Re: Gujars
Leaving aside your personal attacks on me, seems like you have a serious comprehension problem. I already had given you the explanations backed by genetic studies including the link/url with the complete study. Ok now try focusing this time:
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I have lived all my life in Pakistan and know many Punjabis and Pashtuns, and it is no secret that many of them look alike with similar physical features. Now I am not saying that “all” of them look exactly the same, of course they dont, but many of them do. Furthermore, the genetic studies itself proves that they have great similarities in their genes. Your ignorance seems to stem from the perceptions on “whiteness” which is irrelevent on race and more dependent on long term natural environment.
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The map may not have included Punjabis, but I have given you other references for it, including the complete study. The map does have Sindhis who are known to be racially very similar to Punjabis, and surprisingly the Sindhi genes are not that different from Pashtuns in that map. The Pashtuns in the map approximately have 50% W. Eurasian and 50% South Asian genes. And according to Encyclopedia Britannica, “In a 2004 Stanford study conducted with a wide sampling from India, including 112 Punjabis, and selected other countries, displayed the following: Broadly, the average proportion of mtDNAs from West Eurasia among Indian caste populations is 17%. In the western States of India and in Pakistan their share is greater, reaching over 30% in Kashmir and Gujarat, nearly 40% in Indian Punjab, and peaking, expectedly, at approximately 50% in Pakistan.” It just proves that Pakistanis (including Punjabis) are by large racially/genetically distinct from Indians and are similar to Pashtuns.
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If you read the complete genetic studies, it does state that Parsis have South Asian genes because they had intermarried with local (Gujarati/etc) women through the centuries. This is a common phenomenon among migrants who get racially mixed with the natives yet are able to preserve their identity. Not to mention Parsis have adopted much of the culture/language of their adopted lands.
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Dravidian is not a race, rather it is a linguistic identity. For example, Brauhis are mostly Caucasoid by race similar to their neighbors yet they speak a Dravidian language. It just happens to be that Dravidians in South India carry genes that are closer to the Australoid Race. The “South Asian” racial classification in the genetic studies are distinct genetic traits/markers specifically dominant in the South Asian region, may be related to the Australoid race (not the same though just evolved).
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There is no such thing as “pure race”. So naturally there are no clear racial boundaries in the world. However, nations do possess certain unique racial characteristics (blend) making them distinct from the others. In this aspect, on average Pakistanis are racially distinct from the Indians (also proven by genetic studies). Comparisons/differences are made on the “most” vs the “most” of each country’s population. There is whole world of difference when genetic studies indicate that on an average Indian population has 17% of W. Eurasian genes whereas Pakistanis have 50% of those genes.
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Pakistan might have been created on the basis of religion, but nations evolve over time and make changes to make more sense based on current realities. For example, United States was created for certain people/reasons and today has evolved to a very different one. Pakistan cannot survive in the long run solely on the basis of religion. If only religion was the basis of Pakistan then why was Bangladesh created/separated, why are there still as many Muslims in India as in Pakistan, why are Pakistan’s borders not open to all Mulsim countries, etc?
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The fact is Pakistan was not created for all Muslims of British India. According to Allama Iqbal, Rehamt Ali, etc. Pakistan was suppose to be created only as a federation of Muslim-majority states of Northwest British India. According to them, E. Bengal was suppose to be a different country and so were other smaller Muslim states within India. Population exchange was never suppose to happen. But as we know things did not turn out the way it was suppose to, at least initially.
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With secularism on the rise and lessening of Islamocentrism among Pakistanis, it is imperative that a stronger identity be created/modified for Pakistanis which is not solely based on Islam. This will ensure Pakistan’s long-term existence. Here comes the following factors to unite the different ethnic groups of Pakistan:
i) Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtuns, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Balochs, etc. are linguistically an Indo-Iranian people.
ii) Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtuns, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Balochs, etc. share a common history/heritage such as Harappans, Aryans, Greeks, Persians, Scythians, Kushans, Hephthalites, Arabs, Turks, Mughals, etc.
iii) Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtuns, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Balochs, etc. are mostly Caucasoid by race with several variations (mixed with other races).
iv) Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtuns, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Balochs, etc. share a common geography and economy based around Indus river and its tributaries.
v) Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtuns, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Balochs, etc. share a culture (with variations) derived from a blend of Indo-Iranian and Islamic roots.
vi) Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtuns, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Balochs, etc. share a common religion as Muslims.
By the way, emphasizing on the commonalities is vital to building a strong national identity, however, this cannot be achieved without a fair/equitable system in the country. That is to say, eliminating Urdu as Pakistan’s national language, protecting native cultures/language, fair/equitable distribution of resources, democracy & education, and religious/social freedoms are essential for Pakistan’s long term survival.
More later… Regards
