New Pak directory

As compared to the count of 1,839 Zoroastrians in Pakistan in 2009, the strength of the community has come down by 423 or 23% to 1,416. Karachi now has 1,359, Lahore 32, Islamabad/Rawalpindi 16, Quetta seven, and Multan and Peshawar one each, reports the eighth edition of the a&t Zoroastrians of Pakistan directory published by the Karachi Zarthosti Banu Mandal (KZBM). In Karachi, where reside the highest number, the female strength is 750 of whom 155 (21%) live alone. The count of males is 609 of whom 71 (12%) live alone. There are 28 inmates living full-time at the B. M. H. Parsi General Hospital. In Lahore, Rawalpindi and Quetta too the females outnumber males by six, four and three respectively.
In April 1995 Pakistan had a total of 2,831 Zoroastrians with 2,647 in Karachi, 94 in Lahore, 45 in Quetta, 30 in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, eight in Multan and seven in Peshawar. In the last 20 years, from the time figures have been maintained, "we have depleted by 1,415 persons, exactly by half,” states former KZBM president Toxy Cowasjee in her introduction in the directory. The depleted population has "a very high percentage of over 60-year-olds.”
In the eighth edition, "four names of individuals have not been included in the Karachi section on their request, but counted in the final figure. Students studying abroad and a few spouses who are working overseas have not been included in the figure, though listed in the directory. Some youth have returned after completion of studies, as (have) a few elderly, making our number slightly better!”

As the seventh edition of the directory was published nearly six years ago, "virtually every family that still resides in Pakistan has had some change of information and with this in mind an all-out appeal was sent last September through the courtesy of Fram Framji, Ratanshaw Makujina and the Karachi Parsi Institute mailing list who are our source for relaying community announcements. The October e-Whats On (KZBM newsletter) carried the same request. Conscientious individuals responded for which a big thank you, but these were just a drop in the ocean,” according to Cowasjee’s note dated October 2015. Over 20 individuals have been given credit for going from "home to home” to collect the information and nearly 10 Zoroastrians from different corners of the world had cooperated in updating information. "As always, Tannaz Minwalla has designed the cover of our directory,” appreciated Cowasjee.
For residents of Pakistan, besides the names of the family members, the entry carries the full residential address, mobile number and telephone contacts of residence and work. As per their policy, persons who maintain two residences and live less than six months of the year in Pakistan are not included in the directory. For children under 16 years, their mobile numbers and email addresses are not included either. There is a separate section on blood donors in Karachi.
Besides the two-page list of community centers and charitable trusts, the directory lists practicing mobeds and pallbearers, as also general information like names of hospitals/medical centers/ambulance services/chemists, emergency numbers and other services, practicing Parsi doctors in Karachi, and availability of religious accoutrements and celebration planners/caterers/clubs/hotels/stores. Two additional pages are dedicated to popular eating places in Karachi.