Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-16T15:33:48Z

Vikramsingh: /* Historical background */

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

Muhajirs are descends of Muslims who were living as a minority in provinces of India before [[Partition of India|partition]]. Muslims ruled India for 600 years from [[Delhi]] and then from Lucknow (after fall of [[Aurangzeb|Alamgir]]). After Alamgir Punjab was ruled by Sikhs while Marhattas were rulling large part of central India. U.P and [[Nizam|Hyderabad]] were ruled by Muslims till war of independence. The remains of Awadth (Lucknow empire) and Dehli (present day UP) have very deep infleunce on creation of Pakistan and its culture. For example [[Urdu]] language was mostly developed in Delhi and UP regions, in addition to Hyderabad Deccan. Famous peot [[Mir Taqi Mir]] was born in Lucknow in early 18th century. [[Muslim League]] was headquatered in Lucknow before partition and it was founded by nawabs of U.P and Hyderabad. [[Aligarh University]] which provided roots to Pakistan movement was in Aligarh UP. Liaqat Ali Khan and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan were born in U.P and Dehli. The reason Muslim league was born because people who held heritage of Muslim rule were afraid that their heritage will be desctroyed by [[Hindu]] majority. Muhajirs take great pride that Urdu was developed mostly by their ancestors. Urdu also reflects unique heritage of Muhajirs as just like urdu they descended from Indians, Afghan, Turks, Mughals and Arabs converts.

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Islam in India|Muslim cultural heritage of India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan|Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pradesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population. Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but formed a large part of its bureaucracy due its higher educational levels and support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, clashes broke out between [[Urdu]] speakers and [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. It is claimed that President General [[Ayub Khan]] supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

[[ar:مهاجر]]
[[es:Mohajir]]
[[fa:مهاجر]]
[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-16T15:32:35Z

Vikramsingh: /* Historical background */

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

Muhajirs are descends of muslims who were living in minority provinces of India before [[Partition of India|partition]]. Muslims ruled India for 600 years from [[Delhi]] and then from Lucknow (after fall of [[Aurangzeb|Alamgir]]). After Alamgir Punjab was ruled by Sikhs while Marhattas were rulling large part of central India. U.P and [[Nizam|Hyderabad]] were ruled by Muslims till war of independence. The remains of Awadth (Lucknow empire) and Dehli (present day UP) have very deep infleunce on creation of Pakistan and its culture. For example [[Urdu]] language was mostly developed in Delhi and UP regions, in addition to Hyderabad Deccan. Famous peot [[Mir Taqi Mir]] was born in Lucknow in early 18th century. [[Muslim League]] was headquatered in Lucknow before partition and it was founded by nawabs of U.P and Hyderabad. [[Aligarh University]] which provided roots to Pakistan movement was in Aligarh UP. Liaqat Ali Khan and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan were born in U.P and Dehli. The reason Muslim league was born because people who held heritage of Muslim rule were afraid that their heritage will be desctroyed by [[Hindu]] majority. Muhajirs take great pride that Urdu was developed mostly by their ancestors. Urdu also reflects unique heritage of Muhajirs as just like urdu they descended from Indians, Afghan, Turks, Mughals and Arabs converts.

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Islam in India|Muslim cultural heritage of India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan|Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pradesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population. Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but formed a large part of its bureaucracy due its higher educational levels and support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, clashes broke out between [[Urdu]] speakers and [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. It is claimed that President General [[Ayub Khan]] supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

[[ar:مهاجر]]
[[es:Mohajir]]
[[fa:مهاجر]]
[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-16T15:32:20Z

Vikramsingh: /* Historical background */ spellings etc.

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

Muhajirs are descends of muslims who were living in minority provinces of India before [[Partition of India|partition]]. Muslims ruled India for 600 years from [[Delhi]] and then from Lucknow (after fall of [[Aurangzeb|Alamgir]]). After Alamgir Punjab was ruled by Sikhs while Marhattas were rulling large part of central India. U.P and [[Nizam|Hyderabad]] were ruled by Muslims till war of independence. The remains of Awadth (Lucknow empire) and Dehli (present day UP) have very deep infleunce on creation of Pakistan and its culture. For example [[Urdu]] language was mostly developed in Delhi and UP regions, in addition to Hyderabad Deccan. Famous peot [[Mir Taqi Mir]] was born in Lucknow in early 18th century. [[Muslim league]] was headquatered in Lucknow before partition and it was founded by nawabs of U.P and Hyderabad. [[Aligarh University]] which provided roots to Pakistan movement was in Aligarh UP. Liaqat Ali Khan and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan were born in U.P and Dehli. The reason Muslim league was born because people who held heritage of Muslim rule were afraid that their heritage will be desctroyed by [[Hindu]] majority. Muhajirs take great pride that Urdu was developed mostly by their ancestors. Urdu also reflects unique heritage of Muhajirs as just like urdu they descended from Indians, Afghan, Turks, Mughals and Arabs converts.

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Islam in India|Muslim cultural heritage of India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan|Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pradesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population. Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but formed a large part of its bureaucracy due its higher educational levels and support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, clashes broke out between [[Urdu]] speakers and [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. It is claimed that President General [[Ayub Khan]] supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

[[ar:مهاجر]]
[[es:Mohajir]]
[[fa:مهاجر]]
[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-16T15:28:38Z

Vikramsingh: /* Historical background */

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

Muhajirs are descends of muslims who were living in minority provinces of India before [[Partition of India|partition]]. Muslims ruled India for 600 years from [[Delhi]] and then from Lucknow (after fall of [[Aurangzeb|Alamgir]]). After Alamgir Punjab was ruled by Sikhs while Marhattas were rulling large part of central India. U.P and [[NIam|Hyderabad]] were ruled by Muslims till war of independence. The remains of Awadth(Lucknow empire) and Dehli (present day UP) have very deep infleunce on creation of Pakistan and its culture. For example urdu language was mostly developed in U.P and in Dehli region. Famous peot Mir Taqi Mir was born in Lucknow in early 18th century. Muslim league was headquatered in Lucknow before partition and it was founded by nawabs of U.P and Hyderabad. Alighar University which provided roots to Pakistan movement was in Aligarh UP. Liaqat Ali Khan and Sir Syed ahmed Khan were born in U.P and Dehli. The reason muslim league was born because people who held heritage of Muslim rule were afraid that their heritage will be desctroyed by hindu majority. Muhajirs take great pride that Urdu was developed mostly by their ancestors. Urdu also reflects unique heritage of Muhajirs as just like urdu they descended from Turks,Arabs,Mughals and Indians converts.

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Islam in India|Muslim cultural heritage of India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan|Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pradesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population. Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but formed a large part of its bureaucracy due its higher educational levels and support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, clashes broke out between [[Urdu]] speakers and [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. It is claimed that President General [[Ayub Khan]] supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

[[ar:مهاجر]]
[[es:Mohajir]]
[[fa:مهاجر]]
[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-15T17:07:17Z

Vikramsingh: /* Pashtun Killers Episode */

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Islam in India|Muslim cultural heritage of India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan|Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pradesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population. Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but formed a large part of its bureaucracy due its higher educational levels and support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, clashes broke out between [[Urdu]] speakers and [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. It is claimed that President General [[Ayub Khan]] supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

[[ar:مهاجر]]
[[es:Mohajir]]
[[fa:مهاجر]]
[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-15T17:03:56Z

Vikramsingh: /* Discrimination */

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Islam in India|Muslim cultural heritage of India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan|Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pradesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population. Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but formed a large part of its bureaucracy due its higher educational levels and support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, Many [[Urdu]] speakers murdered [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. President General [[Ayub Khan]] fully supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

[[ar:مهاجر]]
[[es:Mohajir]]
[[fa:مهاجر]]
[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-15T17:02:38Z

Vikramsingh: /* Culture */

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Islam in India|Muslim cultural heritage of India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan|Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pradesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population. Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but monopolized most of its bureaucracy due to support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, Many [[Urdu]] speakers murdered [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. President General [[Ayub Khan]] fully supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

[[ar:مهاجر]]
[[es:Mohajir]]
[[fa:مهاجر]]
[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-15T17:01:35Z

Vikramsingh: /* Culture */

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Muslim cultural heritage of India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan|Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pradesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population.Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but monopolized most of its bureaucracy due to support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, Many [[Urdu]] speakers murdered [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. President General [[Ayub Khan]] fully supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

[[ar:مهاجر]]
[[es:Mohajir]]
[[fa:مهاجر]]
[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-15T17:01:09Z

Vikramsingh: /* Culture */

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Muslim cultural heritage of India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pardesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population.Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but monopolized most of its bureaucracy due to support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, Many [[Urdu]] speakers murdered [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. President General [[Ayub Khan]] fully supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

[[ar:مهاجر]]
[[es:Mohajir]]
[[fa:مهاجر]]
[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]

Muhajir (Volk)

2007-06-15T17:00:16Z

Vikramsingh: /* Culture */ spelling Uttar Pradesh

{{POV-check}}

:''See [[Muhajir]] page for all Muhajir groups in the world''
{{ethnic group|
|group= Muhajirs
[[Image:Un musharraf.jpg|150px]]
|poptime=13.2 million<ref>taken from [[cia world fact book]] figures based upon the 1998 census of pakistan</ref>-22.5 million {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|popplace=[[Pakistan]],[[Bangladesh]],[[United Kingdom]],[[Saudi Arabia]],[[Australia]],[[United Arab Emirates]],[[United States]],[[Canada]]
|rels=[[Islam]]( a [[Sunni]] majority and a [[Shia]] minority)
|langs=[[Urdu]]
|related= Other [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] peoples [[Punjabis]], [[Memons]], [[Gujaratis]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Sindhis]]}}
'''Muhajir''' or '''Mohajir-Urdu''' (also called Urdu speakers) ([[Urdu]]: مہاجر) is a term widely used to describe the [[Urdu]] speaking [[Muslim]]s who migrated to [[Pakistan]] after the independence of Pakistan and their descendants. As these Muslims came from all over [[India (disambiguation)|India]], the word cannot be used strictly as an ethnic group. They can also be identified as the native [[Urdu]] speakers of [[Pakistan]].
==Origin and meaning==
[[Image:Refugeetrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A train with a group of people affected by the exchange of population during [[partition of India]]]]
[[Image:Partion1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo of a railway station in Pakistan. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and left for the country of their choice. ]]
[[Muhajir]] is an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, widely used in the Muslim world that refers to someone who has emigrated from one place to another. In particular, it refers to the early Muslims, [[Sahaba|companions]] of Prophet [[Muhammad]], who emigrated with him from [[Makkah]] to [[Medina]] in the wake of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]], as opposed to the [[Ansar]], or [[Madina]]n Muslims of the time. (See [[Muhajirun]].)

==Historical background==

==Muhajirs in Pakistan==
{{cquote|'''''We are Pakistani - not by chance but by choice'''''}}

Muhajirs have sizeable population in the urban centres of [[Pakistan]]. They are in majority in the urban areas of [[Sindh]] and have significant population in major urban areas of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Following is the list of cities with significant Muhajir population, according to the government estimates of [[Pakistan]] in 2005.
These percentages represent the population of native speakers of [[Urdu]] w.r.t the total of district's population.

* [[Karachi]], Southern Sindh 49%
* [[Hyderabad]], Central Sindh 34%
* [[Multan]], Southern Punjab 15%
* [[Sukkur]], Northern Sindh 14%
* [[Nawabshah]], Central Sindh 11%
* [[Islamabad]], Capital Territory 10%
* [[Lahore]], Eastern Punjab 10%
* [[Rawalpindi]], Northern Punjab 7%
* [[Bahawalpur]], Southern Punjab 5.5%
* [[Faisalabad]], Central Punjab 5%

Note:
The bifurcation of [[Hyderabad District (Pakistan)|Hyderabad district]] in 2005, into a new urban city district, may have increased the population of [[Urdu]] speaking population to as high as two-thirds of the total district's population.
Karachi and Hyderabad are the only cities of Pakistan that have considerble Muhajir Majority.

==Muhajirs in Bangladesh==
{{main|Biharis}}
{{see also|Stranded Pakistanis}}

In addition to the above population, an estimated 600,000 Urdu speaking Muhajirs from [[Bihar]] State live in 64 refugee camps throughout [[Bangladesh]]

==Culture==
Muhajirs are inheritors of the great [[Muslim]] cultural heritage of [[India (disambiguation)|India]]. Their culture has traits of [[Bengal]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Marwad]] as well as culture of [[Bihar]], and [[Andhra Pardesh]].

===Political ideology===
Muhajirs hold moderate and liberal opinions. Most tend to be secular and support ideals of [[Western culture|Western democracy]]. Most Muhajirs held comfortable vocations in [[British India]].

===Language===
The [[Urdu]] language binds the Muhajir community together. They have been speaking this language as [[Mother tongue]] for many centuries. 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 present Punjabis and native Urdu speakers in India. Though Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] in Pakistan, only about 8% of the population uses it as a mother tongue, but it is still understood and spoken by as much as two-thirds of the population.Urdu still stands as the only language which bridges the communication gap between all Pakistani people, it is well understood all over Pakistan.

Although after emergence of [[Tarraqi-Pasand Tehreek]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] rose as one of the important centers of the Urdu language and produced many praiseworthy poets and story writers.

===Lifestyle===
The urban lifestyle of Pakistan is mostly colored by Muhajirs in the major cities of Pakistan, as they originally immigrated from mostly urban centers of India before the independence of Pakistan. They have literally developed the Pakistani social and cultural values. Most of the Muhajir traditions ranging from [[Clothing|Dress]], [[Cuisine]] and [[Manners]] to [[Marriage]] and [[Funeral]] customs have greatly been influenced by the other ethnic groups of [[Pakistan]], especially the [[Punjabis and Sindhis]]

===Cuisine===
Muhajirs have one of the most exquisite culinary traditions in [[South Asia]]. Many popular foods of [[South Asia]] are essentially of Muhajir origin. [[Urdu]] speaking Indian Muslims invented hundreds of exquisite recipes, especially under the patronage of [[Nawabs]] of U.P and [[Hyderabad State]]. When some of them migrated to urban areas of [[Pakistan]], they carried these rich cuisines with them. Some of the most famous dishes are such as "[[Shami Kebab]]", "[[Biryani]]", "[[Qorma]]", "[[Nihari]]","[[Kheer]]","[[Haleem]]","Halwajat", Bahari Kabab", Nargisi Koftay", "Pati wala Paan" and hundreds of other dishes.
* ''See [[Pakistani cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Persian cuisine]]''
* ''See [[Indian cuisine]]''

==Discrimination==
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
{{NPOV}}

Today, many observers have said that the open discrimination against Muhajirs has considerably been reduced, although the quota system is still applied. This was helped by the fact that some of the top Pakistani figures are of muhajir descent, including people of the performing arts and sports. It is also believed that discrimination against muhajirs has reduced or even vanished in some areas as current President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the Governor of [[Sindh]] are both Muhajirs. In addition to that, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM), which was once a Muhajir political party, is running the city district government of the city of [[Karachi]] and is publicly allied to the central government in [[Islamabad]]. Another reason why discrimination has been reduced, is that many Muhajirs have intermarried with the other ethnic groups of Pakistan.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muhajirs only constituted 7% of the Pakistani population but monopolized most of its bureaucracy due to support provided by federal government. This created resentment in other linguistic and ethnic groups of Pakistan. The Pakistani government tried to create a balance by introducing [[Quotas in Pakistan|job quotas]] in bureaucracy and educational institutions to help other ethnic and linguistic groups to get their fair representation comparable to their share in the Pakistani population. This affirmative action by the government of Pakistan was resented by the Muhajirs who preferred qualification and merit as the only criteria for jobs and admission into universities.

=== Pashtun Killers Episode===
During the [[1964]] Presidential Elections, Many [[Urdu]] speakers murdered [[Pashtuns]] and [[Punjabis]] in [[Karachi]], as they were in favour of [[Fatima Jinnah]]. President General [[Ayub Khan]] fully supported them, with his own family members taking part in it (His son "Gohar Ayub" is reported to personally fired at innocent people during a victory procession at "Lalu Khait"). A Shuhuda-i-[[1964]] mosque was erected in memory of the martyrs at [[Liaquatabad]] a.k.a "Lalu Khait" in [[Karachi]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

===1972 Language Riots===
In [[1972]], ethnic riots broke out between [[Muhajirs]] and native Sindhis in Urban areas of [[Sindh]]. Millions of Mohajirs were killed by Pathans, Punjabi terrorist.

===Massacre of Aligarh===
On [[December 15]], [[1986]], a group of armed MQM Workers attacked the ''Aligarh'', ''Orangi'' and ''Qasba'' colonies and adjacent areas of Karachi and killed innocent people, burnt shops and houses, and raped women.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} Some buses and shops of innocent [[Pashtun]]s and [[Punjabi people|Punjabis]] were burnt and a number of them were attacked the next day, in revenge riots.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} A total of 150 people were killed in the riots.
[http://infotut.com/this-day-in/history/12/15/]

===1992 military operation===
[[June 19]], [[1992]], an army operation was launched by the [[Pakistan Army]] on orders of [[Nawaz Sharif]] which was approved by parliament, to crush the militants in [[Karachi]]. The Army and State Agencies of Pakistan took action against the militants and destroyed them successfully to restore calm in Karachi and Hyderabad. During this time, [[MQM]] leader [[Altaf Hussain]], with help of [[Nawaz Sharif]], left the country. Many observers say that this action by Nawaz Sharif created rifts between him and the Army.

===Muhajirs and the rise of MQM===
The MQM party was formed by Altaf Hussain in 1985 which sought to bring political representation to the Muhajir community. The party currently holds a very strong footing in Karachi and urban Sindh ( Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas & Nawabshah ). Now the MQM is making inroads into the Northern Areas including Azad Kashmir, but has very limited support as [[Kashmiris]] share almost no cultural values with muhajirs, and it is an area where the [[Awami National Party]] has been the traditional stronghold. It is also active abroad, most notably in the UK, the US, and Canada where there is a significant diaspora of Pakistani muhajirs.

===Viewpoint of Muhajir Intelligentsia===
The highly educated class and intelligentsia of Muhajirs has given up its support for MQM, as it has failed to stand up for the rights of [[Urdu]] speakers. They think that instead of fighting for their rights, MQM has killed their own people i.e Muhajirs during the Haqiqi and Haq-Parast feuds. A true nationalist party would never kill the people, for whose rights its fighting for. It is also believed that MQM is an organ of [[Pakistan]]i establishment, with basic objective to terrorize the Muhajirs,instead of fighting for their rights.

===Best Memories of Army Operation===
Although [[Pakistan]]i army was successful in busting the activities of MQM Terrorist Group, It is believed that [[Pakistan Army]] killed hundreds of MQM Terrorist

==Muhajir celebrities after 1947==
''See main article for complete list: [[Famous Muhajirs]]''

=== Politics ===
* [[Muhammed Ali Jinnah|Quaid-e-Azam]]
* [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Pervez Musharraf]]
* [[Altaf Hussain]](Murder Quarrying Movement founder and leader)
* [[Maulana Maududi]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Shaukat Aziz]]
* [[Rahimuddin Khan]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Balochistan )
* [[Moinuddin Haider]](Ex-Governor of Sindh and Federal interior minister)
* [[Muhammed Faisal ]]( International Mediator )Observer (OIC)
* [[Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan]](Current Governor of Sindh)
* [[Azeem Ahmed Tariq]]
* [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (Former Chief of Army Staff)
* [[Aamir Liaquat Hussain]] (Religous Minister for State)
* [[Haider Abbas Rizvi]] (Deputy parliamentary leader of MQM in National Assembly)
* [[Mustafa Kamal]](City Nazim Karachi)
* [[Makhdoom Ali Khan]] (Attorney General Pakistan (2001-Present))
* [[A.K.Brohi]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan)
* [[Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada]] (Former Attorney General Pakistan, Foreign Minister Pakistan and Currently Senior Advisor to Prime Minister)
* [[Farooq Sattar]] ( Deputy Convenor MQM, Parliamentary Leader)
* [[Manzur Qadir]] (Former Foreign Minister Pakistan)

=== Judiciary ===
* [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Hamoodur Rahman]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nasir Aslam Zahid]] (Former Pakistan Supreme Court Judge)
* [[Ajmal Mian]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Mohammad Haleem]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Nazim Hussain Siddiqui]] (Former [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]])
* [[Majida Rizvi]] (First women judge in Pakistani superior judiciary)

=== Diplomats ===
* [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan]]
* [[Sheheryar Khan]]
* [[Zahid Hussain]]

=== Bankers ===
* [[Agha Hasan Abedi]](Founder, BCCI)
* [[Ishrat Husain]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Zahid Hussain]](Founder Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)
* [[Imtiaz Alam Hanafi]](Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan)

=== Industrialists/Entrepreneurs ===
*[[Nasir Schon]](Owner of Schon Group)
*[[Mir Khalil ur Rehman]] (Founder of Jang Group)
*[[Mir Shakil ur Rehman]] (Owner of Jang Group and Geo TV)

===Religious Scholars ===
*[[Syed Sulaiman Nadvi]]
*[[Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani]]
*[[Muhammad Taqi Usmani]]
*[[Muhammad Rafi Usmani]]
*[[Allama Rasheed Turabi]]
*[[Allama Talib Jauhri]]
*[[Israr Ahmed]]
*[[Javed Ahmed Ghamdi]] ( Liberal Islamic Scholar)
*[[Eqbal Ahmed]] (Internationally renowned Muslim Scholar)

=== Educationists ===
* [[Ata ur Rahman]] (chairmen, Higher Education Commission) a Scientists
* [[Pirzada Qasim]](vice chancellor, Karachi University)
* [[Hakim Saeed]] (Shaheed) (vice chancellor, Hamdard University)
* [[Adib ul Hasan Rizvi]](surgeon)
* [[Khalida Ghous]]
* [[Talat A. Wizarat]]
* [[Syed Sikander Mehdi]]
* [[Moonis Ahmar]]
* [[Ghulam Mustafa Khan]]
* [[Abul Lais Siddiqui]]
* [[Abul Khair Kashfi]]
* [[Jameel Jalibi]]
* [[Aslam Farrukhi]]
* [[Yunus Hasni]]

=== Scientists ===
* [[Salimuzzaman Siddiqui]]
* [[Akhtar Hameed Khan]]
* [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]]

=== Art and literature ===
* [[Moulvi Abdul Haq]] (father of modern Urdu)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]] (poet, linguist, lexicographer, researcher, writer)
* [[Syed Qudrat Naqvi]] (Scholar, Critic)
* [[Josh Malihabadi]] (poet, linguist)
* [[Nasir Kazmi]] (poet)
* [[Dilawer Figar]] (humorous poet)
* [[Mahir-ul-Qadri]] (critic, linguist)
* [[Sadequain]] (painter, calligraphist)
* [[Rais Amrohvi]] (journalist, psychoanalyst)
* [[Jon Elia]] (Poet)
* [[Jamiluddin Aali]] (Poet)

=== Performing art and media ===
* [[Tabish Dehlvi]](poet)
* [[Shanul Haq Haqqee]](writer, journalist)
* [[Shaukat Hussain Rizvi]] (producer)
* [[Nadeem]] (film actor)
* [[Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi]](writer)
* [[Umer Sharif]](comedian)
* [[Hasan Askari]](writer)
* [[Ibn-e-Safi]](writer)
* [[Kamal Ahmed Rizvi]] (drama writer)
* [[Haseena Moin]](drama writer)
* [[Mehdi Hassan]] ([[ghazal]] singer)
* [[Ali Haider]](pop singer)
* [[Nazia Hasan and Zohaib Hasan]](pop singers)
* [[Ahmed Rushdi]] (First pop singer of Asia)
* [[Sania Saeed]] (Actress, Activist)
* [[Fatima Surrayya Bajjiya]] (drama writer)
* [[Mohammad Ali (actor)|Mohammad Ali]] (film actor)
* [[Moeen Akhtar]] (actor)
* [[Junaid Jamshed]]
* [[Anwar Maqsood]] (playwright, actor)
* [[Nusrat Hussain]] (musician)
* [[Humayun Saeed]] (actor)
* [[Bilal Maqsood]] (pop musician, [[Strings (Pakistani pop band)|Strings]])
* [[Faisal Kapadia]] (pop musician, Strings)
* [[Sohail Rana]]
* [[Syed Kamal]] (Movie actor)
* [[Santosh Kumar]] (Movie actor)
* [[Darpan]] (Movie actor)
* [[Aziz Mian]] (Qawwal)
* [[Sadia Imam]](T.V actress)
* [[Ahmed Jahanzaib]] (singer)
* [[syed atif Ali]] (Drama writer)

== See also ==
* [[Quotas in Pakistan]]

==References==
* [http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/statistics.html/ Muhajirs in Pakistan]
* [http://www.encarta.msn.com/pakistan]
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=15/ Muhajir-Sindhi Conflict,Research study]
* [http://www.subcontinent.com/sapra/research/regional/regional20001001b.html Pakistan Needs to be Re-Structured]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/15/05.html Silver Jubilee Convention California]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/muhajirs.html Origins Of Muhajirs]
* [http://www.yespakistan.com/education/edu_quotas.asp Quotas and Karachi]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Muhajir Urdu]]

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[[fr:Muhadjir]]
[[ur:مهاجر]]