Pakistanis in Burma are a historical community living in
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
who trace their origins to
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
. This definition includes Pakistani nationals residing in Burma and Burmese citizens who have
ancestral links to Pakistan.
Their history predates the
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
of Pakistan in 1947.
Along with
Burmese Indian
Burmese Indians are a group of people of Indian origin who live in Myanmar (Burma). The term 'Burmese Indian' refers to a broad range of people from South Asia, most notably from present-day countries such as India, Bangladesh and also Pakis ...
s, they were part of the large South Asian community in the country. Significant Muslim migration occurred to Burma during the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was him ...
period. Most of these migrants were
Bengalis
Bengalis (singular Bengali bn, বাঙ্গালী/বাঙালি ), also rendered as Bangalee or the Bengali people, are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group originating from and culturally affiliated with the Bengal region of ...
of erstwhile
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Policy, renaming the province as such from East Bengal, which, in modern times, is split between India and Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Myanmar, wi ...
, but there were also significant communities of
-speakers,
Memons
The Memon are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group that originated in the Sindh region of Pakistan. The majority of the Memon people around the world follow the Hanafi fiqh of Sunni Islam. The Memon people have cultural similarities with the Khoja, Khat ...
,
Punjabis and
Pashtuns
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically r ...
.
History
Large-scale
Muslim immigration from the
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...
to Burma began in the 1870s, when Burma, like modern-day Pakistan, was also under the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was him ...
.
Many of these Muslims came from areas that were to become Pakistan, and settled in various parts of Burma, including the western regions which were predominantly populated by local
Burmese Muslims
Islam is a minority religion in Myanmar, practiced by about 2.3% of the population, according to the 2014 Myanmar official statistics.
History
In the early Bagan era (AD 652-660), Arab Muslim merchants landed at ports such as Thaton and Marta ...
. Following Burma's independence in 1948, the status of Muslims from the South Asia living in Burma was profoundly affected; they could no longer display links with their places of origin and were given the option of either applying for
Burmese citizenship, be considered foreigners, or become stateless. At that time, various Muslim associations in the area together united to form the "
All Burma Pakistan Association" (ABPA) – a federation which came to be known as representing the "largest South Asian Muslim ethnic group in Burma."
The number of Pakistanis in Burma was estimated by the leaders of the ABPA to be between 300,000 and 500,000 people; however, the accuracy of this figure could never possibly be determined given the lack of official and reliable statistics.
According to Moše Yegar, author of ''Between Integration and Secession'', most of the Pakistanis belonged to modest, working-class socioeconomic backgrounds..
Many of the Pakistanis failed to opt for Burmese citizenship either because of "ignorance or a lack of information"; however, among them were some who intentionally managed to retain their
Pakistani citizenship
Pakistani nationality law details the conditions by which a person holds Pakistani nationality. The primary law governing nationality regulations is the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951, which came into force on 13 April 1951. With few exceptions ...
. Then, there were others who lost their Pakistani citizenship while at the same time failing to take up Burmese citizenship.
It became one of the objectives of the ABPA to lobby Burmese authorities and the local
Pakistani embassy to assist in facilitating the
naturalization of those Pakistanis who sought Burmese citizenship, as well as facilitating those who wanted to acquire
Pakistani passport
Pakistani passports ( ur, ) are passports issued by the Government of Pakistan to Pakistani citizens and nationals for the purpose of international travel. They are issued by the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGIP) of the M ...
s.
Community
Pakistanis in Burma remained equally loyal to Burma and Pakistan, identifying themselves with the national aspirations of both countries, and were an important link in promoting bilateral relations between the two countries.
They identified as
Muslims in terms of religious affiliation. Together with
Burmese Indians, they were part of the large South Asian community in the country.
The All Burma Pakistan Association served as the exclusive association for all Pakistanis in Burma. The ABPA maintained strong relations with the
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territorie ...
. Whenever high-profile Pakistani personalities visited Burma, they would be personally received as guests by the APBA.
In the
2014 Myanmar Census
Fourteen or 14 may refer to:
* 14 (number), the natural number following 13 and preceding 15
* one of the years 14 BC, AD 14, 1914, 2014
Music
* 14th (band), a British electronic music duo
* ''14'' (David Garrett album), 2013
*''14'', an unre ...
, Pakistani residents were categorised into the "Other" ethnic category, along with
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
and
Rohingya
The Rohingya people () are a stateless Indo-Aryan ethnic group who predominantly follow Islam and reside in Rakhine State, Myanmar (previously known as Burma). Before the Rohingya genocide in 2017, when over 740,000 fled to Bangladesh, an ...
residents.
Exodus
In the years that followed independence, Pakistanis in Burma enjoyed the same lifestyles as other immigrants settled in Burma. In fact, Pakistanis were granted special privileges by the
Government of Burma
Myanmar ( also known as Burma) operates ''de jure'' as a unitary assembly-independent republic under its 2008 constitution. On 1 February 2021, Myanmar's military took over the government in a coup, causing ongoing anti-coup protests.
...
whereby they were given complete freedom to observe and celebrate their national and cultural events, such as raising the
flag of Pakistan
The flag of Pakistan ( ur, ) traces its current form back to a meeting of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 11 August 1947, three days before the Partition of British India, when it was adopted by the All-India Muslim League as the of ...
on occasions like
Pakistan Day
The Resolution Day ( ur, , translit=Yawm-e-Qarārdād), also known as the Pakistan Day ( ur, , translit=Yawm-e-Pākistān) and Republic Day, is a national holiday in Pakistan primarily commemorating the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the Mu ...
.
Similar privileges were enjoyed by the
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
and Hindu communities.
Even the
Rohingya conflict in Western Burma, led by local Muslim separatists who aspired a unification with neighboring
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Policy, renaming the province as such from East Bengal, which, in modern times, is split between India and Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Myanmar, wi ...
, posed no political effects whatsoever upon the lives of the Pakistanis in Burma despite the momentary diplomatic scuffle that was meanwhile following between the governments of Pakistan and Burma over the conflict.
However, following the
1962 Burmese coup d'état
The 1962 Burmese coup d'état on 2 March 1962 marked the beginning of one-party rule and the political dominance of the army in Burma (now Myanmar) which spanned the course of 26 years. In the coup, the military replaced the civilian AFPFL- ...
by General
Ne Win and a nationwide nationalization program, living conditions suddenly became difficult for all immigrants. The 1962 coup led to a swift exodus of South Asians from Burma, and many Muslims began returning to India and Pakistan.
With the growing popularity of the Burmese National Movement post-
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, opposition against the presence of South Asian and Muslim immigrants had begun to grow in Burma. South Asian Muslims were losing their prospects of being equal citizens and were beginning to discover themselves as a foreign minority in independent Burma. The changing hostile atmosphere triggered a mass exodus of South Asians and the Pakistani community significantly declined.
Those Muslims of Pakistani origin who chose to remain were confronted by an increasingly nationalist Burmese movement and were forced to quietly assimilate into Burmese society rather than being able to freely emphasize a separate ethnic identity.
Notable people
*
Eric G. Hall –
Pakistan Air Force
, "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional)
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = ...
general, born and raised in Burma
*
Rakshanda Khattak - Pakistani fashion model
See also
*
Burmese people in Pakistan
Rohingya people in Pakistan ( ur, ) are a community based in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. They are Rohingya people, Rohingya Muslims ( ur, ), an ethnic group native to Rakhine State, Myanmar (also known as Arakan, Burma), who have fled their hom ...
*
Burma–Pakistan relations
*
Rohingya people
The Rohingya people () are a stateless Indo-Aryan ethnic group who predominantly follow Islam and reside in Rakhine State, Myanmar (previously known as Burma). Before the Rohingya genocide in 2017, when over 740,000 fled to Bangladesh, an ...
*
Burmese Indians
*
Greater India
*
Indosphere
Indosphere is a term coined by the linguist James Matisoff for areas of Indian linguistic and cultural influence in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is commonly used in areal linguistics in contrast with Sinosphere.
Influence
The Tibeto-Burma ...
*
Islam in Burma
Islam is a minority religion in Myanmar, practiced by about 2.3% of the population, according to the 2014 Myanmar official statistics.
History
In the early Bagan era (AD 652-660), Arab Muslim merchants landed at ports such as Thaton and Martab ...
Pakistani diaspora in Southeast Asia:
*
Pakistanis in Indonesia
*
Pakistanis in Malaysia
*
Pakistanis in Singapore
*
Pakistanis in Thailand
The history of Pakistanis in Thailand is based much before the independence when hundreds of people from regions of current-day Pakistan left for Thailand, then known as Siam.
Most are concentrated in and around areas of Bangkok. Along with India ...
*
Stranded Pakistanis
References
External links
*
{{Pakistani diaspora
Myanmar–Pakistan relations
Ethnic groups in Myanmar
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...