number had reduced to 809. Some observers suggest the actual number of Jews in Pakistan may be closer to 200 – 300 persons.

A Jewish wedding Mehndi ceremony in Karachi, 1959.
(Wikipedia: public domain)

The reduction in Pakistan's Jewish community is attributable to two main factors.

Firstly, the creation of Israel in 1948 resulted in the first wave of migration out of the country. Secondly, as a Muslim majority state, Pakistan was not immune to increasing anti-Israeli sentiment, especially witin the Islamic world, as a result of the intensification of the Palestine - Israeli conflict. This resulted in a second wave of overseas migration by Pakistani Jews after the 1967 Arab - Israeli war.

Nonetheless, until the 1970s, Jews were a small but visible community in Karachi. It is not unusual to come across older Karachites who had Jewish school friends or classmates in those days. Indeed, Karachi's Jewish Synagogue or Yehudi Masjid (Jewish Mosque) survived until the late 1980s. In 1988, the valuable piece of land was finally expropriated for commercial uses. (Apparently, a synagogue - albeit abandoned - still stands in Rawalpindi though I have not seen it personally.)

Among the most visible vestiges of Karachi's Jewish community is the Bani Israel Jewish Cemetery. The Jewish cemetery is part of the larger Mewa Shah Qabaristan (cemetery), an interfaith cemetery which also contains a Christian burial ground. The Mewa Shah Cemetery remains in regular use, though the Jewish Cemetery seems to get few visitors.

Photo by author (© All rights reserved)

I visited the Jewish Cemetery during my recent travels to Pakistan. Tombs and headstones of many members of Karachi's Jewish community still stand proud, even if decayed. To be sure, the graveyard has seen better days as it appears there has not been any maintenance for several decades.

In the media, one reads reports about efforts by Pakistani Jewish activist Fishel BenKhald to restore the Bani Israel Cemetery. Indeed, families living within the cemetery compound (descendants of the original caretakers of the cemetery presumably) speak of an individual (BenKhald?) who has visited several times and spoken of rehabilitating the cemetery.

Photo by author (© All rights reserved)

Notwithstanding BenKhald's endeavors, Pakistanis in general and Karachites in particular, have an obligation to preserve the city's multireligious heritage. Karachi's development has seen many prominent citizens of varying religious backgrounds, e.g. Nadir Edulji Dinshaw the renowned Parsi philanthropist, make sigifnicant contributions. Karachi must honor its diverse historic legacy. Hopefully, the Bani Israel Jewish Cemetery will be restored – with or without the government's assistance - to its former glory and members of Pakistan's Jewish diaspora will be able to freely visit the graves of their ancestors.

I am a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. I have lived and worked in several countries during my career as an international banker. I enjoy traveling, especially by train, as a way to feed y curiosity about the world and nurture my interest in photography. I am available on twitter (@grandmoofti); Instagram(@imranahmedsg) and can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.