The Muslims who chose to migrate to Pakistan after August 1947, did so out of fear of being targeted in post-independence India. Their struggle for identity already existed when they were in India and, unfortunately, continued for generations after they moved to Pakistan. The Mohajirs initially constituted a privileged, elite and educated class, but their standing amongst other ethnic groups in Pakistan diminished over the decades. The stirrings of a Mohajir consciousness began in the early 1970s, prompted by the government policies that negatively affected their education and employment opportunities in Sindh. Over the years, demographic changes, ethnopolitical conflicts, militant and sectarian groups, and vested political interest groups coloured the Mohajirs’ view of their place in Pakistani society. The MQM emerged as a party that claimed to represent Mohajir grievances but soon became a criminal enterprise, diluting the legitimacy of the Mohajir cause.
The question remains: What is the place for the Mohajirs in Pakistan’s current sociopolitical fabric? or are we waiting for MQM v 2.0?
I am nor Mohjir or belongs to any ethnic group or associtate with any political party. I am just a Muslim Pakistani.
