Peshawar’s Historic Parsi Graveyard Becomes Parking Lot

arZan

11 months ago

UPDATE:

Since we published the post below, our friend Sunnu Golwala has reached out with the following update. We thank everyone who took the effort to resolve this issue.

“…On July 31, 2025, the NCHR KP team visited the Parsi Cemetery in Saddar, Peshawar, following media reports that Cantonment Authorities had allowed parking within the cemetery premises.

Following NCHR’s swift intervention, the activity was halted. The Cantonment Authorities have since confirmed that no parking is permitted either inside or outside the cemetery. Renovation work is now underway, and clear wall markings have been painted to prohibit any parking or commercial use of the plot, which remains designated solely as a Parsi cemetery. “

In a deeply troubling development, one of Peshawar’s oldest Parsi graveyards has been desecrated and converted into a parking lot, sparking outrage from the global Zoroastrian community and heritage conservationists alike.

The site, believed to be over a century old, was the final resting place for many members of Peshawar’s once-thriving Parsi community—Zoroastrians who contributed significantly to the region’s commercial and civic life during British India. Today, the community has all but vanished from the region, and with it, the protection of its sacred spaces.

The video, aired by Pakistan’s Capital TV, shows bulldozed graves, broken headstones, and the shocking transformation of the cemetery grounds into a commercial parking space for a local market. The area reportedly falls under the jurisdiction of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government, which has yet to release an official statement.

This act is not only a violation of religious sanctity but also a gross erasure of Peshawar’s pluralistic and multicultural heritage. Zoroastrian groups across South Asia and the diaspora have condemned the destruction and are calling for immediate action to restore and protect the site.

“This is not just about graves. It’s about memory. About respect for those who built our cities, traded in our markets, and helped shape our history,” said a community member based in Karachi who asked to remain anonymous.

The Parsi community in Pakistan, already small and dwindling, sees this as yet another sign of their vulnerability. Calls are growing for UNESCO and other global heritage bodies to intervene and pressure local authorities to preserve what remains of Peshawar’s minority religious history.

As the video continues to circulate on social media, Zoroastrians around the world are expressing grief, disbelief, and determination—vowing not to let this violation be forgotten.