Muhajir (Pakistan)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- See Muhajir page for all Muhajir groups in the world
 |
| Liaqat Ali Khan, Sadequain, Pervez Musharraf Nazia Hassan, Parveen Shakir, Qurratulain Hyder Mehdi Hasan, Dr. A.Q. Khan, Javed Miandad |
| Total population |
|---|
| 12.5-13 million[1] |
| Regions with significant populations |
 Pakistan (urban areas) |
| Languages |
| Religion |
Muhajir (also known as Urdu-speaking people) (Urdu: مہاجر) is a term used to describe some Pakistanis who as Urdu speaking Muslims of British India, migrated to Pakistan following partition. As stated incorrectly a number of times, the term 'Muhajir' does not mean a refugee but rather a migrant.
In Urdu, Muhajir refers to a person who has performed a 'Hijrat', meaning migration.
The term 'Urdu Speaking' does not exactly define an ethnic group as such, since many of these people came from diverse ethnicities as they migrated from various parts of Northern and Central India at Partition. Many in fact can trace their family roots further back to the Middle East, Persia and Central Asia. The one uniting factor for them though regardless of their origin is that their mother tongue is Urdu.
[edit] Etymology
Muhajir or Mohajir (Arabic: مهاجر) is an Arabic word meaning immigrant or emigrant. The Islamic calendar Hejira starts when Muhammad and his companions left Mecca for Medina in what is known as Hijra. They were called Muhajirun. The Arabic root word for immigration and emigration is Hijrat.
The term, “Mohajir” by Ali.K.Chishti a renounced writer for the Mohajir Cause is defined as “a special group” or even one combined ethnicity. According to AKC, there’s a difference between a Mohajir with capital “M” a pronoun and a mohajir with a smaller one.
[edit] Partition of British India
On 2 June 1947, the British government announced the plan to Partition India. On July 18, 1947, the British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act that finalized the partition arrangement. The Government of India Act 1935 was adapted to provide a legal framework for the two new dominions.
Two self governing countries legally came into existence at the stroke of midnight on 15 August 1947. The ceremonies for the transfer of power were held on 14 August 1947 at 9:20 AM in Governor General House Karachi, so that the last British Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten of Burma, could attend both the ceremony in Karachi as well as the ceremony in Delhi.
[edit] Settling in Pakistan
In the aftermath of partition, a huge population exchange occurred between the two newly-formed states. About 14.5 million people crossed the borders: 7,226,000 Muslims came to Pakistan and Bangladesh from India while 7,249,000 Hindus and Sikhs moved to India from Pakistan and Bangladesh. About 5.5 million settled in Punjab Pakistan and around 1.5 million settled in Sindh.
Most of the migrants who settled in Punjab Pakistan came from Punjab (India), Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan. Most of the migrants who arrived in Sindh came from northern and central urban centres of India States such as, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan via the Wahga and Munabao borders. In addition a limited number of 'Muhajirs' arrived by air or by sea.
The overwhelming majority of Urdu speakers who migrated from what is now India after partition were settled in the port city of Karachi in Southern Sindh. The remainder settled in other 'Sindhi' cities, notably Hyderabad, Sukkur, Nawabshah and Mirpurkhas as well as in 'Punjabi' cities such as Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi.
In Sindh two-thirds of the 1.5 Million settled in urban areas in 1947. In the case of Karachi, an existing population of around 400,000 in 1947 turned into more than 1.3 million by 1953.
It is estimated around 30 to 35% of Muhajirs are of Pashtun heritage. When Pashtuns migrated to India from Afghanistan, they settled in the Muslim majority states of India. However the Pashtuns of India gradually lost their own language (Pashto) and culture and adopted Urdu as their mother tongue. After independence they migrated to Pakistan, but instead of being recognized as Pashtuns, they were recognized as Muhajirs or Urdu Speakers.
[edit] Demographics and Distribution within Pakistan
Currently in Pakistan, around 7.5% of the population, or about 13 million citizens identify themselves as 'Urdu-Speaking'. Of this number over 8.5 million reside in Sindh and over 4 million reside in Punjab and Islamabad. The vast majority reside in Urban areas.
Cities with the largest approximate 'Urdu Speaking' Populations are:
- Karachi , Sindh 6,500,000 (Identifying themselves as Urdu Speakers)
- Lahore, Punjab 750,000
- Hyderabad , Sindh 700,000
- Multan, Punjab 225,000
- Rawalpindi, Punjab 175,000
- Sukkur, Sindh 150,000
- Bahawalpur, Punjab 125,000
- Mirpurkhas, Sindh 125,000
- Nawabshah, Sindh 100,000
- Islamabad, Capital Territory 100,000
- Sanghar, Sindh 75,000
NB Figures are estimations based on the 1998 census of Pakistan and are rounded up to allow for slight population growth since the time of the report.
[edit] Muhajir diaspora
In addition to those in Pakistan, a significant number of 'Urdu Speakers' have left Pakistan and settled outside
Regions with significant populations:
United States 150,000
United Kingdom 125,000
Saudi Arabia 120,000
Canada 80,000
United Arab Emirates 50,000
NB: These figures are likely to include 2nd and 3rd generations who have been born overseas and are considered resident of their respective countries
[edit] Culture and lifestyle
See Muslim cultural heritage of South Asia
After the independence when the Muslims migrated to Pakistan they brought different values with them that varied from region to region they migrated from. The urban lifestyle was mostly coloured by the people who migrated to Pakistan after the independence in the major cities of Pakistan, especially Karachi, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centres of India before the independence of Pakistan. Some of these urban centres, such as Lucknow and Delhi had been seats of culture, learning and rich heritage since centuries, and rivaled those of the world.
[edit] Cuisine
Muhajirs clung to their old established habits and tastes, including a numberless variety of dishes and beverages. The Mughal and Indo-Iranian heritage played an influential role in the making of their cuisine, having taste vary from mild to spicy and is often associated with aroma. In comparison to other native Pakistani dishes, Mohajir cuisine tend to use stronger spices and flavors. Most of ‘‘dastarkhawan’’ dining table include chapatti, rice, Dal, vegetable and meat curry. Special dishes are Biryani, Qorma, Kofta, Shami Kabab, Seekh kabab, Nihari and Haleem. Tea and Paan are another special elements associated to muhajir culture.
[edit] Language
The original language of the Mughals had been Turkish, but after their arrival in South Asia, they came to adopt Persian and later Urdu. The word Urdu is believed to be derived from the Turkish, word 'Ordu', which means army. It was initially called Zaban-e-Ordu or language of the army and later just Urdu. The word 'Ordu' was later anglicised as 'Horde'. Urdu, though of South Asian origin, came to be heavily influenced by Persian and Arabic. Urdu speakers have been speaking this language as their mother tongue for several centuries having lost their own native tongues from the respective regions they originated from. Urdu has been the medium of the literature, history and journalism of South Asian Muslims during the last 200 years. Most of the work was complemented by ancestors of native Urdu speakers in South Asia. Persian language which was the official language during the Mughals was then slowly starting to lose ground to Urdu during the reign of Shah Jahan. It was after the devastating invasion by Nadir Shah of Persia in 1738 that gave death blow to Mughal empire in South Asia, with the subsequent rise of British colonial rule in South Asia who actively promoted Urdu in contrast to Persian.
[edit] Contribution in literature
[edit] Poetry
Muhajirs brought their rich poetic culture along with them. After partition, many notable Urdu poets migrated to Pakistan, besides a large number of unknown and amateur poets. Consequently, Mushaira and Bait Bazi became a part of the culture among Muhajirs in Pakistan.
Josh Malihabadi, Jigar Moradabadi, Akhtar Sheerani, Tabish Dehlvi, and Nasir Kazmi were few noteworthy poets. Later, Jon Elia, Parveen Shakir, Mustafa Zaidi, Dilawer Figar and Iftikhar Arif marked their distinction.
[edit] Prose
By the emergence of muhajirs in urban areas of Pakistan, Urdu virtually became the lingua franca. The country’s first Urdu Conference took place in Karachi in April 1951, under the auspices of the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu. The Anjuman, headed by Maulvi Abdul Haq not only published the scattered works of classical and modern writers, but also provided a platform for linguists, researchers and authors. Among them Shan-ul-Haq Haqqee, Shahid Ahmed Dehlvi, Josh Malihabadi, Qudrat Naqvi, Mahir-ul-Qadri, Hasan Askari, Jameel Jalibi and Intezar Hussain are significant names. Whereas Akhtar Hussain Raipuri, Sibte Hassan and Sajjad Zaheer were more inclined to produce left-winged literature. Among women writers, Qurratulain Hyder, Khadija Mastoor, Altaf Fatima and Fatima Surayya Bajia became the pioneer female writers on feminist issues.
[edit] Contribution in science and Technology
Muhajirs have played an extremely important and influential role in science and technology in Pakistan. Muhajir are one of the people who contributed not only in Pakistan's Nuclear program but they also become a primary instrument in Pakistan's Space Program and other scientific and strategic programs of Pakistan. They vast majority of Muhajirs are highly-educated and prominent scientists. Many prominent scientists came from Muhair class including dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, Riazuddin, Ghulam Murtaza, Raziuddin Siddiqui, dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, dr. Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, and Atta ur Rahman are name to few.
[edit] Contribution in art and music
Muhajir bring a rich culture with them. Muhajir played an significant role in defining and enriching the Pakistan's culture and music. Some famous muhajir musicians are Nazia Hassan,Mehdi Hassan, Munni Eegum, and Shahzad Roy. Muhajirs have contribution in music ranges from traditional Ghazal singing to Pop and Rock. Muhajirs in Pakistan are also famous for their contribution towards the art of painting.
[edit] Intermarriages
Since the independence in 1947, there have been many intermarriages that took place between Punjabi, Kahmiri, Pathans, Sindhi and Muhajirs.
[edit] Well-known Muhajirs
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ taken from cia world fact book figures based upon the 1998 census of Pakistan
