Both sides will feel that they dropped points in this match with Dunfermline still fighting to secure a UEFA Cup berth and Hibs desperate to clinch a top-six spot before the league split.
But Hibernian could not hold on to the early lead they created after having a man dismissed early in the second half, and Dunfermline could not convert possession into clear chances.
Hibs took the lead after just five minutes when Scott Brown cut back to Derek Riordan allowing the youngster to chip over the Pars keeper high into the net.
But following the goal it was Dunfermline who had the better of the play, although neither side created any clear-cut chances in the first half.
Four minutes after the goal Barry Nicholson mishit his shot from 20 yards out and it was easily gathered by Daniel Andersson in the Hibs goal.
On the 15-minute mark Scott Brown's left-footed attempt from 18 yards out went wide of the Dunfermline goal.
But this was a rare chance for Hibs and Dunfermline continued to have the better of the possession.
With ten minutes of the half remaining Gary Dempsey had a shot but like his team-mate Nicholson earlier in the half his shot lacked power and was comfortably saved by Andersson.
The half ended in controversy when Lee Bullen's shot appeared to have been guided to Andersson by the hand of a Hibs defender but referee Thomson denied the Pars' vigorous penalty appeals and Hibs went in with a 1-0 lead.
The second half was more bad tempered than the first and things came to a head when Hibs youngster Kevin Thomson was sent off for a second bookable offence, reducing the visitors to ten men.
Midway through the half Darren Young drilled a long-range effort in from the right but it finished well wide of the net.
One minute later Craig Brewster produced Dunfermline's best effort of the match when he forced a good save from Andersson following a left-footed volley from the edge of the box.
Finally the pressure paid off and with 13 minutes remaining the Pars equalised when Dempsey beat off several heavy challenges before blasting a shot low into the net from 18 yards out.
Dunfermline piled on the pressure in the closing minutes but couldn't find the extra goal to snatch all three points.