Changing Demographics Worry MQM Leadership

[RiazHaq]

Why did the Muttahida Qaumi Movement(MQM) react so strongly to the PPP's aggressive stance in the recent Azad Kashmir elections that it decided to pull out of the ruling coalition? Why has the MQM leadership replaced "Mohajir" with "Muttahida" in its name? Why is the MQM so eager to expand its base from the exclusively Urdu-speaking urban Sindh to other provinces and regions?

To answer these questions, let's look at the changing demographics in Sindh province. A combination of rapidly declining birth rates of mohajirs and the rising tide of migration of northern pathans into urban Sindh is causing increasing concern among the leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement(MQM) about their party's future as an ethnic and regional political force. This concern has been further reinforced by the influx of new Pathan and Sindhi migrants into Karachi after the massive 2010 floods.

Pakistan's National Census data from 1981 and 1998 showed that the proportion of Urdu-speaking Mohajir population in Sindh declined from 24.1% to 21%. During the same period, the Sindhi-speaking population of Sindh rose from 55.7% to 59%, with the rest made up of Pathans and Punjabis. Given their higher level of education and consequently lower birth rates, it is expected that the 2011 national census now underway will show the proportion of Urdu-speakers in Sindh will go down still further to below 20%.

In his recently published book "Pakistan-A Hard Country", Professor Anatol Lieven of King's college has described Mohajirs as passionately believing in "Muslim nationalism on which Pakistan had been founded, and for the sake of which they had sacrificed so much."

I think we should all, including MQM, take serious notice of the above description of the native Urdu-speakers in Pakistan.

If MQM is really serious about appealing across ethnic lines to become a truly national force, it needs to start by genuinely appealing to all ethnic groups in Karachi, a cosmopolitan urban center which represents a true microcosm of all of Pakistan.

I also think that MQM's genuine pursuit for the mantle of a national party should, therefore, be seen as a positive rather than a negative. It should be supported by all those who believe in a united and harmonious Pakistan which helps every Pakistani, regardless of ethnicity, achieve his or her dream of peace and prosperity as one people striving to make Quaid-e-Azam M.A. Jinnah's Pakistan a reality.

Haq's Musings: Pakistan Demographic Trends Worry MQM

 

[muse]

If MQM is really serious about appealing across ethnic lines to become a truly national force, it needs to start by genuinely appealing to all ethnic groups in Karachi, a cosmopolitan urban center which represents a true microcosm of all of Pakistan.

Would you agree that in Pakistan, politics is about getting your slice of the pie and not so much about ideas that enable Pakistanis to make their own pie, so to speak?

Because I think you have pointed to something we should, and I think even indians will agree on the nature of politics, that it is at it's core a sort of biradari, we take care of only our own and our own is defined in a constrictive manner as opposed to expansive. For instance the MQM and really any Pakistani political party, live through "patronage" and it's reflection of a criminal enterprise, is not an unjustified reflection.

On the issue of Pashtuns in Karachi, lets be fair, just as the so called Mohajir, once streamed into karachi and enriched it with their own unique heritages, so will other ethnic groups - the challenge remains moving away from "my slice of the pie" mentality to one in which opportunity and equality of opportunity, is not restricted

 

[RiazHaq]

Would you agree that in Pakistan, politics is about getting your slice of the pie and not so much about ideas that enable Pakistanis to make their own pie, so to speak?

Because I think you have pointed to something we should, and I think even indians will agree on the nature of politics, that it is at it's core a sort of biradari, we take care of only our own and our own is defined in a constrictive manner as opposed to expansive. For instance the MQM and really any Pakistani political party, live through "patronage" and it's reflection of a criminal enterprise, is not an unjustified reflection.

In his book "Pakistan-A Hard Country", Prof Lieven discusses the subject of kinship and political patronage in detail and concludes that it is Pakistan's biggest strength for its stability but also its biggest weakness in terms of making progress toward a modern nation-state based on rule of law. The professor also believes that Mohajirs are the least likely to indulge in political patronage based on the old kinship or biradri system that pervades Punjab, Sindh and other provinces and regions.

Pakistan: A Hard Country - Google Books

On the issue of Pashtuns in Karachi, lets be fair, just as the so called Mohajir, once streamed into karachi and enriched it with their own unique heritages, so will other ethnic groups - the challenge remains moving away from "my slice of the pie" mentality to one in which opportunity and equality of opportunity, is not restricted

I think Pakistanis can learn a thing or two on how the Chinese are managing rural-to-urban migration in a planned and orderly manner to the benefit of both rural and urban populations.

 

[fuse]

"Mohajir" phenomena is a hoax. 1947 happened a while back, what makes you a Mohajir now?

MQM is a racist party run by stooges and worshipped by bigger stooges. Same I guess for most current options.

 

[Hunzaghazi]

When will some people in pak rise above this mohajir mentality either god knows or time will tell.
Whenever they play this mohajir card they indirectly play into foreign intel agencies who gain by destabalizing pak.
This ethnic clashes, clan clashes, regionism is not in pak interest.

 

[RiazHaq]

When will some people in pak rise above this mohajir mentality either god knows or time will tell.
Whenever they play this mohajir card they indirectly play into foreign intel agencies who gain by destabalizing pak.
This ethnic clashes, clan clashes, regionism is not in pak interest.

While I agree with your comment, let me point out that ethnic and regional politics in not unique to Pakistan.

Mohajir in Pakistan is defined based on his or her Urdu ethnicity rather than roots in what is now India.

For example, Nawaz Sharif's Punjabi-speaking parents migrated from East Punjab but the Sharifs are not considered Mohajir. In fact Sharifs lead one of the two largest political parties in Pakistan.

As to India, multiplicity of ethnic and regional parties and ethnic conflicts are quite common in India too.

 

[Leader]

Its a wonderful thinking, adopting the National politics is always a positive move, be it mqm or any other ethnic or regional party...

however, what else they need to focus is change their ways... which is more important...

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

he professor also believes that Mohajirs are the least likely to indulge in political patronage based on the old kinship or biradri system that pervades Punjab, Sindh and other provinces and regions.

How can they show any biradari?

They are not from the same community!

 

[bc040400065]

What i don't understand is why some pathans or sindhis or other ethnic groups presence in karachi is not wellcomed by MQM. While on the other hand we hardly feel bad when a urdu speaker settles in our home town or setups his business their. But people don't like MQM because they think that karachi is made a no go area for non urdu speakers by MQM. If MQM wants to become a national party then it has to change some of its policies, gangster and batha culture and specially targeting other ethnic groups in Karachi needs to end.

 

[BelligerentPacifist]

How can they show any biradari?

They are not from the same community!

Many people in Pakistani make the mistake they are a monolith.

 

[BelligerentPacifist]

RiazHaq, you might be my baradar but can never be my biradar because such a word does not exist in Urdu.

 

[RiazHaq]

What i don't understand is why some pathans or sindhis or other ethnic groups presence in karachi is not wellcomed by MQM. While on the other hand we hardly feel bad when a urdu speaker settles in our home town or setups his business their. But people don't like MQM because they think that karachi is made a no go area for non urdu speakers by MQM. If MQM wants to become a national party then it has to change some of its policies, gangster and batha culture and specially targeting other ethnic groups in Karachi needs to end.

No go area?

Don't you think it's a gross exaggeration?

Do you know that Karachi is the BIGGEST Pashtoon city in the world...much bigger than either Kabul or Peshawar?

And most of the Pathan migrants are employed by Muhajir employers in Karachi.

Much of it has happened since the first Afghan war of 1980s. Just as Pakistan has been the largest and most generous host to Afghan refugees, the city of Karachi has been host to the largest population of Pathan migrants in the world.

 

[Karachiite]

What i don't understand is why some pathans or sindhis or other ethnic groups presence in karachi is not wellcomed by MQM. While on the other hand we hardly feel bad when a urdu speaker settles in our home town or setups his business their. But people don't like MQM because they think that karachi is made a no go area for non urdu speakers by MQM. If MQM wants to become a national party then it has to change some of its policies, gangster and batha culture and specially targeting other ethnic groups in Karachi needs to end.

LMAO what? You are sitting in Pindi and talking about what's going on in Karachi. MQM is filled with Sindhis and Pathans. MQM is also filled with Hindus and Christians as well. That is what makes MQM a great party, they are filled with educated middle class people. For MQM it's not about ethnicity or religion.
If MQM hated Pathans then Karachi would not have been the largest pathan city in the world. And this bhatta culture is more rampant in Mullah parties, ppp and anp. Go to Sohrab Goth or Orangi to see how innocent urdu speakers are treated there by new migrants, just last week a video showed that some imam from a mosque shouted to kill every single urdu speakers because they are from the jew race. You guys hate MQM because they are racist, tell me how many times a leader of MQM has openly showed his or her racism? ANP's Shahi Syed has already shown that by saying Pathans will rule Karachi and kick out all urdu speakers back to India. He went on to say that these bhaiyya log (urdu speakers) were kicked out from India and seeked refuge in Pakistan.
I don't mind new cultures coming in and mixing in with Karachi but what I don't want is gun culture, religion extremism etc that thrives in some cultures coming in and taking over Karachi. I don't want the women of city to be told by some new migrant that they need to wear a burqa or else they will be killed.

 

[niaz]

MQM has already enjoyed 5 years in the government with Musharraf and 3 years with the PPP. Now MQM would like to distance itself from the charges of corruption and bad governance associated PPP.

Altaf Hussein has decided to demonstrate that he is a man of principles. 2years in opposition won’t hurt and will help MQM during the next election as they can claim the high moral ground. Thru this tactic MQM are trying to eat their cake and have it too!

 

[Omar1984]

The original inhabitants of Karachi were Sindhis and Baloch, so if the Sindhi population is rising in Karachi and the Mohajir population is declining, then that is what is meant to be.