Outlines:

1. Sindhi and Punjabi culture 2. Social Stratification 3. Ethnicity in Pakistan 4. Relationship b/w deviance nd

criminology 5. Social change process. 6. Characteristics of Pakistani

Society7. Consequences of

illiteracy/Effects

Sindhi Culture

Sindh is one of the four provincesin Pakistan located at the Southernborder. The province of Sindh hasbeen named after the famous RiverIndus. In Sanskrit, the provincewas dubbed Sindhu meaning an ocean.Around 3000 B.C, Dravidian culturesurbanized and gave rise to theIndus valley Civilization.According to the Historians, IndusValley Civilization declined due tothe natural disasters such asfloods but the invasions of Indo-Arians caused the sudden collapseof it. In the recent history, Sindhwas conquered by the British in1843. Sindh province remained thepart of British India until 1947when it was made one of theprovinces of Pakistan.

Language

Sindhi language evolved over aperiod of 2400 years. The language

of the people of Sindh, aftercoming in contact with the Aryan,became Indo-Aryan (Prakrit). Sindhilanguage, therefore, has a solidbase of Prakrit as well asSanskrit, the language of India,with vocabulary from Arabic,Persian, and some Dravidian –descendants from Mediterranean sub-continent. Initially, Sindhi hadclose contacts with Arabic-speaking Muslims. Therefore thelanguage adopted many of the Arabicwords.Sindhi language is an ancientLanguage spoken  in Pakistan andmany other parts of the world. Itis an Indo-Aryan language spoken byapproximately 41 million people inPakistan, and 12 million people inIndia; it is the second Mostlanguage Spoken of Pakistan, mostlyspoken in the Sindh province. It isa recognized official language inPakistan, and also an officiallanguage in India. Government ofPakistan issues National IdentityCards to its citizens only in twolanguages; Sindhi and Urdu.Sindhi language is also greatlyinfluenced by Sanskrit and about70% of the words in Sindhi are ofSanskrit origin. Sindhi is a veryrich language with a vastvocabulary; this has made it afavorite of many writers and so alot of literature and poetry hasbeen written in Sindhi. It has been

the inspiration for Sindhi art,music, literature, culture and theway of life. The language can bewritten using the Devanagri orArabic script FestivalsThe people of Sind love theirreligion and the two festivals ofEid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr arecelebrated with zeal andenthusiasm. Different domesticfestivals are arranged by the localpeople   to provide people with newthings they buy on Eid’s occasion.On different occasions, the Folkdance of Bhagat is also performedby professionals to entertain thevisiting people. Hence, a SindhiCultural Festival is a compound offolk dances, music and cheapentertainment for local people. LifestylePeople of Sindh are more inclinedtowards an agricultural basedlifestyle. The fertile Indus Plainsprovide a valuable source of incomefor the local people who practicefarming on these lands. Inlandfishing is also practiced along theIndus River in Upper Sind providingfurther opportunities for localpeople. Itinerant way of lifestyleis commonly seen in the deserticregions of Thar where people movefrom place to place in search for

Drinking water sources along withtheir animals.

Islam in Sindh

From the beginning of Muslim ruleof the Sindh in 713 CE, the Muslimtechnocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers,traders, scientists, architects,teachers, theologians and Sufistravelled from the rest of theMuslim world to the IslamicSultanate in Sindh, and settledthere permanently. The majority ofSindhis converted to Islam by theSufi mystics from MiddleEast and Central Asia. The Sindhbecame distinct in its identity andculture, and many contemporarywriters in medieval age referred toSindh and Hind as two differentcountries. The Sindhi cultureflourished with a new stimulus fromIslamic sourcesfromPersia and Afghanistan. ManyBaloch and Afghan tribes alsosettled in Sindh, adopting Sindhiculture.

Aryan Influence on culture

The second impact on the norms andpractices of Sindhis was thesubjugation of Sindh at the hans ofAryans around 2,500 B.C. The Aryanimpact on Sindhi culture was greatand the subsequent changesimprinted on the psyche of theSindhi people should be judged in

the light of the changes which theyhad undergone at the hands of theAryans. The Aryans were nomadic,but, the peace-loving Moenjodarocivilization people had beenenjoying for a long time the fruitsof settled urban life withmunicipal community-based living.The Aryans were, thus, overawed.They adopted the Sindhi culturedway of life. They had little tooffer Sindh, except their fondnessfor the supernatural andabstraction. Though hunting theprey absorbed quite a lot of theirtime, their Rishis managed tosolicit favours from there gods.The Aryans, in exchange for theirsupernatural tendencies, borrowedfrom the Dravidians their god ofShakti, later on canonised as Siva,in place of Aryan god Rudhra, andthus the Hindu trinity wascompleted. With the sway of theAryans, the Sindhi cultureunderwent a big change. Theadversity of subjugation madeSindhis a bit fatalistic. Much oftheir martial fervor was gone whilethe Aryans perfected, ratherembellished their religion, aftertheir contact with the indigenouspopulation of Sindh

ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES

Archaeological discoveriessometimes help to unfold the

certain latent aspects of aspecific culture. The excavationsof Mohenjo-daro have unfolded thecity life of acivilization of peoplewith values, a distinct identityand culture. Therefore, the firstdefinition of the Sindhi cultureemanates from that over the 7000year old Indus Valley Civilization. This isthe pre-Aryan period, about 3,000years B.C., when the urbancivilization in Sindh was at itspeak.

SINDHI LITERATURE

History Sindhi was the firstEastern language into the Quran

Sindhi language is ancient and richin literature. Its writers havecontributed extensively in variousforms of literature in both poetryand prose.  Sindhi literature isvery rich, and is one of theworld's oldest literatures. Theearliest reference to Sindhiliterature is contained in thewritings of Arab historians. It isestablished that (Sindhi was thefirst Eastern language into theQuran ) when it was translated inthe eighth or ninth century A.D.There is evidence of Sindhi poetsreciting their verses before theMuslim Caliphs in Baghdad. It isalso recorded that treatises werewritten in Sindhi on astronomy,

medicine and history during theeighth and ninth centuries.

Sindhi Poetry

Sindhi poetry is also prominent inSindhi culture. Poetry ofShah AbdulLatif Bhittai &. Sachal Sarmast is veryfamous amongst all of Pakistanis.Regional poets are Shaikh Ayaz,Ustaad Bhukhari, Ahmed KhanMAdhoosh, Adal Soomro, Ayaz Gull,Abdul Ghaffar Tabasum, RukhsanaPreet, and Waseem Soomro. ManySindhi poets are doing their poetrywork continuously.

Arts and Music

Sindhi society is dominated bygreat Sufis, the mystics and themartyrs. It has always been theland of peace, love, romance, andgreat cultural and artistic values.There were the great theologians ofthe Naqsh bandi order in Thatta whotranslated the fundamentals of thereligion of Islam into their mothertongue. There were the great Sufi(mystic) poets like Shah AbdulLatif Bhitai who was the cherisherof truth and spent all his life inits propagation, pursuit and quest.Bhitai was also an excellentmusician. He invented a new type ofmusical instrument, Tambura (droneinstrument), which till today, is aprimary source of music in ruralSindh. The beauty of Shah’s verses

is enhanced by his blending oftraditional Indian rag with theSindhi folk songs and music.

Sindhi Music

Music from Sindh province is sungin Sindhi, and is generallyperformed in either the "Baits" or"Waee" styles. The Baits style isvocal music in Sanhoon (low voice)or Graham (high voice). Waeeinstrumental music is performed ina variety of ways using a stringinstrument. Waee, also known asKafi, is found in the surroundingareas of Balochistan, Punjab,andKutch.

SINHI SUFI MUSIC

Shah Jo Raag

The traditional compilationsof Shah Jo Risalo by Shah AbdulLatif Bhitai include 30 Surs(chapters) which are sung as raags.The oldest publications of Shah JoRisalo contained some 36 Surs, butlater most of the linguistsdiscarded 6 Surs, as their languageand content did not match with theShah's style. Recently, Dr. NabiBakhsh Baloch, the most renownedlinguist of Sindhi language hascompiled and printed a new editionafter 32 years of research in folk

culture, language and historyof Sindhi language.

The traditional 30 Surs included inShah Jo Risalo are

§                     Bilawal

§                     Kalyaan

§                     Yaman Kalyaan

§                     Khanbhaat

§                     Suri Raag   

Common Instruments Used In SindhiRegional Music

§                     Ektara known asYaktaro in Sindhi

§                     Tanpura knownas Danburo in Sindhi

§                     Alghoza Flute

§                     Bansuri

§                     Pungi known asBeen in Sindhi

§                     Narr

§                     Naghara

§                     Dhol

Cultural character

The ancient Sindhi civilization wasthe place, where the aestheticutilization of leisure was freely

indulged. There has been evidence,that the excavations of sitesdating back to 3000 B.C. (all overSindh) is also true, around 1200years ago when Jaina DakshiniyaChihna (778 A.D.) described thedistinguished features of Sindhi’sin this way: “Elegant, with alovely, soft and slow gait, theyare fond of the art of harvas (thatis, songs, music and dancing) andfull affection towards theircountry.” Sindhi’s celebrate SindhCultural day worldwide on 6thDecember by wearing Ajrak & SindhiTopi on that time.

Punjabi Culture

Punjab (the land of five rivers) isthe biggest land area of Pakistanand is popularly known for itsculture. It shares most of itscultural and carnival values withIndian culture. According topopulation, 56% of the totalpopulation of the country issituated in Punjab Province. It hasa total of 36 districts andcontributes approximately 50-60 %of the economy.Punjabi Culture is one of theoldest in world history, datingfrom ancient antiquity to themodern era. The scope, history,complexity and density of the

culture are vast. Some of the mainareas of the Punjabi cultureinclude: Punjabi cuisine,philosophy, poetry, artistry,music, architecture, traditions andvalues and history. Some cities ofPunjab have more importance forSikh community from India. Thefounder of Sikh religion was bornin Nankana Sahib, a district ofPunjab so Sikh from different partsof world come and visitsPunjab. Jahngir tomb and BadshahiMasjid in Lahore are the importantplaces of Pakistan. Data Sahib isvery scared place in Punjab andmost of the people come and visitData sahib every year. PeoplePunjabi people are very warmhearted and fun loving. Punjabisare heterogeneous group comprisingof different tribes, clans,communities and are known tocelebrate each and every traditionof their culture. People of Punjabhave strong beliefs on pir-faqeers,jogi, taweez, manat-ka-dhaga, saintof repute, black magic, and othersuperstitions, however recently dueto increase of literacy, peoplehave become somewhat rational .Punjabis also believe in castsystem but as now people aregetting educated, the differencesare getting blurred. Some popularcasts of Punjabi’s are; Jats,

Maliks, Mughals, Arains, Gujjars,Awans, Rajputs, Gakhars, Khokhars,Sheikhs, Aheers, Kambohs, Niazis,Legharis, Khosas, Dogars, Thaheem,Mirani, Qureshis, and Syeds.In villages’ people usually live insmall communities (biradaris),however they live in peace andharmony with each other. They takeactive part in the happiness/grieveof each other and give a great dealof respect to their culture, normsand run their lives according totheir set traditions. Punjabipeople are famous for theirhospitable and loving nature. LanguagesPunjabi is the provincial languageof Punjab. It is spoken as thefirst language by majority peoplein Punjab, even spoken andunderstood in areas beyond theconfines of Punjab. Facts andfigures show that Punjabi languageis spoken as first language by 44%of Pakistanis. Urdu language isalso commonly spoken in thisregion. Key Punjabilanguages/dialects are:

Pothowari Hindko Jhangvi Shahpuri Pahari Majhi Saraiki

 DressesCostumes of Punjab are anindication of the bright andvibrant culture and lifestyle ofthe people.The costumes are a mix of colours,comfort and beauty and Punjab iswell known for the use ofphulkari(embroidery) in itscostumes. In most of the villagesof Punjab men wear Pagri(turban),dhoti/lacha, kurta, khusa. Womenwear gharara, or choridar pajama orcolorful shalwar kameez, paranda,choli/duppata, khusa, kola purichappal or tillay wali jutti.Whereas in urban areas of Punjabmen and women follow latest trendsand fashion, generally they weardifferent styles of shalwar kameez. CuisineThe extensive cuisine of Punjab canbe vegetarian and non-vegetarian.One commonality between all Punjabidishes is the liberal usage of gheeor clarified butter spices andPunjabis are fond of sweet-meatsalso. Most Punjabi food is eatenwith either rice or roti. There aresome dishes that are exclusive toPunjab such as Mah Di Dal, Paratha,Makai ki rotti, Saron Da Saag, andin cities Choley, Haleem, Baryaniand other spicy dishes are popular.In beverages, tea is consumed inall seasons and as a custom most of

Punjabis serve tea to their guests.Punjabis are also fond of Zarda,Gulab-Jamuns, Kheer,Jalaibi,Samosy, Pakorey etc. Duringsummers people drink lassi, doodh-soda, aloo bokharey ka sharbat,lemonade etc.  These cuisines havebecome world-wide delicacies withlarge scale representation. SportsPunjabi people have fanaticalinterest in sports. Punjabi’s arefond of kabaddi, and wrestling,which is also popular in otherparts of Pakistan and it’s alsoplayed on national level. Othergames being played in Punjab regioninclude Gilli-Danda, Khoo-Khoo,Yassu-Panju, Pitho-Garam, Ludo,Chuppan-Chupai, Baraf-Panni, Kanchyand some major sports includecricket, boxing, horse-racing,hockey and football. National Horseand Cattle Show at Lahore is thebiggest festival where sports,exhibitions, and livestockcompetitions are held. Cultural FestivalsThere are numerous festivals whichare celebrated by Punjabi peopleincluding some religious festivalssuch as Eid-Milad-Un-Nabi, Jumu’ah,Laylat-ul-Qadr etc. Urcs(devotional fairs),which are heldat the shirnes of sufi saints,Melas and Nomaish (exhibitions).The

Provincial capital Lahore is widelypopular for its entertaining eventsand activities. Lahori’s are famousall over the country for theircelebrations particularlyfor Basant festival (kite flying)in the spring season. Otherfestivals celebrated in Punjabregion include Baisakhi, Teej,Kanak Katai etc. Dance and MusicBhangra is most commonly knownPunjabi music genre and dancestyle. Punjabis passionately lovefolk songs/music, Qawali andPunjabi music is recognizedthroughout the world. The Tabla,Dhol, Dholki, Chimta, Flute andSitar are all common instruments ofthis delightful culture. Punjabidance is based around happiness,energy and enthusiasm.Differentforms of dance in Punjab are:Loddi, Dhamal, Sammi, Kikli, Gatka,Bhangra, Giddha and Dandiya.Punjabi dances have been embracedby the American culture and othersalike and now they are one of themost appreciated art forms. Custums and RitualsSome of the customs followed inPunjab have no foundation in Islam.However, the Punjabi culture hasadopted those ceremonies andtraditions from Hindu culture. 

Birth RitualsPunjabis celebrate birth of theirchild with great enthusiasm.Grandfather or grandmother or somerespected elder member from thefamily puts honey with their indexfinger in child’s mouth calledGhutii. Sweets are distributedamong friends and relatives andpeople bring gifts for the childand mother. Generally on 7thdaychild’s head is shaven and Aqiqaceremony is held, also sheep/goatis slaughtered. Punjabi WeddingsPunjabi weddings are based ontraditions and are conducted withstrong reflection of the Punjabiculture followed by several pre-wedding customs and rituals(dholki,mayun,ubtan etc.)Punjabiweddings are very loud, energetic,full of music,colors, fancy-dresses, food and dancing. Punjabiweddings have many customs andceremonies that have evolved sincetraditional times. In cities thewedding are celebrated following ablend of modern and traditionalcustoms and the ceremony generallylasts for 3days, Mehndi, Barat(Nikkah+Ruksati) and Walima,followed by Chauti (bringing thebride back to her parents’ home thenext day). Funeral Rituals

At funerals after namaz-e-janaza itis customary to offer lunch topeople who came for condolence. On3rdday of the funeral, Qul is heldand every following thursday theQuran is recited (jumah-e-raat)followed by prayers for deceasedand after 40days the chaliswaan isheld. After which the funeral isover. Some families observeanniversaries yearly (barsi).Thereis no formal dress code for Punjabifunerals however people mostly wearshalwar kameez and casual clothingis observed. Funerals of Shiafamilies are more intense. Both menand women wear black shalwar-kameezand rigorous crying and screamingis a common occurrence at suchfunerals. LiteraturePunjab is very rich with literatureand Sufis adds more in itsliterature. Punjabi poetry isrenowned for its extremely deepmeaning, beautiful and hopeful useof words. The large number ofPunjabi poetry is being translatedthroughout the world into manylanguages. Some famous poets ofPunjabi are Sultan Bahu, MiaMohammad Baksh, Baba Farid, ShahHussain, Anwar Masood etc. WarisShah, whose contribution to Punjabiliterature is best-known for hisseminal work in Heer Ranjha, knownas Shakespeare of Punjabi

language.  Bulleh Shah was aPunjabi Sufi poet, a humanist and aphilosopher. The verse from BullehShah primarily employed is calledthe Kafi, a style of Punjabi. Someother popular folk tales of Punjabinclude Sassi-Punnu, Sohni Mahiwaletc. that are passing throughgenerations. Arts and CraftsPunjab is the major manufacturingindustry in Pakistan’s economy andhere each art enjoys a place of itsown. The main crafts created in thehighlands and other rural areas ofPunjab are basketry, pottery, whichare famous for their modern andtraditional designs all over theworld and are included in the bestformations of Punjabis. bone work,textile, cloth woven on handloomswith stunning prints is embroideredin the rural-areas and the weaversproduce colorful cloths likecotton,silk etc. embroidery,weaving, carpets, stone craft,jewelry, metal work along withtruck art and other wood works. Thecraft of Punjab is its fundamentalsoul and its craft create itsentity.

Social Stratification

Social stratification refers to asystem by which a society rankscategories of people in a

hierarchy. In the United States, itis perfectly clear that some groupshave greater status, power, andwealth than other groups.Origin of Stratification:Regarding the origin ofstratification many views have beengiven.

(i) According to Davis, socialstratification has come into beingdue to the functional necessity ofthe social system.

(ii) Professor Sorokin attributedsocial stratification mainly toinherited difference inenvironmental conditions.

(iii) According to Karl Mrax,social factors are responsible forthe emergence of different socialstrata, i.e. social stratification.

(iv) Gumplowioz and other contendedthat the origin of socialstratification is to be found inthe conquest of one group byanother.

(v) According to Spengler, socialstratification is founded uponscarcity which is created wheneversociety differentiates positive interms of functions and powers.

(vi) Racial differences accompaniedby dissimilarity also leads tostratification.

Types of Social Stratification:Social stratification is based upona variety of principles. So we finddifferent type of stratification.

The major types of stratificationare

(i) Caste

(ii) Class

(iii) Estate

(iv) Slavery

(i) Caste is a hereditaryendogamous social group in which aperson’s rank and its accompanyingrights and obligations are ascribedon the basis of his birth into aparticular group. For example-Brahmins, Kshyatryas, Vaishyas andSudra Caste.

(ii) Class-Stratification on thebasis of class is dominant inmodern society. In this, a person’sposition depends to a very greatextent upon achievement and hisability to use to advantage theinborn characteristics and wealththat he may possess.

(iii) Estate system of medievalEurope provides another system ofstratification which gave muchemphasis to birth as well as towealth and possessions. Each estatehad a state.

(iv) Slavery had economic basis. Inslavery, every slave had his masterto whom he was subjected. Themaster’s power over the slave wasunlimited.

Characteristics ofSocial Stratification:On the basis of the analysis of thedifferent definitions given byeminent scholars, socialstratification may have thefollowing characteristics.

(a) Social stratification isuniversal:There is no society on this worldwhich is free from stratification.Modern stratification differs fromstratification of primitivesocieties. It is a worldwidephenomenon. According to Sorokin“all permanently organized groupsare stratified.”

(b) Stratification is social:It is true that biologicalqualities do not determine one’ssuperiority and inferiority.Factors like age, sex, intelligenceas well as strength oftencontribute as the basis on whichstatues are distinguished. Butone’s education, property, power,experience, character, personalityetc. are found to be more importantthan biological qualities. Hence,stratification is social by nature.

(c) It is ancient:Stratification system is very old.It was present even in the smallwondering bonds. In almost all theancient civilizations, thedifferences between the rich andpoor, humble andpowerful existed.During the period of Plato andKautilya even emphasis was given topolitical, social and economicinequalities.

(d) It is in diverse forms:The forms of stratification is notuniform in all the societies. Inthe modern world class, caste andestate are the general forms ofstratification. In India a specialtype of stratification in the formof caste is found. The ancientAryas were divided into fourvarnas: the Brahmins, Kshatriyas,Vaishyas and Sudras. The ancientGreeks were divided into freemenand slaves and the ancient Romanswere divided into the particiansand the plebians. So every society,past or present, big or small ischaracterized by diversed forms ofsocial stratification.

(e) Social stratification isConsequential:Social stratification has twoimportant consequences one is “lifechances” and the other one is “lifestyle”. A class system not onlyaffects the “life- chances” of the

individuals but also their “lifestyle”.

The members of a class have similarsocial chances but the socialchances vary in every society. Itincludes chances of survival and ofgood physical and mental health,opportunities for education,chances of obtaining justice,marital conflict, separation anddivorce etc.

Life style denotes a style of lifewhich is distinctive of aparticular social status. Life-styles include such matters likethe residential areas in everycommunity which have gradations ofprestige-ranking, mode of housing,means of recreation, the kinds ofdress, the kinds of books, TV showsto which one is exposed and so on.Life-style may be viewed as a sub-culture in which one stratumdiffers from another within theframe work of a commonly sharedover-all culture.

Social Stratification andSocial Mobility:Social mobility refers to themovement within the socialstructure, from one social positionto another. It means a change insocial status. All societiesprovide some opportunity for socialmobility. But the societies differfrom each other to extent in which

individuals can move from one classor status level to another.

It is said that the greater theamount of social mobility, the moreopen the class structure. Theconcept of social mobility hasfundamental importance inascertaining the relative“openness” of a social structure.The nature, forms, direction andmagnitude of social mobilitydepends on the nature and types ofsocial stratification. Sociologistsstudy social mobility in order tofind out the relative ‘openness’ ofa social structure.

Any group that improves itsstandard will also improve itssocial status. But the rate ofsocial mobility is not uniform inall the countries. It differs fromsociety to society from time totime. In India the rate of mobilityis naturally low because ofagriculture being the predominantoccupation and the continuity ofcaste system as compared to theother countries of the world.

Types of Social Mobility:In social stratification themovement occurs in threedirections.

(a) From lower to higher

(b) From higher to lower

(c) Between two positions at thesame level.

Social mobility is of two types:(i) Vertical mobility

(ii) Horizontal mobility

(i) Vertical mobility:It refers to the movement of peoplefrom one stratum to another or fromone status to another. It bringschanges in class, occupation andpower. It involves movementfromlower to higher or higher tolower. There are two types ofvertical mobility. One is upwardand other is downward mobility.

Social Stratification

The process by which individualsand groups are ranked in a more orless enduring hierarchy of statusis known as stratification. Eventhe most primitive societies hadsome form of social stratification.As Sorokin pointed out stratifiedsociety with real equality of itsmembers is a myth that has neverbeen realized in the history of themankind. Social stratificationmeans the differentiation of agiven population intohierarchically superimposedclasses. It is manifested in theexistence of upper and lower sociallayer. Its basis and very essence

consists in an unequal distributionof rights and privileges, dutiesand responsibilities, social valuesand privations, social power andinfluences among the members of asociety. No society isunstratified. Stratificationinvolves the distribution ofunequal rights and privileges amongthe members of a society. Socialstratification is the division ofsociety into permanent groups orcategories linked with each otherby the relationship of superiorityand subordination.

Introduction Conflict Theories Functionalist theories Forms and functions The slavery system The estate system The caste system

o Main features of caste system

o Functions of the caste system

o Dominant caste o Purity and Pollution o Sanskritization

The class system o Characteristics of Social

Classo Jajmani system

Sanskritization Points to Remember The Terms and the theorists Gender and Stratification

World System Theory Culture of Poverty Neocolonialism Multinational corporations Challenges to Traditional

Class Analysis

EthnicityThe major ethnic groups of Pakistanin numerical sizeinclude: Punjabis,Pashtuns,Sindhis,Saraikis, Muhajirs, Balochis, Hindkowans, Chitralis and other smallergroups. Following are the majorlanguages spoken in Pakistan.Definition: Ethnicity is a conceptreferring to a shared culture andway of life. This can be reflectedin language, religion, materialculture such as clothing and food,and cultural products such as musicand art. Ethnicity is often a majorsource of social cohesion andsocial conflict.

Ethnic Groups in Pakistan

Major Ethnic Groups in PakistanAlong with the proliferatingviolence and mass scalebombing, ethnic groups inPakistan continue to stroke andforce down the people of thiscountry. This has not been an issuethat erupted a few decades ago, buthad always encompassed this landsince its birth. After raising thecurtains, Ethnicity in

Pakistan proves to play asignificant role in obliteratingthe economy and its people. Sincethe very first human beings placedtheir steps on earth, people andsocieties have always become avictim of differentiation anddescrimination. Informationregarding some of these majorgroups has been given below:

The province Punjab, also known asthe land of five rivers constitutesvarious ethnic groups. Arabs,Afghani’s, Persians and Turks ruledthe land mainly. Even though allthese empires gradually disappearedfrom Punjab, but their culture andlanguage became a part of people’slives. Punjabi language hasdifferent dialects and there arealmost 63 dialects of Punjabi arespoken throughout the province ofPunjab.

Pushtuns, generally referred toas Pathans, are the natives of WestIndus River. They are the secondlargest ethnic group in Pakistan. Theirmajority population lives inKarachi and then in Peshawar. Theirunique code of conduct is based ontribal structure and referred to asPushtunwali.

The province Sindh exists along theIndus River and got exposure due toIndus Valley

Civilization.Sindhis are theinhabitants of Sindh. The name ofthe land was inherited from IndusCivilization.

Baluchistan is situated on theSouth West side of Pakistan. It isthe largest province of PakistanThe population of Baluchistanconstitutes 6% of Pakistan’s totalpopulation. The people belonging tothe land are referred toas Baluchis.

The word “Muhajir” means migratingfrom one place to another. Thesepeople are migrants from CentralAsia and Middle East. The largemajority of these people arePashtuns; othersinclude Bokras, Memons and Ismailis. The one thing, which unites them,is the Urdu language.

Seraikis speak the language Seraikiand are settled in southern part ofPunjab. This is the second largestcommunity in Punjab. It is one ofthe dialects of Punjabi. There arealmost 13.9 million Saraiki peoplein Pakistan.

Languages spoken amongst Ethnicgroups

Although Pakistan has fiveprovinces, which are Punjab, Sindh,Baluchistan, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan,each province consists of more than

one language and manydialects.Punjabi is the largestspeaking language of Pakistan with44.15% of total population speakingit.

In Sindh, mostly Sindhi isspoken. It’s the second most spokenlanguage after Punjabi. Holy Quranwas first translated in Sindhilanguage, which explains a strongreligious factor. The poetry ismostly based on Sufi-ism.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,mostly Pashto is spoken. It is alsospoken in Afghanistan. There areother languages also spoken in thisregion because of differentemperors and rulers that stayed inthis region for years. Theseinclude, Chitrali, Kohistani,and Hindko.

In Baluchistan province,mostly Baluchi is spoken, however insome parts of Baluchistan Pashto isalso spoken.

The one factor that unitesPakistan is the Urdu language. It’sa mixture of different languageslike Punjabi, Arabic, Farsi andEnglish and other different otherlanguages. 7.57% speak Urdu inPakistan.

English is the internationallanguage and people have adoptedthe language. The official

communication is also done throughEnglish. English has taken place ofUrdu in govt. offices anddepartments. In Pakistan 10.97%people speak English.

The ethnic groups inPakistan contributes to her richculture. Pakistani society andculture continues to develop as theinteraction among these groupsrises. Although, diversitycontributes to positivity andcreativity in a society, conflictsof severe nature have hamperedcountry's economic and socio-political progress. Division amongthe people on the basis ofgeographic association,  language,religion economic disparities, andsubcultures has had adverse effectson the country in all aspects. Atthis hour, the matter of ethnicityin Pakistan along with educationsystem in Pakistan needs criticalattention and the government needsto root out the differences amongthe people. 

Ethnicity in Pakistan

Overview of Ethnicity in Pakistan

The battle for equality andrecognition by an ethnic group isan old and recurring phenomenon. Ifthis struggle gathers momentum, itdevelops into an ethnicconflict.Baluchis, Punjabis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Seraikis, Muhajirs and Chitralis a

re the mainethnic groups of Pakistan.Since the emergence of Pakistan onworld’s map, the country has hadethnic and linguistic differencesamong its people, and ethnicity inPakistanhas existed since it's veryinception.

EthnicityEthnicity refers to a group ofpeople who have their own-sharedcommon characteristics thatdistinguish them from most otherpeople in the same society.Biological characteristics thatplay a part in racial differencesmay be visible in an ethnic group,but these characteristics do notform a criterion for defining anethnic group. It is a populationwhose members identify with eachother on the basis of a real orpresumed common ancestry. No onehas control over at theirethnicity. It relates to your raceas well: Asian, African-American,Caucasian or European, Hispanicetc. 

Behavioral ethnicity includes thelearning of values, belief,behavioral norms, languages ordistinctive dialect, by the memberof ethnic category during theprocess of socialization. They usethese social values as their basicinteraction manifestation. 

Difference between Race and EthnicityEthnicity is different than race. Race is theclassification of people based onphysical or biologicalcharacteristics sharing differentethnicvalues. Ethnicity incorporateslanguage, religion, demarcation ofterritory and other cultural traitsincluding historical, political andgeographical origins. According tothe survey conducted, when asked ifone considered oneself associatedto any ethnic group, 72% people insome way associated themselves toan Ethnic group. 

Ethnic Differences and EthnicConflicts

Changes in people’s affinity withany of them may occur overtime. Ethnic differencesamong peoplewhether physical or cultural, existas part of human experience. Therecognition of these diversitiesmay be intensified as contactsbetween two groups grow. Ethnicdistinctiveness invokes an innatesense of people-hood. 

In many cases some groups gainprivileges over others on the basisof their ethnic differences. Theprimary simulators of the ethnicdifferences are often economic,social or political power. Thecultural differences referred to in

ethnic interaction cannot always bereduced without a loss of analyticcomprehension. Since one of themain insights from formaliststudies of ethnicity is thatculture cannot be treated as afixed and bound system of signs. 

Ethnic differences are inevitablylinked to violence on a grandscale. The assumption that becauseconflicts are often ethnic,ethnicity must breed conflict is ahuge mistake. But at someinstances, ethnic diversities dolead to violence and conflicts. Oneof the most common cause of the ethnicconflicts is, people prefer membersof their own group and have activeantipathy towards out-group membersmaking conflicts the inevitableresult. If the antipathies due toethnic diversities are so deep thatthey cannot be resolved, thenseparation is the only workablesolution left.

Ethnic Conflicts in PakistanDifferent ethnic groups can reside inone nation peacefully if there isless discrimination and despising,but if the struggle to win ethnicrights is constantly hampered, ittransforms into a movement for anindependent nation. In a countrylike Pakistan, where economical andpolitical instability prevails,ethnic differences augment with aferocious pace and the consequences

can be dreadful, thus preventingmeasures must always be taken toreduce these conflicts. Historyconcurs with this notion as ethnicdifferences comprising of economicaland military disparities andlanguage controversy lead to a warin 1971 between East and WestPakistan. It resulted in separationof East Pakistan which becameBangladesh. Urdu-Bengali conflictwas one of the primary factorswhich gave birth to BengaliNational Movement..

Criminal Justice System

Most criminal justice systems havefive components-law enforcement,prosecution, defense attorneys,courts, and corrections, eachplaying a key role in the criminaljustice process. Law Enforcement:Law enforcement officers takereports for crimes that happen intheir areas.

What Is It?

The criminal justice system is theset of agencies and processesestablished by governments tocontrol crime and impose penaltieson those who violate laws. There isno single criminal justice systemin the United States but rathermany similar, individual systems.How the criminal justice systemworks in each area depends on thejurisdiction that is in charge:

city, county, state, federal ortribal government or militaryinstallation. Differentjurisdictions have different laws,agencies, and ways of managingcriminal justice processes.1 Themain systems are:

State: State criminal justicesystems handle crimescommitted within their stateboundaries.

Federal: The federal criminaljustice system handles crimescommitted on federal propertyor in more than one state.

System Components

Most criminal justice systems havefive components-law enforcement,prosecution, defense attorneys,courts, and corrections, eachplaying a key role in the criminaljustice process.

Law Enforcement: Lawenforcement officers takereports for crimes that happenin their areas. Officersinvestigate crimes and gatherand protect evidence. Lawenforcement officers mayarrest offenders, givetestimony during the courtprocess, and conduct follow-upinvestigations if needed.

Prosecution: Prosecutors arelawyers who represent thestate or federal government(not the victim) throughoutthe court process-from thefirst appearance of theaccused in court until theaccused is acquitted orsentenced. Prosecutors reviewthe evidence brought to themby law enforcement to decidewhether to file charges ordrop the case. Prosecutorspresent evidence in court,question witnesses, and decide(at any point after chargeshave been filed) whether tonegotiate plea bargains withdefendants. They have greatdiscretion, or freedom, tomake choices about how toprosecute the case. Victimsmay contact the prosecutor'soffice to find out whichprosecutor is in charge oftheir case, to inform theprosecutor if the defenseattorney has contacted thevictim2, and to seek otherinformation about the case.

Defense Attorneys: Defenseattorneys defend the accusedagainst the government's case.They are ether hired by thedefendant or (for defendantswho cannot afford an attorney)they are assigned by the

court. While the prosecutorrepresents the state, thedefense attorney representsthe defendant.

Courts: Courts are run byjudges, whose role is to makesure the law is followed andoversee what happens in court.They decide whether to releaseoffenders before the trial.Judges accept or reject pleaagreements, oversee trials,and sentence convictedoffenders.

Corrections: Correctionofficers supervise convictedoffenders when they are injail, in prison, or in thecommunity on probation orparole. In some communities,corrections officers preparepre-sentencing reports withextensive backgroundinformation about the offenderto help judges decidesentences. The job ofcorrections officers is tomake sure the facilities thathold offenders are secure andsafe. They oversee the day-to-day custody of inmates. Theyalso oversee the releaseprocesses for inmates andsometimes notify victims ofchanges in the offender'sstatus.

Relationship b/w Deviance andCriminology

To a large extent, criminology andstudies of deviance have developedalong separate tracks although theyshow much overlap. Criminologistshave typically limited themselvesto issues about legality, crime, orcrime-related phenomena. Studentsof deviance, on the other hand,have studied crime as well as awider range of behaviors orconditions that are deviant by oneor another of the definitionsreviewed but are not necessarilyillegal, such as suicide,alcoholism, homosexuality, mentallydisordered behaviors, stuttering,and even such behaviors as publicnose picking or flatulence,sectarian religious behaviors, andbody mutilation. Hence, it isdifficult to distinguishcriminology clearly from studies ofdeviance (Bader et al.).

Many criminologists concede thatillegal acts are not fundamentallydifferent from legal but deviantacts, except by the fact ofillegality itself, which is largelyan arbitrary designation by legalfunctionaries. At the same time,students of deviance readilyacknowledge that many deviant actsare also illegal and they havefound data about crime especially

useful because it is moresystematic than most dataconcerning legal forms of deviance.Recognizing this overlap is obviousamong those deviance scholars whoemploy a legalistic definition ofdeviance, but almost everycomprehensive treatment of deviantbehavior, regardless of thedefinition used, includes asubsection on criminal acts thatare also deviant. Furthermore, bothcamps have raised similar questionsand have come to share a common setof theories for explaining thephenomena in their domains. Amongother issues, criminologists aswell as students of deviance wantto explain why the acts they studyare deviant or criminal; they wantto describe and explain thedistribution, frequency,prevalence, and change in theoccurrence of various criminal ordeviant acts; they want to explainwhy and how criminal or deviantacts are committed; they want toexplain how social groups manageand respond to crime and devianceand how people who are accused orguilty of crime or deviance respondto being accused or managed; andthey want to understand howcriminal or deviant phenomenaaffect and are affected by otheraspects of social life.

Because of the overlap betweencrime and deviance, some scholarsnow regard distinctions betweencriminology and deviance studies asfalse and counterproductive, andthey have called for a merger ofthe subject matters. Since alldefinitions of deviance, except thelegalistic one, portray deviantbehavior as a more inclusiveconcept, merger might implysubsuming criminology under theumbrella of deviance studies. Underthat conceptualization, criminalbehavior would be treated as aspecial case of deviant behavior—that which is prohibited in law,thereby meriting the possibility ofofficially imposed sanctions thatlegal forms of deviance escape. Onthe other hand, some contend thatcriminology has already preempteddeviance studies so that devianceas a separate subject matter nolonger exists or matters (Sumner),and still others contend that thetwo fields should clearlydifferentiate themselves byallocating legally relatedphenomena exclusively tocriminology, leaving other forms ofdisapproved behavior to deviancestudies (Bader et al.).

There are two main intellectualbarriers to merging criminologywith studies of deviance. First,some criminal behavior in some

places (such as gambling) is notdeviant, at least by mostdefinitions of deviance, so wouldbe subject to criminological studybut not to study by students ofdeviance. The political processesthat produce laws can result inbehaviors being declared illegalalthough the conduct is not deviantby any definition except alegalistic one. How those politicalprocesses unfold and howenforcement might fare whenillegality does not match socialreality are of great importance tosome criminologists. In addition,some behaviors are deviant at thetime they become illegal but laterbecome non-deviant without the lawhaving been changed. Therefore,those intellectually opposed tomerger might note that subsumingcriminology under deviance studieswould exclude some of the moreinteresting aspects of criminology.

A second intellectual obstacle toconceiving of crime and deviance asone subject matter hinges ondisagreements about the nature ofhuman behavior. Some criminologistsand some students of deviancecontend that all forms of behavior,including specific acts or types ofcrime or deviance, are more or lessdistinct, requiring uniqueexplanations. By observing aplethora of differences, such as

whether committed by males orfemales, blacks or whites, young orold, in some circumstances ratherthan others, whether legal or not,whether regarded as especiallyserious or not, whether violent orsimply immoral, whether committedwith planning or spontaneously, andthe like, some conclude thatspecific behaviors have fewsimilarities that would justifytheir being explained by the sametheories. This orientation hasgenerated a large number ofexplanations of specific behaviors,such as predatory crime(Braithwaite), common juvenilemisdeeds (Hagan, 1989),embezzlement (Cressey), mentalillness (Scheff), homicide byfemales (Ogle et al.), and manyother.

The social change process{discovery —>       invention — >       diffusion }  Discovery == the process of

learning aboutsomethingpreviouslyunknown orunrecognized.

 Historically if involves unearthingnatural elements or existingrealities such as — “fire,” “the

true shape of the earth,”“electricity.” Today discoveries most often resultfrom scientific research — “poliovaccine” (virtually eliminatedevery childhood disease). (future discovery of cure forcancer and the common cold couldresult in longer and moreproductive lives). Thesis: as more discoveries haveoccurred, people have been able to“reconfigure existing material andnon-material”cultural items through“invention.” Invention ===          the process

of reshapingexistingcultural itemsinto a newform.

 Ex:   guns, video games, airplanes,

and the “charter of rights andfreedoms” are examples ofinventions that positively andnegatively affect our livestoday.

 When diverse groups of people comeinto contact, they begin to adaptto one another’s discoveries,inventions, and ideas for their ownuse.

  (this has not only led toincreasing technological progress —but to rising and falling empires).  Diffusion === the transmission of

cultural itemsor socialpractices fromone group orsociety toanother.

 Ex:   through means such as

exploration, militaryendeavours, the media,tourism, and immigraitgon.

 Ex:   in today’s “shrinking globe,”

cultural diffusion moves veryrapidly as countriescontinuously seek new marketsfor their products.

 It is estimated thatthe “knowledge-base” of theglobal society “doubles everyeighteen-months.”

Characteristics of Pakistan culture/society/Community

I- Introduction:Culture may be defined as an integral whole which affects human ideals, actions and modes of

living. According to E.B. Taylor, "Culture is a complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, customs and all other capabilities and habits acquired byman as a member of a society."Every great nation enjoys its own culture. Similarly, Pakistani culture is very distinct due to itsIslamic nature and rich historical background. Pakistani culture has the following characteristics:i- Islamic values and traditions.ii- National and regional languages.iii- Mixed culture.iv- Rich literaturev- Male dominated society.vi- Variety of Dressesvii- Fairs and Festivals.viii- Sportsix- Handicrafts.i- Islamic Values:Pakistani culture is actually a part of the contemporary Islamic civilization which draws its value and traditions from Islam and rich Islamic history. Majority of population comprises of Muslims andfollows teachings of Islam, i-e., belief in one Allah, Prophethood ofHazrat Muhammad P.B.U.H, brotherhood, equality and social justice etc. Islam is religion of peace and patience. Pakistani society is very cooperative. National calendar is marked by religious days which are observed

with great devotion.

ii- National and Regional Languages:Pakistan is a large country which comprises of four provinces, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas(FATA) and Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA). All of thesecomponent parts have their own regional languages. As such Punjabi, Pashtu, Sindhi, Balochi, Barohi and Kashmiri are regional languages. However, Urdu is the national language which is spokin and understood in all parts of the country.

iii- Mixed Culture:Practically speaking Pakistani culture is a beautiful blend of thePunjabi, Sindhi, Pathan, Baluchi, Barohi, Seraiki and Kashmiri cultures. In addition, the presenceof Hindu community in Sindh gives touches of dance and music in the Sindhi region. The Hindus sing Bhejas but Pakistani culture has adopted Qawwali which is a praise of the Holy Propher P.B.U.H.

iv- Rich Literature:Pakistani culture is rich in the literatures of Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtu, Baruhi, Baluchi andKashmiri languages. Urdu literatureboasts of the masterpieces of Maulana Azad, Iqbal, Shibli, Hali,

Ghalib, Agha Hashar, Manto and Faizwhereas the Punjabi literature stands out with great names like Waris Shah, Sultan Bahu, Ghulam Farid, Bulhay Shah and Shah Hussainetc. Similarly, Sindhi literature glitters with the masterpieces of Shah Abdul Latif, Sachal Sarmast, Shah Qadir Bakhsh, and Faqir Nabi Bakhsh. The Pushto literature also boasts of names like Sheikh Saleh, Raghoon Khan, Akhund dardeeza, Khushal Khan Khattak and Rahman Baba. The Baluchi literature comprises of masterpieces of Jam Durk, Muhammad Ali, Zahoor Shah Hashmi, Ghani Parvez, Hasrat Baluch, Abbas Ali Zemi and Aziz Bugti etc.

v- Male Dominated Society:Pakistani society is dominated by male members. Each family is headedby the senior most male member who is responsible for arranging the bread and butter of the family.

vii- Variety of Dresses:Pakistani culture is rich in variety of dresses: The people of Punjab, the Pathans of NWFP, the Baluchi people and the Sindhis weartheir own distinct dresses. These dresses are very colourful and prominent and give attractive look during national fairs and festivals.

viii- Fairs and Festivals:The culture of Pakistan has great tradition of Fairs and festivals. These fairs are held in all parts of the country. Moreover, annual urs of great saints are held to commemorate their anniversaries. Onthese occasions, fairs are also held in which people take part in great numbers. Out of these the Horse and Cattle shows of Lahore, Mianwali and Sibi are famous wheseas the Polo festival fo Gilgitis prominent at national and international level. Moreover annual urs of Hazrat Daata Ganj Bakhsh, Madhu Lal Hussain, Baba Bulhay Shah, Baba Farid Gunj Shakar, Baba Gulu Shah, Pir Jamaat Ali Shah, Abdul Latif Bhitaii, Hazrat Noshah Ganj Bakhsh, Bari Imam, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, and Bahauddin Zakriya are celebrated with great fervour.

ix- Sports:Pakistani people are great lovers of sports and games. Modern games like hockey, cricket, football, badminton, squash, table tennis andlawn tennis are played throughout the coutnry. In addition wrestling,boxing, and athletics are also verypopular among masses. Pakistan has produced great sportsmen in the past. These include Bholu in Wrestling, Hanif, Miandad, Imran, Wasim Akram, and Inzamam in

cricket, Shehnaz sheikh, Islahuddin, KHalid mahmood, Akhtar Rasool, and Munir Dar in hockey andJahangir, Jansher in squash.

x- Handicrafts:Pakistan enjoys great distinction in handicrafts at international level. Wooden furniture of Chiniot,sports goods of Sialkot and embroidery of Multan and Hyderabad is world famous.

Consequences of illiteracy/Effects

The consequences of illiteracy aremany and harmful in severalrespects. As well as affectingilliterate individuals themselvesin their daily lives and oftenjeopardizing their future, thisscourge has a significant effect onsociety, both socially andeconomically.

The consequences of illiteracy onindividuals and society include thefollowing: 

For individuals

Limited ability to obtain andunderstand essential information;

Unemployment: The unemployment rateis 2–4 times higher among thosewith little schooling than amongthose with Bachelor’s degrees;

Lower income;

Lower-quality jobs;

Reduced access to lifelong learningand professional development;

Precarious financial position;

Little value is given to educationand reading within the family, andthis often leads tointergenerational transmission ofilliteracy;

Low self-esteem, which can lead toisolation;

Impact on health: Illiterateindividuals have more workplaceaccidents, take longer to recoverand more often misuse medicationthrough ignorance of health careresources and because they havetrouble reading and understandingthe relevant information (warnings,dosage, contraindications, etc.). 

For society

Since literacy is an essential toolfor individuals and states to becompetitive in the new globalknowledge economy, many positionsremain vacant for lack of personneladequately trained to hold them;

The higher the proportion of adultswith low literacy proficiency is,the slower the overall long-termGDP growth rate is;

The difficulty understandingsocietal issues lowers the level of

community involvement and civicparticipation. 

Without the basic tools necessaryfor achieving their goals,individuals without an adequatelevel of literacy cannot beinvolved fully and on a completelyequal basis in social and politicaldiscourse.

Ethnology Definitions:A branch of anthropology that analyzes cultures, especially in regard to their historical developmentand the similarities and dissimilarities betweenthem.2.(Formerly) a branch of cultural anthropologydealing with the origin, distribution, anddistinguishing characteristics of human societies.