The common characteristics of a people, especially a group sharing a common and distinctive culture, religion and language.

The common characteristics of a people, especially a group sharing a common and distinctive culture, religion and language.

1. Ethnicity Prepared by Zunera Memon

2. Ethnicity Ethnicity is defined as: The common characteristics of a people, especially a group sharing a common and distinctive culture, religion and language. Some countries are more ethnically heterogeneous than others meaning that these countries are home to a great diversity of ethnic groups. Factors of heterogenetic ethnicity factors encourage ethnic diversity in a country including large size isolated populations migrations from various other countries, etc

3. What are ethnic divides Knowing that ethnicity forms a group of people using a common characteristics it is quite clear that various such groups may not get along. The act of treating someone differently based on their ethnicity is called an ethnic divide . It can be because one ethnic group is not treated well to others. One example is the separation of Bangladesh in 1971 The Bengalis separated because they felt neglected, this is an ethnic divide based on political and social.

4. Ethnic Division Historically, When tensions with East Pakistan, modern day Bangladesh, were rising, one of the many reasons for conflict was the language issue. Now, at surface, it may seem that administrative differences led to escalation, however it can be argued that language might have sown the seeds of divide. When Jinnah was asked to include Bengali as one of the official languages of Pakistan, the request was denied. This might have well led into the Eastern wing believing they are being neglected. Eventually after severe conflicts, Bangladesh came into being in 1971.

5. Ethnic groups Religion based Language/culture based Muslims Non-Muslims Caste Based SHIAS SUNNIS AHMADIS HINDUS CHRISTIANS JEWS SINDHI PUSHTO PUNJABI BALOCHI Rajput Jatt Sheikh Mughal

6. Ethnic Groups In Pakistan

7. SPOKEN LANGUAGES

8. PUNJABI

9. Ethnic Groups In Pakistan Punjabi Punjabis are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group, and they are the largest ethnic group in Pakistan by population, numbering approximately 91 million people and thus consisting of 44.7% of Pakistan's total population of 200 million. The Punjabis found in Pakistan belong to groups known as biradaris (literally 'brotherhood'), with further divisions between the zamindar or qoums , traditionally associated with agriculture, and moeens , traditionally associated with artisan. Some zamindars are further divided into castes such as Rajput, Jat, Shaikh, Khatri, Khandowa , Gujjar, Awan, Arain and Syed. Ethnicities from neighbouring regions such as Kashmiris, Pashtuns and Baluchis also form a sizeable portion of the population of Punjab, especially in metropolises such as Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and Faisalabad. A large number of Punjabis descend from groups historically associated with skilled professions and crafts, such as the Sunar, Lohar, Kumhar , Tarkhan, Julaha , Mochi, Hajjam, Chhimba Darzi, Teli , Qassab , Mallaah , Dhobi, Mirasi , etc. The Pakistani Punjab is relatively religiously homogenous, with 97% of the population adhering to Islam (with small Hindu, Sikh and Christian minorities). Notable Punjabi-Pakistanis include Nobel laureate Abdus Salam, cricketer Wasim Akram and economist Mahbub al Haq. 

10. PASHTUNS

11. Pashtuns   Pashtuns (also referred to as ' Pukhtuns ' or 'Pathans'), an Indo-Iranian ethno-linguistic group, are Pakistan's second largest ethnicity (consisting 15% of the population). They are native to the region known as Pashtunistan , an area west of the Indus River including the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan , constitute a significant diaspora community in the cities of Lahore, Punjab and Karachi, Sindh and are also a major ethnic group among the 1.7 million Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers in Pakistan. They speak Pashto, an Iranian language and are divided into tribes such as Afridi and Yousafzai. They make up an estimated 35 million of Pakistan's total population and are adherent to Sunni Islam. Notable Pakistani-Pashtuns include former president Ayub Khan, former prime minister Imran Khan, cricketers Shahid Afridi and Shaheen Afridi, actor Fawad Khan and Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai.

12. SINDHIS

13. The sindhis The Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who speak the Sindhi language and are native to the Sindh province of Pakistan which was previously a part of pre-partition British India. Sindhis are predominantly Muslim. Sindhi Muslim culture is highly influenced by Sufi doctrines and principles. Some of the popular cultural icons are Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai , Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Jhulelal , Sachal Sarmast . Notable Pakistani-Sindhi include Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Abdul Sattar Edhi, Abida Parveen.

14. saraikis Saraikis are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group. Saraikis speak the language Seraiki and are settled in southern part of Punjab. This is the second largest community in Punjab. There are almost 20 million 35.  34 Saraiki people in Pakistan. Notable Pakistani-Saraiki include Pathanay Khan, Attaullah Esa Khelvi , Yusuf Raza Gillani. 

15. Muhajirs Muhajirs (meaning "refugees") are also called "Urdu Speaking people". Muhajirs are a collective multiethnic group, which emerged by the migration of Indian Muslims from various parts of India to Pakistan starting in 1947, as a result of world's largest mass migration. Majority of Muhajirs are settled in Sindh mainly in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mirpur Khas. But there are other parts of Pakistan, including cities like Lahore, Multan, Islamabad, Peshawar where Muhajirs have sizable community. Muhajirs held a dominating position during the nation building early years of Pakistan. Most Muslim politicians of pre-independence era who supported the Pakistan movement were Urdu speakers. The term Muhajir is also used for descendants of Muslims who migrated to Pakistan after the 1947 partition of India.

16. The Baloch's The Baloch as an Iranic ethnic group are principally found in the east of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Despite living south towards the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian sea for centuries, they are classified as a northwestern Iranic people in accordance to their language which belongs to the northwestern subgroup of Iranic languages. According to Dr. Akhtar Baloch, Professor at University of Karachi, the Balochis migrated from Balochistan during the Little Ice Age and settled in Sindh and Punjab. The Little Ice Age is conventionally defined as a period extending from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, or alternatively, from about 1300 to about 1850. Although climatologists and historians working with local records no longer expect to agree on either the start or end dates of this period, which varied according to local conditions. According to Professor Baloch, the climate of Balochistan was very cold and the region was inhabitable during the winter so the Baloch people migrated in waves and settled in Sindh and Punjab.

17. Kashmiris Kashmiri are a Dardic (subgrouping of Indo-Aryan) ethnic group native to the Kashmir Valley and Azad Kashmir. The majority of Kashmiri Muslims are Sunni. They refer to themselves as " Kashur " in their mother language. Kashmiri Muslims are descended from Kashmiri Hindus and are also known as 'Sheikhs'. Presently, the Kashmiri Muslim population is predominantly found in Kashmir Valley. Smaller Kashmiri communities also live in other regions of the Jammu and Kashmir state. One significant population of Kashmiris is in the Chenab valley region, which comprises the Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts of Jammu. There are also ethnic Kashmiri populations inhabiting Neelam Valley and Leepa Valley of Azad Kashmir. Since 1947, many ethnic Kashmiri Muslims also live in Pakistan. Many ethnic Kashmiri Muslims from the Kashmir Valley also migrated to the Punjab region during Dogra and Sikh rule and adopted the Punjabi language. Surnames used by Kashmiris living in Punjab include Dar (Dhar), Butt (Bhat), Lone, Mir, Khuwaja (a term used by converts just like sheikh), Wain (Wani), Sheikh ( Saprus ), etc. Kashmiri language, or Kashur , belongs to the Dardic group and is the most widely spoken Dardic language.

18. Bengalis  Bengalis in Pakistan form at least 1% of Pakistani population. Their roots in Pakistan dates back to 1940s when the eastern part of Bengal in undivided India joined Pakistan. Between 1947 and 1971, many Bengalis migrated to Pakistan. Though some returned to Bangladesh after its independence, a small number remained in Pakistan. Examples of Pakistani Bangladeshis include Jharna Basak , Runa Laila, and Robin Ghosh. Brahuis The Brahui or Brahvi people are a Pakistani ethnic group of about 2.2 million people with the vast majority found in Balochistan , Pakistan. They are a small minority group in Afghanistan, where they are native, but they are also found through their diaspora in Middle Eastern states. They mainly occupy the area in Balochistan from Bolan Pass through the Bolan Hills to Ras Muari (Cape Monze ) on the Arabian sea, separating the Baloch people living to the east and west. The Brahuis are almost entirely Sunni Muslims.

19. Factors contributing to ethnicity Decline of Muslim League after formation of Pakistan Linguistic division Karachi as hub of ethnic discord Provincial differences Ignorance of the Issues Non-availability of socio-economic justice Negation of true democracy Autocratic and centralized rule Absence of power sharing Provincial disharmony

20. Decline of Muslim League after formation of Pakistan Pakistan came into being as a result of a popular struggle and vote, but the Muslim League which came into power was not a political party but a movement with Quaid-e-Azam as a focal point. His early death was a great set-back to the nation and fruit of independence could not reach the populace as in India but developed in the hands of landlords pirs and the link. The categories did not have common philosophy for themselves. Seeing this , the civil service assumed by the military, and they ruled it directly and indirectly. This created a sense of deprivation and frustration amongst the people of Pakistan in general and in the people of smaller provinces.

21. Karachi as hub of ethnic discord According to the 1998 census , 48 per cent of the city's population is Urdu-speaking, 14 percent Punjabi-speaking, 12 per cent Pushto-speaking 9 per cent is Sindhi-speaking. The rest of the population speaks all the remaining languages of Pakistan. Almost 75 percent of the population of the city lives in settlements or neighborhoods segregated based on ethnicity. This is not just true of low-income settlements but also of lower middle-income and some· middle-income settlements as well. As such, the city is physically divided along ethnic lines , and in an increasing number of cases, along religious lines as well. Crossing from one ethnically defined neighborhood to the other is, in many cases, no longer possible.

22. a.Ethnically homogenous settlements: Ethnically homogenous settlements exist in many global cities. However, unlike these cities, the services of state and justice delivery institutions in Karachi have become weak and corrupt due to helplessness in the face of an ever-expanding population, and more so due to neglect by an unconcerned and self-indulgent social, bureaucratic and political elite. Ethnic Organizations: Today, in Karachi, if a person needs a job, or wants to get his child admitted to a school, wants a domicile certificate, wishes to get a 'FIR registered, or get a friend released from legal or illegal police custody, he will go to his ethnic organization or networks. He may also have to pay some amount of money for this service, but it is easier and cheaper to do this than go to a state agency. In recent years, it has also become common for ethnic networks to resolve family and property disputes.

23. Voting on the basis of ethnicity: As a result of these realities , Karachi today votes on ethnic lines. By and large, Pakhtuns vote for the JUI and ANP. Sindhis and Baloch vote for the PPP, Middle-class Punjabis vote for the Muslim League Urdu speakers for the MOM. Before 1992, this was not so. People, voted along ideological and class lines, although there was an ethnic element in the choice of ideologies. Different ethnic groups today toe their party lines which divides Karachi further. Muhajirs feel that the Talibanization of Karachi is a real threat and that the Pakhtuns are responsible for it. Similarly, the Pakhtuns feel that target killing is carried out by Urdu speakers and aimed at ousting them from Karachi. The Sindhis and Baloch feel that the MOM is responsible for the Karachi conflict so that it can use it to strengthen its negotiating position with the PPP and ANP. What is serious about this situation is that at the local level, there is no communication between these differing points of view. Meanwhile, in the last 12 months, at least 17 estate agents and three land rights activists were murdered in Karachi and an unspecified number of estate agents have disappeared. Conversations with estate agents in locations where these killings took place reveal a situation not too different from other global cities such as Mumbai and Seoul, except that in these cities, unlike Karachi, killings are rare.

24. Provincial differences: We are stuck in the deep marshes of ethnic and provincial differences. The people of Pakistan - from the shores of Arabian sea to the Himalayan Range - should understand that united we can contribute to bringing a positive change in Pakistan. The problem is within ourselves. We are divided within our own country so that external enemies with the policy of divide do not need to employ any special exertion with a purpose to obstruct Pakistan the access to progression . In a speech in Dhaka, Quaid-e- Azam addressed 300,000 people on March 21, 1948, he said: "Now I ask you to get rid of this provincialism, because as long as you allow this poison to remain in the body politic of Pakistan, believe me, you will never be a strong nation, and you will never be able to achieve what I wish we could achieve. There was no grand concept of provincialism at the time of Jinnah, yet the great leader knew the ethnic problem along with provincialism could hamper Pakistan in the days to come. Such was the vision and safety margin of Jinnah about the future politics of Pakistan that he cautioned to avert from provincialism.

25. Ignorance of the Issues Today, if Pakistan has not progressed the reason is because of these issues remain ignored by us. Perhaps we consider these issues infinitesimal, but they still deserve our attention in order to bring Pakistan to the height of glories as Quaid -e Azam dreamt.

26. Non-availability of socio-economic justice: Briefly, the issue of ethnicity in Pakistan is closely linked with the social economic and political elements of the state structures. The close linkage makes the problem more intricate and complex.

27. Negation of true democracy Unfortunately, the politics of Pakistan has never been placed on some specific philosophy, program or principle. It has been in a negation of all the ingredients of a true democracy .It has always been confined to prisons and personalities. Ever since partition the only motive behind the political alliances has been for personal gain, power and wealth. Political parties are the personal fiefdom of political leaders, scions of inter-related families of landlords, pirs, nawabs, industrialists, business tycoons and generals. They conspire and intrigue with civil or military bureaucracy to achieve, retain and perpetuate power. This treacherous act of traditional politicians overlapped. the very sense of democracy and brotherhood of motherland.

28. Autocratic and centralized rule The political and the administration structure with its highly centralized state power completely failed in providing effective popular governance. It strongly resisted the equitable distribution of power in which the elite protected its own interest. Autocracy and centralized rule practiced by the past rulers both military and civil has damaged democracy, destroyed national institutions and kept a healthy political cultural from flourishing._ It has created the sense of deprivation amongst between the masses through the country and has widened the gap between the haves and have-nets.

29. Absence of power sharing The power sharing problem has played a vital role in the political scene of the country. The most tragic outcome of this issue is the creation of Bangladesh which has encouraged the sense of regionalism in the smaller provinces as well ethnic groups of the country. The demand for Sindhudesh and the Saraiki province are closely linked with the same ethnic sentiments of the province of Bengal now known as Bangladesh which had been a wing of Pakistan up to its separate in 1971 .

30. Provincial disharmony Provincial disharmony has risen out of the neglect and deprivation of smaller provinces. The centralization of power has encouraged internal dissension and disharmony. It has weakened the state and aggravated the multidimensional crises the people face in their daily life. This has resulted in deteriorating political and social fabric of the country. All the provinces were devoid of effective power and the Centre enjoyed the power in majority of the subjects. Most of these were required to be decentralized and restored to the provinces and from there to grass - roots level. But no concrete effort was made by any military or democratic government of Pakistan .

31. National integration background/current status of ethnic divide Pakistan is a multilingual and multiethnic nation.most of the people belong to one of the countrys five major ethnolinguistic groups Punjabis.

32. National Integration National integration is the awareness of a common identity amongst the citizens of a country. It means that though we belong to different castes, religions and regions and speak different languages we recognize the fact that we are all one. This kind of integration is very important in the building of a strong and prosperous nation.

33. Following are the major obstacles interposed in Pakistan: Following are the major obstacles interposed in Pakistan: Provincialism and parochialism Linguistic differences Racial differences Inequitable distribution of wealth Undemocratic governments Bureaucracy Feudal system Illiteracy Ignorance of religious and moral values Negative role of media War culture

34. Provincialism Pakistan has four provinces Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan ; these provinces are the branches of one whole. But the bases of provincialism and parochialism in the inhabitants of these provinces cause national integrity to fail . Linguistic Differences Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. It is a source of national integration. But unfortunately, there has been left some laxity in the implementation of Urdu as a national language. So linguistic biases become an obstacle in the way of national integration. Racial Difference Racial differences and ethnic differences are also a major obstacle in the way of national integration Unequal distribution of wealth Wealth should be divided equally into all the strata of society. Improper and unequal distribution of wealth causes an obstacle in the way of national Integration. Poverty, inequitable distribution of wealth, the difference between the living standards of the people of different areas of the country. Undemocratic Governments Some provide of undemocratic value, which creates discontentment among the deprived classes of the people is the major obstacle in the way of National Integrity.

35. Bureaucracy Autocratic behaviour of bureaucracy hinders in the way of national integration. The behaviour of the bureaucracy is looking at by the people as the representative of some special classes and areas of the country. Feudal system The monarchs of feudalism to pamper national integration in the society because the emergence of national integration in the society is ill-treated to their monarchy . Illiteracy Illiteracy makes people indulge in a trail of bases. They don’t calculate the significance of national integration . Ignorance of Religious Values Our religion has taught us to be integrated and united. But we have forgotten the lessons taught to us by our religion. This unawareness of the religious and moral values hinders in the way of national integration. Negative Role of the Media: Media sometimes propagates the feelings of commutative mistrust and disgust. This is a serious blow on the face of national integrity. War Culture War culture is the root cause of poverty and economic and cultural setback. War culture is the mother of all evils. It breeds national disintegration in society .