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Pakistan And The Caste System

Reply 60

ob.is.a.bit.good

2

is mirpuri a caste? apparently its a **** one lol:x

Reply 61

Scientific Calculator

10

A sincere thank you to whoever gave me some positive reputation just now!

I desperately needed it, as you may have guessed from my [undeservedly] negative reputation until this point.

Reply 62

~EventHorizon~

Scientific Calculator

Haha no problem. Yes, you are right, the caste system is an Indian thing. But do not forget that the Pakistanis were Indians before they were Pakistanis, and even after the partition, the Pakistanis did not successfully manage to let go of the petty and pathetic little cultural beliefs that they had developed whilst living as Indians.

Thats understandable but ive never really experianced any bias like that in Pakistan. But to be fair, ive never lived there, and I only spent a few cold winter months, sheltered away in my grandparents house lol.

Reply 63

Scientific Calculator

10

~EventHorizon~

Thats understandable but ive never really experianced any bias like that in Pakistan. But to be fair, ive never lived there, and I only spent a few cold winter months, sheltered away in my grandparents house lol.

It depends entirely upon where you live. Thankfully, the caste system is greatly diminished and can only be found in some villages on the outskirts of the country which remain outside the control of the Pakistani government, although Musharraf successfully did a great deal to reduce the number of villages in this position.

You are right - you probably will not notice anything about caste. And that is exactly the way it should be.

Reply 64

~*~rAiNbOw~*~

11

I swear the caste system is a part of hinduism...so only a very small minority of Pakistanis would be part of it.

Reply 65

Viraj_c

There are certain 'castes' or sects that I know of that exist for Muslims, be it Indian or Pakistani. For example, Khoja's and Memons are two such castes that you are likely to find in Sindh and in Gujarat(India). It is important to remember that the fact of the matter is that the majority of Pakistan's Muslims were converts and still keep some of the practices that were there before, the caste system being one of them. Even though in Islam, people are meant to be equal, and arguably this is why so many people sought Islam in the first place, practices like the caste system have remained.

Also, Merchant and Engineer are Parsi/Farsi names, if I recall correctly, not Indian. Although it is not uncommon for ones surname to hail from there profession. This is found even in western culture, 'Smith' coming from Blacksmith.

Reply 66

~*~rAiNbOw~*~

11

ob.is.a.bit.good

is mirpuri a caste? apparently its a **** one lol:x

are you mirpuri?

Reply 67

LakHani_Hasnain

7

ob.is.a.bit.good

is mirpuri a caste? apparently its a **** one lol:x

Mirpuri means you're from mirpur.

Reply 68

Ali-

The ordinary Western understanding of the "caste system' does not apply to Pakistan. The caste system which draws a fixed hierarchical system within the society where the positions are alloted to people genetically or by birth, is specifically a Hindu phenonmenon. That does not entail that I am being offensive; it is a part of an undeniable reality in India where there are four basic structural divisions: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudar. Although Indian government is trying to produce a more egalitarian society, social change comes from the bottom nevertheless; and to our dismay, this system is still rampant there. Your assertion is absolutely correct that Pakistani and Indians have more things common than uncommon, but this is a particular religious issue- and Pakistan being a Muslim country has dispensed with any such thing within its territory.

Be as it may, the caste-system that you have mentioned, can more correctly be called as a family-system. The caste, in Pakistan's case only, is an incorrect translation of the word khandaan or qabeela; it is differentiation, not division. It is the name of your tribe to which you belong, like Gurmani, Bhutto, Korai, Laghari, Mazari, Zardari, Rind, Sial and so forth.

Reply 69

~*~rAiNbOw~*~

11

Scientific Calculator

I myself am of the highest 'caste' of Pakistan.

which is...

just curious :p:

Reply 70

Rei

14

Ali-

The ordinary Western understanding of the "caste system' does not apply to Pakistan. The caste system which draws a fixed hierarchical system within the society where the positions are alloted to people genetically or by birth, is specifically a Hindu phenonmenon. That does not entail that I am being offensive; it is a part of an undeniable reality in India where there are four basic structural divisions: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudar. Although Indian government is trying to produce a more egalitarian society, social change comes from the bottom nevertheless; and to our dismay, this system is still rampant there. Your assertion is absolutely correct that Pakistani and Indians have more things common than uncommon, but this is a particular religious issue- and Pakistan being a Muslim country has dispensed with any such thing within its territory.

Be as it may, the caste-system that you have mentioned, can more correctly be called as a family-system. The caste, in Pakistan's case only, is an incorrect translation of the word khandaan or qabeela; it is differentiation, not division. It is the name of your tribe to which you belong, like Gurmani, Bhutto, Korai, Laghari, Mazari, Zardari, Rind, Sial and so forth.

Spot on. Out of curiosity though, which caste do you belong to?

Reply 71

Ali-

Rei

Spot on. Out of curiosity though, which caste do you belong to?

Ahmedani Korai, a Balouch sub-division.

Reply 72

4G_dollars

OP

I know what I am now

Arain

Is that good or bad?

Reply 73

Rei

14

4G_dollars

I know what I am now

Arain

Is that good or bad?

I'm Arain too. Where are you from in Pakistan?

Reply 74

4G_dollars

OP

My mum Multan and dad lahore and their parents before that they were from Jalander...

Is it good? Is it high? or what does it mean to be Arain?

Reply 75

Ali-

It is taqwa which determines the greatness your stature.

Reply 76

Rei

14

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arain

Don't think too much into caste, it means **** all in this country (and Pakistan I should think). Seriously, noone's gonna judge you because you come from a certain caste.

Reply 77

geminibubblegum

12

I know what I am now

Arain

Is that good or bad?

I don't think there's a question of good or bad really

Wikipedia has a page

'The Arain, are an agricultural[1] caste[2] settled mainly in the Punjab[3][4] (India andPakistan), with significant numbers also in the Sindh[5] (Pakistan). They are chiefly associated with farming[6][7], traditionally being small landowners or zamindars[8][9].'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arain

this encouraged me to look up my own caste

OP- found a really good page on Pakistani and Muslim castes in South Asia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_system_among_South_Asian_Muslims

Reply 78

~EventHorizon~

My second name is Barlas and both my parents come from Lahore. What does that mean?! :biggrin:

Reply 79

4G_dollars

OP

We are arain choudary...

is it good? is it high? what does the mean?

I wanna know information.... of what that means...it is just curiousity really..

Pakistan And The Caste System

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