By Sikander Hayat
British Pakistanis are searching for their identity. They are not accepted in their land of birth and nobody consider them a Pakistani in the land of their forefathers. In fact, they have nothing in common with their ancestors in Pakistan but at the same time they are rejected by the British mainstream. There is an extreme form of trust deficit between the old and new communities of Great Britain.
First generation Pakistanis were a very afraid people. They were always careful not to hurt the feelings of the locals. They suffered abuse but did not say anything and kept on suffering in silence. Now that the second, third and in some cases even fourth generation of British Pakistanis is growing up in this country, things are different. They consider themselves equal to the average white British person and do not respond very kindly or understandingly to any abuse, discrimination or racism. After all they were born & bred in UK and they have no other land which they can call home.
In most cases, it is very hard for the white majority to understand this fact which results in each and every Pakistani to be portrayed in the same light.
Even before July 7th bombings, Pakistanis were not exactly the toast of this town. After all Britain is the land which introduced the word “paki” to this world. Even as long ago as 1980’s during the height of Salman Rushdie affair, Pakistanis were called fundamentalists, extremists & terrorists and that was long before Twin Tower attacks & July 7th bombings in London.
British Pakistanis are searching for their identity. They are not accepted in their land of birth and nobody consider them a Pakistani in the land of their forefathers. In fact, they have nothing in common with their ancestors in Pakistan but at the same time they are rejected by the British mainstream. There is an extreme form of trust deficit between the old and new communities of Great Britain.
First generation Pakistanis were a very afraid people. They were always careful not to hurt the feelings of the locals. They suffered abuse but did not say anything and kept on suffering in silence. Now that the second, third and in some cases even fourth generation of British Pakistanis is growing up in this country, things are different. They consider themselves equal to the average white British person and do not respond very kindly or understandingly to any abuse, discrimination or racism. After all they were born & bred in UK and they have no other land which they can call home.
In most cases, it is very hard for the white majority to understand this fact which results in each and every Pakistani to be portrayed in the same light.
Even before July 7th bombings, Pakistanis were not exactly the toast of this town. After all Britain is the land which introduced the word “paki” to this world. Even as long ago as 1980’s during the height of Salman Rushdie affair, Pakistanis were called fundamentalists, extremists & terrorists and that was long before Twin Tower attacks & July 7th bombings in London.
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