Mohajirs (مہاجر) constitute about 8 percent of the population. They are Muslims who settled in Pakistan after the end of British India in 1947. Unlike other cultural ethnic groups of Pakistan, they do not have a tribe-based cultural identity. They are the only people in the country for whom Urdu, the official language, is their native tongue. Mohajirs were the vanguard of the Pakistan Movement, which advocated the partition of British India in order to create the independent nation of Pakistan for Indian Muslims. After the partition, a large number of Muslims migrated from various urban centers of India to live in the new nation of Pakistan. These migrants later identified themselves as mohajirs. A large number of Mohajirs settled in the cities of Sind Province, particularly Karāchi and Hyderābād. They were better educated than most indigenous Pakistanis and assumed positions of leadership in business, finance, and administration. Today they remain mostly urban.
Mahajir (Pakistan)
Questions and Answers
Q: Who are Mohajirs?
A: Mohajirs are Muslims who settled in Pakistan after the end of British India in 1947.
Q: What is the percentage of Mohajirs in the population?
A: Mohajirs constitute about 8 percent of the population.
Q: What is the native language of Mohajirs?
A: The native language of Mohajirs is Urdu, which is also the official language of Pakistan.
Q: Why did Mohajirs migrate to Pakistan?
A: Mohajirs migrated to Pakistan from various urban centers of India after the partition of British India in order to create the independent nation of Pakistan for Indian Muslims.
Q: Where did a large number of Mohajirs settle?
A: A large number of Mohajirs settled in the cities of Sind Province, particularly Karāchi and Hyderābād.
Q: What positions did Mohajirs assume in Pakistan?
A: Mohajirs were better educated than most indigenous Pakistanis and assumed positions of leadership in business, finance, and administration.
Q: Where do Mohajirs mainly reside today?
A: Today, Mohajirs remain mostly urban.