Genealogy of missing Family Members Post-Partition 1947

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Hello,

I am wondering if anyone can help me track down family members post-partition. My great grandfather was from Jalandahar and left before the Partition and settled in the Pacific. His grand father is from Lahore. He had one brother who also lived in Jalandahar but stopped contacting our family after the partition. we’ve never heard from anyone in our family since.

I’ve heard that most Muslims in Jalandahar left during the partition, so I was wondering if anyone may know how I can start?

My great grandfather’s name is Wali Mohammad, his father’s name is Mehrdad. They lived in Jalandahar, before that, they were from Lahore.

Wali Mohammad left his home in the early 1920’s and moved to the pacific island of Fiji.

Many in our family are assuming that our great grandfathers brother and his family left India for Pakistan, since they already had family in Lahore.

I was wondering if anyone can lead me in the right direction, or point me to an archival record.

Thank you,

Mehrdaad.

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Re: Genealogy of missing Family Members Post-Partition 1947

You do know that many in those towns in East Punjab did not survive the fateful events of partition? How can you be sure they even survived, had they survived wouldn't they have made any contact with your great-grandfather in Fiji after they [hypothetically] reached Pakistan safely. Its highly unlikely that they moved to another place in India after the partition. The entire population of Muslims in that region was wiped out.

By the way why are you asking 3 generations later. Why didn't your great-grandpa return and look in Jalandhar or Lahore?

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Re: Genealogy of missing Family Members Post-Partition 1947

Why are you being so negative? Maybe there is a chance of a reunion through the powers of the Internet.

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Re: Genealogy of missing Family Members Post-Partition 1947

I honestly didn't know that many people in east Punjab were wiped out. We honestly never heard back from anyone. However I sure hope that someday I may be able to reunite or at least talk to one of them again.

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Re: Genealogy of missing Family Members Post-Partition 1947

Thank you, that is my hope.

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Re: Genealogy of missing Family Members Post-Partition 1947

There's no one left in East Punjab, most of them moved to Pakistani Punjab. They'd probably be in Lahore or Faisalabad. Faisalabadis have a distinct Jalandhari kind of accent of Punjabi.

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Re: Genealogy of missing Family Members Post-Partition 1947

Thank you so much, I am assuming that there are some type of records available in Pakistan? If I were to travel to Pakistan, where should I start and who should I contact in advance?

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Re: Genealogy of missing Family Members Post-Partition 1947

There are many families in Lahore and adjoining cities who migrated from jalandhar, amritsar, hushiyaarpur and other cities. These families are always referred as “ones” migrated from such and such cities. It is also possible to know that in which particular area of jalandhar or Lahore ur family resided and to ask any families living there at present about ur great grandfather. Another bet can be to call some senior librarian in Quaid-e-Azam library Lahore and ask for such archives. Here is the website of the library, Quaid-e-Azam Library
Another person coming to my mind is this blogger who is a budding journalist and also worked on some “aman ki asha” project between India and Pakistan. He might be of any help may be…here is his blog..Shiraz Hassan

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Re: Genealogy of missing Family Members Post-Partition 1947

Thanks for the reference and help, I really appreciate it. Shukria.