There is poor and there is poor. In Pakistan the poor in our village live in mud huts or temporary shelters, have no transport, no access to healthcare, can't afford electricity, clothes, school.
In the UK, those who are really poor get free healthcare, free education, get enough money from the state to pay for rent and food. A very small percentage of the Pakistani diaspora are this kind of poor. Most are a different "poor".
Take the "poor" taxi driver. He makes £500-600 a week profit from his taxi, claims on his tax returns to have only made £200, claims state benefit to top up his wages, lives in a house in a deprived part of the city, but has completely rennovated it inside and out, has expensive furniture and fittings, goes on holidays paid for by cash, has zameen and a villa back home in Pakistan. The same is true for the poor takeaway owner, who or staff member who only works "part time". The takeaway owners by far have the most money in our community - the staff make minimum wage at best i reckon.
Times are changing though.The first generation here did not do this - they worked in factories and paid their way. Then when the rug was pulled out from under their feet and manufacturing finished in the UK, people did what they had to, to survive and to support those back home (that is why we are all here). The next generation continued it as it was quick cash and an opportunity to aquire wealth - money overtakes morals very often.
Now the incentive to do so is less.
1. Cost of living is higher, more of the economy is documented, so you're more likely to get caught.
2. People have mostly established themselves back home. The fresh migrants are still interested in supporting family, the rest of us are now interested in investing money back home.
3. People want more from life. People want expensive cars, they want homes in the suburbs - you can't but that with cash. People show their legitimate income to secure that (even if it is for a few years).
So whats my point?
1. The UK/West provides a safety net for the poor, a net which doesn't exist in PK.
2. People aren't as poor as they appear to be.
I meant being Brown is one of the factors that differentiates us from the host White English population. But yes our Pakistani identity is far deeper than that.
