Barādarī or Birādrī (Urdu: برادری, Bengali: বেরাদরী) means Brotherhood originating from the Persian word برادرBaradar meaning "Brother". In India, Bangladesh and Pakistan it is used to denote a number of social strata among South AsianMuslims (see Caste system among Muslims). According to author Anatol Lieven, "the most important force in [Pakistani] society" are Baradari, usually far stronger than any competing religious, ethnic, or ideological cause. Parties and political alliances in Pakistan are based on Baradari, not ideology.[1] Baradari have also influenced politics in some parts of the United Kingdom where a significant number of people are of Pakistani descent, most notably in Bradford.[2]
See also
Phratry, an institution of Ancient Greece similar in meaning and etymology.