SADDAK CHAAP
Why did you choose to come to Karachi and not go to any other city ?
Riaz Hussain, 19, office boy: "I came from Neelum Valley in Azad Kashmir two years back in search of better job prospects and also because I needed some exposure to a different culture that I didn't get when I was young. But now I feel I am stuck here as the city has become very expensive to live and I also miss my family a lot."

Karachi has been home to refugees since partition. Even after 62 years of independence, refugees continue to pour into the city from all over the country as well as from across the border. The most recent occurrence in this regard is the influx of the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from Swat, Buner and other such regions in northern Pakistan that have been military targets for the offensive against Talibanisation. In fact, the number of refugees, both IDPs and otherwise, that have consistently come into the city is so huge that natives to the city (mainly Sindhis) are far and few between. As a result of this, the culture of the city is quite different from the rest of the province – if anything it is an amalgamation of different cultures practiced by different communities in Karachi.

"A city is like a tree; it has to have its roots in the soil. Sadly, that was never the case with Karachi," said journalist Ghazi Salahuddin while talking to Kolachi about the history of the immigrants that have trickled into the city over the years. "There are two types of migration," he explained. "Push, where people are forced to leave their land because of persecution or some other factors and pull where people are attracted to a certain place with better prospects."

Strangely enough, he pointed out, migration in Karachi has been governed by both factors: some came here to find shelter while others arrived with the hope of finding better job opportunities since it was a port city.

A vast majority of the refugees, he said, came to Pakistan, particularly Karachi. In fact, there were so many of them that they could practice their cultural norms and way of life. Somehow, all these norms collectively became the culture of the city.

"Sadly though, Karachi is the only city in Asia, or may be even in the world, that does not derive its culture from its soil," he added. For example, one cannot imagine Lahore without Punjabis or Peshawar without Pathans but in case of Karachi, only a handful of Sindhis live here who truly represent the city. However, the culture of the city has been created by the middle class and lower middle class who are mostly Urdu-speaking people from Northern India, maintained Salahuddin.

The migration of people from India to Karachi continued till the 50s because the borders were open and there were no restrictions. Thus, small communities such as the Burmese, Bohris, Ismailis and even Iranians, kept on pouring into the city as small but significant groups.

"The second phase of migration, which was internal, took place when Ayub Khan came to power in 1958 and a lot of people from Balochistan and NWFP came to Karachi to work in factories as well as the construction industry," said Salahuddin. There are many who believe that these opportunities were intentionally created by Ayub Khan to 'facilitate' the deprived Pashtun population. At the time Karachi was the capital of Pakistan. This made Karachi the largest Pashtun-populated city in the world.

Soon after the Pashtuns came and started working in construction, the 65 war with India began, permanently closing the gates for all those who wished to migrate to Pakistan from India. Meanwhile, the city already had different ethnicities largely comprising the Urdu-speaking people who were so attached to their homeland that they referred to themselves as 'Dilli (Delhi) walay' and 'Lucknavi (hailing from Lucknow)' but never from Karachi . On the other hand, the Pashtuns were adjusting in the city and started forming small colonies in Sohrab Goth. Thus, the name Pathan Colony came about.

It was not only the Pashtuns and the Urdu-speaking population for whom Karachi became home but also Bengalis. The latter came to Karachi in large numbers due to the Partition of Bengal in 1971. "The creation of Bangladesh in 1971 took the entire country by surprise and since Karachi was the financial capital of Pakistan and the people who had migrated here earlier were doing well, refugees sought shelter here as a result of the ethnic riots in Bengal," explained Dr Mubarak Ali, a well-known historian and columnist. He further added that it was not only the "pure Bengalis," who spoke Bangla, that came to Karachi but a lot of people from the province of Bihar known as Biharis (Bangladesh's Urdu-speaking population) also arrived here: "both Biharis and Bengalis came here in great numbers and most of them joined their extended family members."

Ali explained that Bengalis have always been good at fishing so most of them eventually became fishermen. Even today in places like Keamari and Manora, most fishermen are Bengali. Similarly, other migrants also created small colonies for themselves like the Pashtuns and Biharis. For example, "Orangi town is densely populated with Biharis," he added.

As the migrants from Bangladesh were settling down in the city, former USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979. The existing Pashtun community coupled with the prospect of living in a port city attracted countless Pashtuns, Afghans, Uzbeks and Tajiks from Afghanistan.

The Pashtuns coming from Afghanistan were so many that they joined hands with the ones already living in the city and took over the local public transport system. Those who could not get into this business started selling fruits and vegetables to earn a living. "The contribution of the Pashtun community towards Karachi is huge, both economically and culturally," agrees Salahuddin.

The influx of Afghanis continued well into the 80s with refugees coming from their war-torn country in small groups and settling down in Sohrab Goth. It was the 90s when these communities finally settled down and had started to contribute to the city's economy and culture. Unfortunately, the 9/11 incident took place because of which Afghanistan was bombed again – this time by the US. Eventually, this extended to the current drone attacks in NWFP and many people from the region migrated once again to the city.

With the pouring in of IDPs from Swat, Buner and Dir, Karachi is once again playing host. Countless IDPs are found making their way into the city every day, some staying with their relatives, others trying to find place wherever they can. Given that the city's resources are already limited – power, water, sanitation, healthcare – and the economy is shaky, one wonders what will become of these people, and eventually, the city.

"The children used to scream all night in Swat. Now that they don't hear the sounds of gunfire and shelling in Karachi, they've settled down a bit," explains Bacha Hussain, the father of seven-year-old Faryal. One is met with silence when trying to get her to talk. Faryal ignores everyone around her, and traces patterns on her palm, her face wiped of all emotion. She may have inherited the golden locks and green eyes, characteristic of her ethnic roots. But she did not inherit the sadness and confusion one sees in her eyes.

Bacha Hussain, who came to Karachi with a 30-people contingent (comprising family), says that life in Swat has come to a complete standstill. "There is no electricity, water or food. All government schools had been bombed. The only ones that are still open are private schools," he adds.

Bacha and his family have relocated to their brother's home in Landhi. Tired and exhausted after a three-day journey, they wonder how long they can be house guests and how they should go about putting their lives back together.

"We've come from one hell to another," complains Farida, one of the women from Swat as she fans herself with a jute pankha, trying to adjust to the drastic weather change. "It was still raining in Swat when we left and we were using thick blankets. Now, our children have rashes because they can't take the heat," she says. Close by, a baby sleeps in a make-shift cot with the portable fan pointed in her direction, as her mother looks on with worried eyes.

These children are perhaps the most traumatised by the military action in Swat and the subsequent move to Karachi. Most of them are withdrawn and look at their surroundings with wide eyes. They speak in whispers when attempts are made to talk to them. One is met with similar sights at the bus stands in Karachi where buses from Swat come in daily -- children cry for water as the heat is unbearable for them.

But where the children are silent, the youth remain despondent. Raees, a gangly 20-year old and a first-year student of Economics at the now-closed Malakand University, has no hopes of resuming his studies in the near future. "How will I get admission in Karachi? I left all my documents and my books there. Admissions in Karachi will start in December; what will I do till then?" he wonders.

The journey to Karachi has been traumatic for the IDPs who have managed to make their way to Karachi. Some complain of the exorbitant fares that have tripled since the military operation began. Others talk about how the women of Swat had to violate their code of purdah as they left their homes and walked for miles to get to a bus stand. Bacha Hussain says they walked for half a day to get to the bus stand after which they had to stop for one night at the Kohat Tunnel, since it had been closed down.

But Bacha is luckier than others -- it took Fayyaz Khattak and his family three days to get to Malakand from where they embarked on the ironically titled Swat Coach that ferried them to Karachi. In a journey that lasted over 24 hours, Fayyaz's family did not eat throughout the journey as they had no money with them and fled with just the clothes on their backs.

Ali Hasan, who hails from Swat but has been settled in Karachi for over 30 years now and runs a school in Landhi, says he is trying to do all he can to help the refugees. "I've started a new evening class for them so that the children can at least get education. But they have no uniforms, no text books…I don't even know how long they'll stay here, but I will do all I can to help them."

Each refugee that was interviewed has no immediate plan for the future. Some are ambivalent and hope God will help them. Others are concerned about finding jobs in these times of recession in a city that is foreign to them. All of them say they have received no government support in either Swat or Karachi. The city government has announced a plan to register all IDPs that have come to Karachi but so far, says Ali Hasan, no government representative or humanitarian organisation has contacted them.

For now, memories of the exodus from Swat and the war are haunting the IDPs. Fazl Azam, an aged man from Swat who braved a three-day journey to get to Karachi, says that while he managed to escape with his family, others have not been so lucky. "I just found out about a family who left their one-month-old baby in the house; some people left their injured and dead in the houses. They couldn't even give their loved ones a funeral."

Karachi – the financial capital of the country offers numerous opportunities for everyone, thus attracting various groups of people from both within and outside the country. What is, however, more interesting is the fact that it is these groups of migrants [and not locals] that have contributed immensely towards the economy of the city, with each community having a varying degree of say in the different industries and businesses prevalent in Karachi.

In this regard, Younus Khamisani, Chairman North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI), says that "migrants who do not permanently stay in Karachi have always been the biggest contributors in factories. Same is the case with our industrial units."

There are more Punjabi workers than any other ethnic group in various industries, he says. Bengalis rank second highest followed by Pathans. "A large number of migrant colonies have other communities, such as Memons and Katchis. Most of our factory workers live in the surrounding areas of North Karachi Industrial Area, thus making it easy for them to commute to their place of work," he adds.

Given the increasing cost of living in the last couple of years, many workers have left Karachi for their hometowns as they now prefer to work there even on lower salaries.

Interestingly, almost all the unskilled and semi-skilled workforce in Karachi are not permanent residents of the city. However they have a key role to play in running commerce and industry in the city.

Shamoon Baqar Ali, President, Karachi Iron and Steel Merchants Association (KISMA), said there are more Pathans and Punjabis involved in physical labour than any other community in the city. "In construction-related industries, the majority is that of Pathans and Punjabis. Some workers from Bengali and Bihari communities also found in iron and steel-related industries," he explained. "There has been a constant influx of labourers in Karachi over the years. Since they are all Pakistanis, we cannot discriminate in terms of work and performance," he said.

Consider, for example, Jamshaid Sial, 24, who hails from Rahim Yar Khan, and said that while he does not like the hustle and bustle of big cities, he works here because he manages to send Rs4,000 to Rs5,000 to his family every month. "I love my hometown because it is peaceful. Life in Karachi is high-pressure, but I stay here to earn because there are limited sources of livelihood in Rahim Yar Khan," he explained.

Similarly, Muhammad Zahid, 30, a plumber working in Karachi said that his family migrated from undivided India before partition and settled in Punjab. They then moved to Karachi in the 70s and have been living here since then. "Now, with all the relatives and business in this city, we cannot even think of life without Karachi," he pointed out. Zahid lives in Orangi Town, where a huge chunk of the Bihari community lives. Biharis have retail fish shops, general stores and some are also goldsmiths. 

Muhammad Rafeeq, 20, who runs a tea shop in an up market commercial area of Karachi said that "I am from Quetta, and live here with my cousins in a rented house at Rs6,000 per month. The major chunk of my monthly income goes in rent while the rest we send to our family back in Quetta." Rafeeq said that he comes from a joint family in Quetta with a total of 25 members who are dependent on his and his cousins' income. They send about Rs20,000 to Rs25,000 per month to their family.

Meanwhile, Mumtaz Hussain Ansari, Chairman, Tehreek-e-Mehsooren Mashriqi Pakistan, said that there are numerous problems faced by the Biharis with regard to businesses in Karachi.  According to Ansari, Biharis are dominant in the three major industries in Karachi -- Banarsi industry, Zari Industry (embroidery) and shoes and sandals industry. Apart from these, some Biharis are also involved in plastic and steel moulding industries.

Most Biharis came to Karachi in 1974 after the independence of Bangladesh. Some 50 per cent of them are associated with the cottage industry in Orangi Town where the absence of electricity (and connections) is a huge problem. Three-phase electric connections cost some Rs0.5 to Rs0.6 million, which is more than half the initial total cost of the various businesses. There are various machines in the manufacturing industry that require heavy-duty three-phase electric connections not being provided by Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC). "It is because of this problem that a large number of unemployed youth is unable to start home businesses," Ansari added.

What is, however, unfortunate is that while the migrant communities have found their niche and are positively contributing to the country's economy, the government continues to deprive them of basic facilities.

For many, Karachi remains the land of opportunities. Being an economic hub, the city attracted migrants from various parts of the country post independence mostly for better job prospects. But while most managed to come to terms with the fast-paced life of this city, there are some who also reconsidered their decision a few years after migrating.

"Going to Karachi always meant moving a step ahead in life," recalls Mirza Aslam Baig, whose friends often refer to him as an ex-Karachiite.

Baig, a businessman who shifted to Karachi in 2002 from Islamabad on the insistence of his wife, however five years later he relocated to his hometown. "Honestly, I was unable to adjust and wanted to return a year later, but decided to give myself some time. The city is very promising in terms of trade. We had quite a few relatives there, but the politics of the city made life difficult at every point," shared Baig, over the telephone. He shifted back to Islamabad in August 2007.

It was the same year when the violent incidents of May 12 shook the residents of this city. Despite the fact that his wife was born and raised in this city, Baig says after witnessing what happened on May 12 his wife did not question his decision to move back. "Since we have no children, it was easier for us to pack our bags within a few months and leave."

Baig, however, admitted that Karachi will always hold a special place in his heart and what he most loves about the city is the fact that it never goes to sleep. "If my wife would crave for ice cream at 1:00am, we didn't have to think whether the shop in our neighbourhood in Gulshan-e-Iqbal would be open or not," he reminisced.

After the spate of violent events in the city, particularly after the return of former PM (late) Benazir Bhutto to Karachi in October 2007, Baig said he is glad he moved out in time. "But come to think of it, we are not safe anywhere which is why we are planning to migrate to Canada now."

Most analysts believe that the ethnic and linguistic divide and subsequent violence in the financial capital of the country was the work of dictators who exploited this cosmopolitan city in order to harm the political process in Pakistan. This led many to relocate to their hometowns or migrate to the West in search of a life free from violence.

However, in the case of Tariq Ali, a former PIA flight engineer who spent around 25 years in Karachi, it was not violence – but the question of his identity – that led him to relocate to Lahore. "I moved to Karachi on April 2, 1973," he said. "It is a city that is close to my heart for many reasons. I got married there, had children and also bought a house, but the rising ethnic differences that became dominant in one's everyday life made me and my family uncomfortable."

Ali still remembers being questioned by his elder son back in 1988 when he was a school-going child about their identity. "One day my son came home from school and asked me 'papa who are we?' to which I said we are all Pakistanis, but I could see he didn't quite get the response he was looking for. It may sound silly right now, but today when I think of that question, I realised that ethnic differences had started seeping into our society."

According to Ali, till the late 80s, Karachi was one of the best cities of the world to live in. People celebrated ethnic diversity and were more secure, but that is not true of present-day Karachi, he believes. "It is still a metropolitan city, but everyone is divided into groups with no one to own the city. As a result, by and large people appear indifferent."

He also holds the dictatorial regimes of General Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf responsible for fomenting ethnic riots. This, he says, has also resulted in the growing indifference among citizens where no one owns the city or follows the rule of law.

Ali was referring to a particular incident of mugging near Gizri in Karachi during his visit in 1999. "This was a year after we had moved back. I was walking to a friend's home when I got robbed of my wallet, cell phone and watch. It was not the incident that upset me," he clarified "but the attitude of the police who first asked me where I was from and then asked why I didn't do anything to defend myself."

However, considering the number of years he has spent in the city, Ali has some fond memories and some dear friends he is still in touch with and frequently visits the city too. The common man in Karachi is really good at heart, but there are certain influential pockets that are dominating the affairs of the city and are disrupting its peace for their political advantage."

Citing an interesting example, Ali mentioned how he has been unsuccessfully trying to cancel his vote in PECHS since he has now shifted to Lahore, but the authorities refuse to cooperate. "The house I stayed in (40 L-1) in Block-6 of PECHS has been vacant since 1996, but I know my vote from that area is still being cast."

Despite his complaints, the good memories of this city will always outweigh the bad ones, he said. But he does not wish to resettle here. "Karachi has been very kind to everyone. The only problem is the real inhabitants of the city are in a minority that they are unable to stand up for its rights and save it from becoming an ethno-centric city."

Riaz Hussain, 19, office boy: "I came from Neelum Valley in Azad Kashmir two years back in search of better job prospects and also because I needed some exposure to a different culture that I didn't get when I was young. But now I feel I am stuck here as the city has become very expensive to live and I also miss my family a lot."

Khushiman, 24, housemaid: "I came to Karachi from Bangladesh after my marriage because my in-laws were settled here. It is a city that trusts everyone and gives employment to all."

Ambar Naseem, 30, housewife: "My parents migrated from India to Pakistan after partition and they chose to come straight to Karachi as this was the only city near Bombay, our hometown in undivided India. But now this is the city of opportunities which makes it special."

Rehman Malik, 40, driver: "I left Gujranwala ten years back and came to Karachi looking for employment. I had been jobless for three years there, but got a job in Karachi within two months. I feel this city is lucky for me."

Gulzar Khan, 26, office boy: "I came to Karachi from Hazara about 11 years back in search of an employment. I also had some relatives down here. Although I've worked in other cities of Pakistan, Karachi is the best city to work in."