Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

karachi is a part of sindh. he needs to read its history. karachi has seen pashtun and punjabi migrants pre-1947 -

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

This ratio has recently been brought down sharpely after fast-track overnight bharti of MQM Nazi party's militant SS wing, which fought its first battle under the new banner on May 12th...

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

did nt the ANP have hindko, punjabi, balochi members and higher ranks?

benazir was hardly a typical sindhi girl - im sure she would consider 99% of her own sindhi population rats too.

and is nt mr sharif a kashmiri origin person?

i doubt the pakhtun parties are the most racist - they have not spilt the blood of other ethnicities unlike the MQM. the MQM are the only openly xenophobic party in pakistan - it is the only political party which has carried out ethnic cleansing.

i think the paktun parties strive for the rights of pakhtuns overall. i believe most of their demands are just. i believe some of the MQM demands are just too - but i hope these thus never secure it or their people. i hope some decent group secures the rights of karachites. nationalism does not equate racism.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

Still it is more than 60% for sure so overall it doesnt change much. Plus we are assuming that all the new jawans from Sindh and Balochistan are being encouraged to join the army to challenge the old pathan/panjabi establishment which is not true because the new jawans from these two under represented provinces are as loyal and patriotic pakistanis as the rest of us. The end result is more balanced and stronger Pakistan Army.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

AN INTERESTIG BUT EXTREMELY BIASED POST MY COMMENTS IN CAPITALS........YOU APPEAR TOBE TAREGTING SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

As for Parties in Pakistan, one should look at the parties and see if they allow representation of all ethnicity in their party or not. For instance, we should check how many representatives in ANP are non-Pakhtuns, how many representatives in PPI are not Punjabi and Pukhtuns, etc. We have to also see if ANP is run by Punjabis in Punjab, Sindhi or Muhajir in Sindh or not. If party have members in provincial and national assemblies, we have to see if they have member on basis of non-ethnicity in assemblies or not.

THE ANP HAS OR HAS HAD HINDKO, PUNJABI, BALOCHI LEADERS OR MEMBERS. MAZARI WAS A BALOCH. BILOURS ARE NOT PAKHTUN ETHNICALLY.

As for judging people who are racist and ethnic, we can easily find them out, even on this forum as some of these people would:

3: Would talk about provincial autonomy and right of province on provincial resources and consider that Punjab is robbing them, but would never talk about right of Sindh on federal revenues collections in Sindh

THIS STATEMENT SEEMS TO BE DIRECTED AT POSSIBLY 2 PROVINCES. A CLUE - YOU HAVE MENTIONNED SINDH AND PUNJAB - I ASSUME YOUR COMMENTS ARE DIRECTED AT THE MISSING 2.

5: Many of their posts write that Pakistan is confederation and oppose the idea of dividing Pakistan into smaller administrative units.

THIS IS NOT AN ETHNIC ISSUE BUT A POLITICAL ISSUE. THERE ARTE PROS AND CONS OF SMALLER ADMIN UNITS.

6: Claim to have their distinct ethnicity and show how proud they are because of their ethnicity.

WE ARE ALL ETHNICALLY DISTINCT WITH CULTURAL DFFERENCES BUT NONE IS SUPERIOR.

7: Would like the name of NWFP changed on the basis of ethnicity to Pakhtunistan or Pakhtunkhowa.

THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A RACIST ISSUE.

8: Supported Bugti because they believe that Bugti was hero because Bugti was fighting for Baloch (ethnic) cause.

THE OTHER OPTION WAS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO NEVER EVER DID ANYTHIN FOR THEM.

9: When discussing Balochistan would show from their post that development of Gowader means huge influx of people from outside Balochistan and that to them is wrong as Gawadar belongs to Baloch, not Pakistanis.

THIS INSECURITY IS SPECIFICALLY STATE CAUSED. DONT BLAME THE BALOCH BUT THE IGNORANT PEOPLE IN POWER OF PAKISTAN

10: Would be happy moving to Karachi (Sindh) as right and would like freedom to move to other provinces unhindered, but would hate people from Karachi and Punjab to move to their provinces. These people would never like domination in their area from anyone but would love to show dominance if they can in other part of Pakistan as their right.

ERM ALL PROVINCES OF PAKISTAN CONTAIN LARGE NUMBERS OF MIGRANTS.

12: Would talk about differences of people in Pakistan on basis of language and culture, and would write how proud they are of their ethnicity and culture, and thus hate the idea of One Pakistan for all without distinction of ethnic background.

YOUR STATEMENT CONTAINS 2 DIFFEENT FACTORS. BEING PROUD OF YOUR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IS ONE THING BUT THEN HOWWOULD YOU GET A PAKISTAN WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF ETHNIC BACKGROUND. ARE YOU ASKING PEOPLE TOGIVE UP THEIR CULTURE FOR A UNIFIED CULTURE?

13: Would hate Urdu or even Punjabi as national language because it hurt their ethnic feelings.

URDU IS A GOOD NATIONAL LANGUAGE - IT IS UNDERSTOOD FROM KABUL TO DHAKKA. PUNABI IS TREATED AS A NATIONALLANGUAGE WHEN YOU SEE MAINSTREAM PAKISTANI CHANNELS PROMOTE PUNJABI MUSIC AS OPPOSED TO OTHER LANGUAGES.

14: Would always show their hate for others on basis of ethnicity and are proud of their ethnicity so much that they would be proud to call themselves Pakhtun and Afghans (as Afghanistan for them is Pakhtunistan) and whoever they won’t like they would call them Punjabis or Muhajirs.

THIS IS A COMLEX AND TRICKY ISSUE. BEING AFGHAN IS AN ETHNICITY NOT NECESSARILY A NATIONALITY. IF A PASHTUN REJECTS BEING PART OF PAKISTAN ITS NOT NECESSARILY RACIST BUT SIMPLY THEY FEEL THEY HAVE IN COMMON WITH THOSE TO THE WEST.

15: If Muhajir get killed in Karachi it is fine but along with Muhajir if Pakhtun or others also get killed, that would be ethnic killing. For these people, killing of Muhajirs in Karachi by Naseer-ullah Baber was national heroism.

HATE IS HATE. THOSE THAT DO NOT PITY THE UNFORTUNATE ARE POOR SOULS INDEED.

16: Would always talk about past personalities that they believe represent them but would never talk about personalities that do not represent them (in ethnic sense, religious sense or sectarian sense).

ITS A SHAME FOR THE MUSLIM WORLD AS A WHOLE. SHOULD THE REVERENCE OF JINNAH AND ALLAMA IQBAL STOP BECAUSE THEY ARE NO LONGER HERE? THEY TOO FT IN TO PAST PERSONALITIES.

Well, there are many clear signs of these people and one can easily tell who in Pakistan are ethnic and racist. One should know them and know what they are, and be aware of them.

MY EXPERIENCE - PAKISTAN IS AN EXTREMELY RACIST COUNTRY. EVERY ETHNICITY HAS PRE-CONCEIVED NOTIONS OF OTHER ETHNICITIES AND CASTES.

YOU FORGET TO MENTION THOSE THAT OFTEN ARE THE BUTT OF JOKES. YOU SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER THOSE PEOPLE RACIST WHO REPEAT ETHNIC JOKES. AND WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CASTE SYSTEMS?

THE INTENT OF YOUR MESSAGE IS CLEAR - IT IS AIMED CLEARLY AT PAKHTUNS AND BALOCHIES. NATIONALISM IN PAKISTAN IS THERE BECAUSE PAKISTAN DOES NOT UNDERSTAND MULTI-CULTURALISM AND ANY ATTACK ON THE WAY PROVINCES ARE TREATED WITHIN PAKISTAN IS CONSIDERED TREACHEROUS.

UNTIL THE MENALITY IS CHANGED - NOTHING ELSE WILL.

)
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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

Who?

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

Not only lawyers but also politians as well can get away with it.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

i think mazari was a baloch ....you should actually read up about the ANP and its members before makign sweeping statements.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

There is no racism in Pakistan.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

the Joke: .. I hope that your post was not serious and it was joke, right? :) Anyhow, since some people might take the joke seriously, I feel I am obliged to clear what your wrote

Well, if one would see things the way you see, they would have made assumptions and picked anything, however irrelevant, in other peoples thoughts. Right? Fact is that I have not targeted any specific communities but targeted specific behaviours amongst some Pakistanis that even though they may not think is racially (or ethnicity) motivated, it is.

Just look at your comments and what I wrote :). Did I wrote anywhere that these parties are ethnic or that they do not have (or have) people from other ethnicity (as what you seems to have assumed from your post). When I wrote, ‘check how many’, it clearly means that I took into account if there are some (or even a lot of) members from other ethnicity, right?

If I wanted to claim that these parties are completely ethnic, than don’t you think, instead of using the word ‘check how many’, I would have written ‘check** why they do not have any’**, right?

Again, If I wanted to claim that they are 100 percent ethnic in other provinces too, instead of writing ‘if’ and ‘or not’ above, wouldn’t I have used the word ‘why’? Again, instead of ‘if’ I would have used the word ‘why’ in my last sentence above, right.

If I had written the above paragraph this way then you could have made comment that my post was ethnic (or party) specific: As for Parties in Pakistan, one should look at the parties and see why they do not allow representation of other ethnicity in their party. For instance, we should question why all representatives in ANP are Pakhtuns, why all representatives in PPI are Punjabi and Pukhtuns, etc. We have to question why ANP is run by only Pakhtuns even in Punjab and Sindh. We should question why all their party members belong to their ethnicity in provincial and national assemblies

What I wrote: As for Parties in Pakistan, one should look at the parties and see if they allow representation of all ethnicity in their party or not. For instance, we should check how many representatives in ANP are non-Pakhtuns, how many representatives in PPI are not Punjabi and Pukhtuns, etc. We have to also see if ANP is run by Punjabis in Punjab, Sindhi or Muhajir in Sindh or not. If party have members in provincial and national assemblies, we have to see if they have member on basis of non-ethnicity in assemblies or not.

And that is not ethnic (or party) specific, as that paragraph can be true for all parties, ethnic and multi-ethnic, Just change the name of the party and ethicity mentioned]

Don’t you think that your assumptions are based on your own feelings? How can you say that my mentioning two provinces mean I have only vindicated people of other provinces for this statement and left these two provinces?

Fact is that, there are people in all provinces that talk about provincial autonomy and there are people in all provinces who would like to see Pakistan as one country without any ethnicity divisions.

I used the wording ‘Punjab robbing them’ as that is used by most ethnic based people outside Punjab, whereas those that value ethnicity in Punjab (and many in other provinces) never talk about federal revenue collection from Sindh and what Sindh gets out of it, that is federal revenue collection of around 70 percent coming from Sindh, still Sindh in return gets back fraction of that.

I do not consider that political but I consider that ethnic issue, as I believe that if Pakistan is divided into smaller administrative units, all ethnic issue would disappear, as there would be many units with similar ethnic background and thus there would be no politics on basis of ethnicity, as all units would be working for their interest and would be competing with other units (even if other unit is of same ethnicity).

Smaller administrative units would mange their affairs better and would work harder to improve their life, and in return overall strength of the country. Their hard work would be seen by people living in the unit easier.

Ethnicity builds over years by people having similar political interests, but still it is human creations and has little substance. A Punjabi can be Hindu Brahmin or untouchable, could be from Arab, Persian or Turkish stock, could be black or brown in colour, could be tall or short, could be Sikh or Muslim, could be Arab, Aryan or Dravidian stock, could be Raja or Chaudhari, could be of any background, still they would claim their ethnicity as Punjabi, because that is to do with history, culture, language or whatever, that people adopted living there and that is fluid, without substance and can change. Same can be said for any ethnicity living in Pakistan.

Now, we have different political reality and thus I believe that ethnicity in Pakistan should change to that new political reality, that means a Pakistani ethnicity.

It is racist or ethnic issue. There are many different people that live in NWFP and thus name of that province should not represent any ethnicity but should be based on no-ethnicity. Actually, if Pakistan gets divided into smaller administrative areas, all provincial names would disappear and we would have new administrative areas on their district names, and thus ethnicity related names would disappear, making Pakistan a country with one ethnicity consisting of diverse people, living in different administrative areas.

Again talking about them and us only bring ethnicity back into question. Why people do not talk about them and us on basis of class in the country? Is it not true that Akber Bugti himself have not done much for people who call themselves Bugti, rather it was he who persecuted Bugties more then anyone else? Same is true everywhere in Pakistan. Upper classes of all provinces do nothing for people of lower class in their province, but talk about other ethnicity doing nothing.

If President Musharraf is spending a lot of resources in Balochistan, why anyone should think that he is spending resources on one ethnicity or another, but one should think that he is spending resources to develop land and Pakistani people that were deprived before, without thinking about them and us.

For me, I would prefer that people look at Akbar Bugti as Pakistani and do not consider him Baloch, Punjabi or Sindhi but of Pakistani ethnicity, that’s all. I would like to consider that same for any person of Pakistani ethnicity and hope that if not today, it should get established soon that no ethnicity lives in Pakistan, other then Pakistani ethnicity.

Does state do anything to stop people from moving from one province to another? Is it not true that many Baloch move to other provinces to earn their living? I believe that all worries are nothing to do with ethnicity but to do with that created feeling of ethnicity that keeps some vested interest survive and use it to create separation and fear in others.

Well, all provinces that have opportunity for others do take people from other provinces. Problem is that, there are areas in Pakistan that would not allow as they fear freedom of movement in Pakistan (as Gawder development and some ethnic people concerns shows), that keeps their area underdeveloped and results in them living in area based on ethnicity (the fear of domination by other Pakistanis in their area disgust them), while they themselves move to other areas to find jobs is OK for them.

Actually with time Pakistan is developing its own culture and ethnicity, and I believe that with time unified Pakistani culture would develop new ethnicity, something that happened many time in history. When ever political reality changes, culture, language and everything changes.

For instance, you cannot say that Pakhtun culture and language was same before Islam came to the area and political reality changed in that area. Actually, Pakhtun culture kept changing with change in political reality in that area. Same is true for Punjab, Sindh or Balochistan. For instance, Sindhi today has many Arabic words and culture of Sindh is quite Islamic, that happened when political reality changed in Sindh and people became Muslim, adopting culture closer to Arabs.

Even Hindu culture of today is much different then 1000 years ago, because political reality in India changed, changing culture and language of the region. Children of Pakistani origin when moving to west lose everything of their culture and language because they encounter different political reality.

Hence yes, culture and language do change and that changes with political realities. Today people in NWFP play cricket, squash, football, and hockey, and many eat Haleem, Nihari and Biryani, whereas Pakhtuns of Afghanistan do not. Culture has already changed and I believe that eventually, there would be little difference in culture all over Pakistan. Actually, culture globally is coming closer but regional cultures are also converging.

Well, what I wrote is to do with the phase of people in Pakistan today who have not adopted new reality yet, and showing a lot of ethnic feelings (language is one part, that’s all), but that does not mean that I believe this would last forever, as will exists amongst majority to adopt a new ethnicity, that is Pakistani ethnicity. [In 1973, provincial government of NWFP, Punjab and Balochistan adopted Urdu as their provincial language, showing there will to be part of United Pakistan and slowly becoming one ethnic community].

Well, that is what I wrote, is that, many Pashtuns try to distance themselves from Pakistani ethnicity, and try to take refuge in Afghanistan ethnicity, though both have different political reality on ground, showing ethnic feelings in them (with respect to Pakistani ethnicity). I know that eventually that would change but amongst those that have not changed, this ethnicity feeling prevails. Sooner they would change sooner political reality that exists would create new ethnicity in Pakistan and would make Pakistan stronger as One country.

True, hate is hate; still this hate is based on ethnicity that should change, to create new Pakistani ethnicity and make Pakistan stronger.

I think that you misunderstood what I wrote. What I mean is that, people with different ethnicity in Pakistan talk about past personalities on basis of ethnicity they believe they belong, and talk bad for people of nationality they do not belong. As for Jinnah and Iqbal, they should be taken as people of Pakistani ethnicity, that’s all.

You are right that Pakistan has many racist with diverse ethnicity. Well, I believe that once a new Pakistani ethnicity would develop, all this what you mentioned would disappear.

I believe that you misunderstood my message. It was not meant for Pakhtuns and Balochs but for all Pakistanis that are nationalist (or sticking with past ethnicity), even though some of my examples seems that way, because Pakhtuns and Balochs are more ethnic oriented, more vocal about ethnicity, and adopting Pakistani ethnicity slower than others.

Well, mentality would change but it is taking time. Still when people talk/write on the subject, there are people that try to do nit picking and assume things unimaginable.

Anyhow, in the end, even when Pakistan would develop a Pakistani ethnicity (that I believe, eventually it would happen), still I consider that it would be bad (and evil) to discriminate people on basis of ethnicity but ethnicity should be used only for recognition, nothing else.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

[quote="Sa1eem, post:10, topic:161453"]

*7: Would like the name of NWFP changed on the basis of ethnicity to Pakhtunistan or Pakhtunkhowa.
*
If a referendum can be held in NWFP to decide whether it would be a part of Pak or India then another referendum can aslo be held to decide what name the local population prefer for their province. What is racist about it? The pukhutns are the biggest ethnic group of the province and there should be no problem for the people of other provinces if they want to rename their provine to Pukhtunkhwa or whatever.

**
9: When discussing Balochistan would show from their post that development of Gowader means huge influx of people from outside Balochistan and that to them is wrong as Gawadar belongs to Baloch, not Pakistanis.

**The issue is very simple...The Balochs fear that the influx of people from other provinces will change the demography of Balochestan and they will become a minority in their own province, and their fear is legitimate. Ironically most of these people who are not ready to understand the legitimate fear of Balochs are those indian muslims who demanded Pakistan because they feared that their rights would not be secure in a Hindu dominated India.

**10: Would be happy moving to Karachi (Sindh) as right and would like freedom to move to other provinces unhindered, but would hate people from Karachi and Punjab to move to their provinces. These people would never like domination in their area from anyone but would love to show dominance if they can in other part of Pakistan as their right.

**
For your information hundreds of thousands of Punjabis and Mohajirs are living peacefully in NWFP and they don't feel threatened by the majority Pukhtuns, and Balochestan does also have a sizeable Punjabi minority,especially in Quetta. Your comments are prejudiced and baseless.

*11: Would like to move to other provinces and kill others on basis of ethnicity but would never tolerate others to move to their province and challenge them.
*
Talking about MQM thugs?

**13: Would hate Urdu or even Punjabi as national language because it hurt their ethnic feelings.

**Who are you, a punjabi or a mohajir or both? This statement is grossly exaggerated, I wonder if you have any idea what you are talking about. It seems that you just wanted to show your prejudice against other ethnic groups, especially against Balochs and Pashtuns.

Urdu as national language has been accepted by almost every ethinic group of Pakistan even Balcohs and Pukhtuns learn it at schools, they don't communicate with eachother in urdu though.

**14: Would always show their hate for others on basis of ethnicity and are proud of their ethnicity so much that they would be proud to call themselves Pakhtun and Afghans (as Afghanistan for them is Pakhtunistan) and whoever they won't like they would call them Punjabis or Muhajirs.

**Bhaijaan, normally the Afghan means a citizen of Afghanistan but for the Pashtuns of Pakistan it is still synonym to Pashtuns, which it once was. As you must be aware that the name Pakistan is actually an acronym, now tell me what does the letter 'a' in this acronym stand for?

**15: If Muhajir get killed in Karachi it is fine but along with Muhajir if Pakhtun or others also get killed, that would be ethnic killing. For these people, killing of Muhajirs in Karachi by Naseer-ullah Baber was national heroism.

**Another great lie. NO Pashtun or Baloch feel happy when innocent people, regardless of their ethnic background, get killed in Karachi.

**Well, there are many clear signs of these people and one can easily tell who in Pakistan are ethnic and racist. One should know them and know what they are, and be aware of them.

**I dont know who are racists and who not, but you sir are a racist for sure. This whole rant was aimed at Pashtuns and Balochs and anybody who reads your rant can see it clearly...no matter how vehemently you try to dney it. No wonder the most people here who praised this rubbish are die-hard mqmwalas....

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

Who are the real racists and terrorists?

Ethnic Tensions Fuel Pakistan Violence

It will have come as little surprise to the 15 million residents of Karachi that their city is at the epicenter of Pakistan’s latest upsurge in political violence. That’s because the port city, Pakistan’s largest metropolis, is a hotbed of ethnic and sectarian divisions always primed to explode on the streets.
The city’s largest community are Mohajirs, descendants of those who fled from south of the border when the 1948 partition separated Pakistan from India. They make up almost half of the population, and tend to support the pro-government Mutaihda Qaumi Movement (MQM). Punjabis and Pathans each make up around a quarter of the population.
The violence that has claimed 41 lives since Saturday and left the city paralyzed by a general strike on Monday began when MQM supporters took to the streets to prevent opposition supporters from welcoming Iftikhar Choudhry, the chief justice sacked by Musharraf two months ago, whose legal challenge to his ouster has become a rallying point for government opponents. Iftikhar was scheduled to attend the 50th anniversary of the Sindh High Court Bar Association in the city, but a couple of days before his arrival, the MQM announced plans to hold a rally at the same time to challenge the opposition groups who were planning to welcome the ousted jurist.
Hours before the competing rallies, local officials used shipping containers and tanker-trucks to barricade all the city’s major roads and intersections, blocking access to and from Karachi’s Quaide Azam International Airport. Hundreds of young Musharraf supporters, many of them armed with handguns and automatic weapons, then surrounded the majestic pink-stone building of the Sindh High Court where the Chief Justice had been expected to address the legal fraternity. The mob attacked anyone wearing black trousers, a white shirt and a black jacket — the dress code of Pakistan’s courtroom lawyers.
“I have never seen such things in my life,” said Hamid Munir, a high court lawyer. “They stopped my car, smashed its side window panes and snatched my cell phone.”
Still, hundreds of opposition supporters defied all warnings and appeared on the streets, dancing and chanting anti-government slogans. As they proceeded towards the airport, they were fired on from bridges and rooftops. Within an hour, Karachi resembled Baghdad, as dozens lay dead and injured on the city’s streets, gunmen preventing ambulances from reaching the wounded.
On the streets on Saturday, there was no sign of any effort by police to stop the violence. Local reports claimed that the government had not issued firearms to the police, and that paramilitary rangers were not permitted to intervene. Then, on Sunday the government issued shoot-on-sight orders to the rangers, as violence spread.
** The violence was not restricted to supporters of the rival political groups, however. Eyewitness reports from the Malir district of Karachi suggested that MQM militants had rounded up people simply on the grounds that they looked by Pathan or Punjabi, and tried to execute them.**
** “I begged and pleaded them that I am not an opposition worker; I am a student,” says Aadil Badshah, a 20-year-old Pathan studying engineering, who was shot in the legs and hands. “They did not listen to me. They were laughing at us and four others. One of them was a 50-year-old laborer. First they beat us, took us inside a street, put us to stand in a line and then fired on us. And then left. Two died on the spot and me and two others survived.”**
In another area, armed men killed an ambulance driver and his two injured patients. And as the reports of Pathans and Punjabis being targeted by Mohajirs reached city slums that house most Pathans and Punjabis, angry protesters took to the streets, exchanging gunfire with their Mohajir neighbors and pelting each other with stones.
The Chief Justice himself, who remained stranded for eight hours at the VIP lounge of the airport along with many of his lawyers, returned to Islamabad after local authorities refused to allow him to enter Karachi by road.
Meanwhile, in Islamabad, Musharraf talked tough. “I am not afraid of anyone,” he told supporters at a rally in the capital. “People are with me.”
The government in Karachi, run by the MQM, quickly announced compensation for the dead and injured — $5000 to be paid to the family of each person killed, and $840 for each of the wounded. But it may take a lot more to defuse the crisis.
“It could be na�ve to think that [Musharraf] could personally survive while the country slides into perdition. There are more cracks and fissures in it today than when he took power in 1999,” said an editorial on Sunday in English-language Daily Times.
The MQM blames Iftikhar for the violence. “It only started after his arrival in Karachi. Before that the city was peaceful,” thundered Altaf Hussain, the party leader who has been living in self-exile in London for the last 15 years, to his supporters over telephone.
The Saturday violence has made Karachi residents wary of an all-out ethnic backlash. Says Faisal Edhi, whose family foundation run’s Pakistan’s ambulance service, “Everywhere there is fear. Suddenly people are afraid of each other.”

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

Shawaiz: Seems you misunderstood my post badly :) Anyhow, here is my respomse on what you wrote:

If a referendum can be held in NWFP to decide whether it would be a part of Pak or India then
another referendum can aslo be held to decide what name the local population prefer for their province. What is racist about it? The pukhutns are the biggest ethnic group of the province and there should be no problem for the people of other provinces if they want to rename their provine to Pukhtunkhwa or whatever.
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You mean, since majority of people in Pakistan are Punjabis, Punjabis should start demanding that name of Pakistan to be Punjabistan, and if that demands come, there should be referendum in Pakistan on name of Pakistan? Well, what is wrong in changing the name of Pakistan then, going according to your logic, it would be fair demand? Right?

The issue is very simple...The Balochs fear that the influx of people from other provinces will change the demography of Balochestan and they will become a minority in their own province, and their fear is legitimate. Ironically most of these people who are not ready to understand the legitimate fear of Balochs are those indian muslims who demanded Pakistan because they feared that their rights would not be secure in a Hindu dominated India.
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Well, you mean that inter-provincial movement in Pakistan should not be allowed? Would be fine then that we should now start passport, visa and work permit for people from one province to move to another province and find work?

For your information hundreds of thousands of Punjabis and Mohajirs are living peacefully in NWFP and they don't feel threatened by the majority Pukhtuns, and Balochestan does also have a sizeable Punjabi minority, especially in Quetta. Your comments are prejudiced and baseless.
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Well, I believe that there are millions of Pakhtuns and Balochs in Sindh and Punjab too, so? If you could not understood what I wrote above, is it my fault? What I wrote is that, people (regardless of them belonging to any ethnicity) who are ethnic racist do not mind when they themselves move to other provinces, but feel threatened when people from other province move to their province. Actually, it is same people you mentioned and commended, when you wrote about Gowader belongs to Balochs and not Pakistanis (on basis of ethnicity).

Talking about MQM thugs?
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You mean MQM thugs going to cities in Punjab, Sarhad, Balochistan and challenging people there and killing people there?

[Nevertheless, if they do ethnic racialism even in Karachi, that is unacceptable and abhorring. No one should be allowed to do ethnic racism anywhere in Pakistan, whoever they may be. Everyone should have all rights to live and work peacefully anywhere in Pakistan, wherever they want to, be that Punjab, Sindh, NWFP or Balochistan, regardless of their ethnicity. In the end, eventually, all Pakistanis should get recognised as one ethnicity. I believe that Pakistan can survive as One Country when people will start thinking themselves as ethnically one]

Who are you, a punjabi or a mohajir or both? This statement is grossly exaggerated, I wonder if you have any idea what you are talking about. It seems that you just wanted to show your prejudice against other ethnic groups, especially against Balochs and Pashtuns.

Urdu as national language has been accepted by almost every ethinic group of Pakistan even Balcohs and Pukhtuns learn it at schools, they don't communicate with eachother in urdu though.
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Are you ethnic racist or what? I mentioned about people who are ethnic racist, not majority of people in Pakistan, who show their intolerance for even language, unless that language is what they believe is theirs. Obviously, majority of people in Pakistan are Punjabis. Urdu is understood by most people in Pakistan. Hence I used Urdu and Punjabi, because Urdu is widely understood in Pakistan and Punjabi is language of majority Pakistani, hence one or other could become national language, but ethnic racist detest both, that’s all.

Bhaijaan, normally the Afghan means a citizen of Afghanistan but for the Pashtuns of Pakistan it is still synonym to Pashtuns, which it once was. As you must be aware that the name Pakistan is actually an acronym, now tell me what does the letter 'a' in this acronym stand for?
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Brother, Afghan means people who live in Afghanistan (Pakhtuns are largest minority in Afghanistan. Pakhtuns are not even 50 percent of Afghanistan). Political reality has changed a lot over years. To say that Afghanistan means Pakhtunistan, it would be like saying Pakistan means Punjabistan. If Afghan is Pushtun then who are Rabbani, Ahmed Shah Masood, Dostum, etc? Are they not Afghans? Well, are they Pakhtun too?

Nevertheless, there was a time when politically a group of diverse people were living in Afghanistan and use to call themselves Pakhtuns, but that political reality has changed long time ago. Those who are Aghans are no more Pakhtuns and there are many who use to call themselves Pakhtuns are no more Afghans.

Another great lie. NO Pashtun or Baloch feel happy when innocent people, regardless of their ethnic background, get killed in Karachi.

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Again, big lie on your part as what you wrote is nothing to do with what I wrote. You are talking about people who are not ethnic racialist when I wrote about people who are ethnic racists. You can only write what you wrote, if you believe that you are ethnic racialist and thus can represent ethnic racialists. Obviously, majority of Pakistanis from any ethnic background, from whichever province they are living, would not be happy if any innocent person gets killed. But ethnic racist or when a group of people start behaving like ethnic racist (under whatever influence or circumstances) become animals and do not care.

Hitler is one example. Naseer-ullah Baber is another similar example who initiated killing on the basis of ethnicity and that is why his target was people with ethnic connections. It was days when two innocent persons belonging to two different ethnic background (Muhajir and X) was walking on the road, one could have got picked up by law enforcement agencies while other would not have got touched, just because of ethnicity. Anyone that condones that, to me is ethnic racists.

I dont know who are racists and who not, but you sir are a racist for sure. This whole rant was aimed at Pashtuns and Balochs and anybody who reads your rant can see it clearly...no matter how vehemently you try to dney it. No wonder the most people here who praised this rubbish are die-hard mqmwalas....
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Meray bhai, it all depends on how you see things. If you think that all Pashtuns and Balochs are athnic racist that is different matter. I do not think that way, and I believe what I wrote do not apply to majority of Pathans or Balochs, rather it does not apply to majority of people from any province and of any ethnicity. What I wrote applies to some, who are ethnic racists in Pakistan, thats all.

I can only say that, many people are so engulfed in their own beliefs and righteousness, that when they read others they could only see their own face and start judging all according to their own beliefs. If they have racist beleifs, they start thinking that it is normal and all people (of their as well as other ethnicity) beleive and behave same way as them. There are minority who are racist in all provinces and ethnicity, that does not mean that majority of people in provicnes and majority of people of different ethnicity are racists.

Even Hitler must be thinking same that he is most just and all others (including his victims) are racists. I cannot do anything about that, can I? Well, no one can do anything about that, can any?

Anyhow: My purpose is not to hurt anyone’s feeling. I know that some people might see the post and would find that they might be seeing mirror, but then to those who are ethnic racist, I could only say, please calm down, this is life :)

Ayeena un ko dekhaya tou bura maan gayea
Aswah-e-rasist jo batayea tou bura maan gayea :)

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

Sa1eem, great post! Thumbs up!

I think its ok to mention or talk about ethnic background.....but one should refrain from advocating HATRED, INTOLERANCE and EXTREMISM.

At times, nobody seems to care to unite all provinces and call for co-existance and peace. The provinces can not exist without the help of each other. One province holds the gas, another all food supply and soforth....
I wonder where did the proud feeling of belonging to Pakistan go?

All our friends, regardless being sindhi, punjabi, pushtoon, christians, hindus, tajik, uzbek, parsi and hazaras......we stood behind each other as Pakistanis.

Now I have the bad taste in my mouth, always reading how other extremists just have one thing in mind.....condemtion. As if they are made of God, and rest of another creator....nauzobillah. I blame the mullahs leading people astray, who are behind these ethnic leaders....

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

Sister thanks: ... You are right that it is OK to mention ethnic background. But eventually Pakistan has to become one and in that case we should assimilate into one ethnicity, else there would always be an ethnic struggle in the country. Ethnicity is what people make out of it, not because they are something inherent. It is something that people adopt over the years and become one.

Just imagine that there are Arabs, Turks, Persian, Aryans, Dravidians, and all sorts of people from Indian background etc in Sindh claiming to be Sindhi, in Punjab claiming to be Punjabi etc. In Balochistan there are baloch at makran coast who seems to be from African stock with dark skin and curly hair. There are many Baloch of Dravidian stock, many of Aryans stock, many of even Arab and Persian stock, so what? There are Pathans most of them are of Aryan stock, but there are some from Persian, Turkish, Arab and even Greek stock too, so what?

It was living in the area for many years under similar (or same) political system and government, and adopting similar way of life and similar language, that made a person what they are ethnically. In Past, ethnicity took long time for people to adopt but with present mass communication, that is becoming quick process. I believe that with time and effort, Pakistan would develop a new ethnicity too. That’s all.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

There are many people with Racism but only one terrorrist and fascist that is MQM.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?


Brother thanks


Brother, thanks


Brother thanks. Well, what you mentioned is part of this cruel life.

*Ethnic racism breads tribalism, tribalism breeds injustice, injustice breads hate, hate breads fascism, fascism breads atrocities, atrocity breeds cruelties, cruelty breads evilness, evilness breeds beastliness, and beastliness makes a person disgusting animal *


Brother thanks.

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

Khawjey Da gawah Daddoo

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Re: Who are really Racist in Pakistan?

I know you have been hurt by MQM personally and I pray that Allah give your uncle a place in heaven.

Here is my argument, when you say MQM has killed more urdu speaking people than any other. I get a feeling that you are neglecting what Mullah and other ethnic tribal leaders have done in the city of Peshawar. They are litteraly killing each other indiscriminatly. Moreover, PPP and PML (N) group have not done us any favor. PPP has supervised the division of Pakistan and Nawaz who is a mini-me of Zia, has run one of the most corrupt, racist and self-serving administration ever.

Let me try to make it personal. I have lived in Karachi and in a area where MQM, Shia , Sunni were present. This is '96 I am talking about. There was violence every where, I do not know how many times I escaped death just by going school or standing at the corner of street on Friday evening. It is not just the power and people with seats who were affected by voilence in our country. Middle class and poor people went through literal hell. I still remember the day when I was coming from local shop and met this guy from our gali said Hi to him and next morning saw his picture on front page of Jang. He was shot 64 times just after I left.

It is something that as a generation we have went through. I do not think all of it was because of MQM. It is something we have lived most of the lives and sad part is there is no end to it.

To say this party or person's end can bring ease to tension is a very simplistic view, IMO. I believe that it is something that every member of society have to think in a sense what is Pakistan going to achieve from it. All of these parties are self-serving and their supporters believe and know from fact that only this affiliation can bring security and food on their plate. My argument is, if MQM is a terrorist party than they would not have this many supporters who work for pennies a day. If all MMA are killers than they would not win so many votes despite government and Superpowers being against them. If we are looking for easy answer to the violence and discrimnation in Pakistan, than there are none.

Why do Muslims join kuffar armies?
Why do Muslims join kuffar armies?