British Pakistanis

British Pakistanis

File:Shk7.jpeg Notable British people of Pakistani descent: James Caan, Sajid Mahmood, Natasha Khan, Tarique Ghaffur, Sajjad Karim, Hanif Kureishi, Tariq Ali, Amir Khan, Salma Yaqoob
Regions with significant populations
Regions: West Midlands, Greater London, Yorkshire and The Humber, North West England, Scotland Metropolitan Areas: Greater London, Birmingham Metro Area, Greater Manchester, Leeds-Bradford, Greater Glasgow Cities and towns: Batley, Birmingham, Blackburn, Bolton, Bradford, Burnley, Bury, Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Glasgow, Huddersfield, London, Luton, Manchester, Nelson, Nottingham, Oldham, Peterborough, Preston, Reading, Rochdale, Slough, Stoke-on-Trent, Walsall
Languages
British English, Urdu, Punjabi, others
Religion
Majority Islam (92%) Minority Christianity (1%), Irreligion
Related ethnic groups
Overseas Pakistani, British Asian

British Pakistanis (also Pakistani Britons) are British citizens of Pakistani ancestry. The majority of British Pakistanis are from Kashmir and Punjab, with a small number from Pashtun province. Their predominant non-English language is Urdu. The majority of British Pakistanis are Sunni Muslim with a sizable minority of Shia Muslims.

British Pakistanis have the second highest relative poverty rate in Britain, second only to Bangladeshis. Integration and assimilation into British society has been slow, with cultural resistance from both sides.

The United Kingdom is estimated to have the largest population of overseas Pakistani groups. Pakistanis make up a large subgroup of British Asians because Pakistan belongs the Commonwealth of Nations and shares a long history with Britain, colonial and otherwise. Muslim immigration from the region which is now Pakistan began in the mid-seventeenth century. During the two world wars people from this region served as soldiers and in defense plants. After World War II, following the breakup of the British Empire, immigration increased. Immigration resolved labour shortages particularly in the steel and textile industries. During the 1960s medical staff were recruited by the National Health Service, with other professionals immigrating as well.

The population has grown from about 10,000 in 1951 to roughly 1.2 million today.

Imigration to the United Kingdom began long before the Partition of India in 1947. Muslim immigrants from the Kashmir and Sindh entered the British Isles as early as the mid-seventeenth century, typically as lascars (lashkars) and sailors to British port cities.^[3]

These immigrants were often the first Asians into British port cities and were treated as subjects of curiosity. Despite this though, most early Pakistani immigrants married local white British wives because there were few south Asian women in Britain at the time.^[4]

Most of these early Pakistani settlers and their children moved from port towns to the Midlands as Britain declared war on Germany in 1939. Many of these Kashmiris and Sindhis worked in the munition factories of Birmingham. After the war, most of these early settlers stayed on in the region and took advantage of the increase in the number of jobs.^[5]

There were 832,500 Muslim Indian soldiers in 1945, most of these recruits came from what is now Pakistan.^[6] These soldiers fought alongside the British Army during World War I and World War II, particularly in the latter, during the Battle of France, the North African Campaign and in the Burma Campaign. Many contributed to the war effort as skilled workers, including as assembly-line workers in the aircraft factory at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham producing the Spitfire fighter.^[6] Both of Sayeeda Warsi's grandfathers served with the British Army,^[7] most of the now Pakistani soldiers returned to the subcontinent after their service and the majority did not immediately settle in the UK. However, many of these former soldiers returned to Britain in the 1950s and 1960s to fill labour shortages.

Following World War II and the break-up of the British Empire, Pakistani migration to the United Kingdom increased, specifically during the 1950s and 1960s. Migration to the UK was made easier because Pakistan was a part of the Commonwealth.^[8] Pakistanis were invited by employers to fill labour shortages which arose after World War II. By being Commonwealth citizens, Pakistanis were eligible to take part in most British civic rights. Pakistanis found employment in the textile industries of Yorkshire and Lancashire, manufacturing in the West Midlands and in the car production and food processing industries of Luton and Slough. It was common for Pakistani employees to work on night shifts and at other unsociable hours.^[9]

Many Kashmiris began emigrating from Pakistan after the completion of Mangla Dam in Mirpur in the late 1950s. The completion of the dam led to the destruction of hundreds of villages and stimulated a large wave of migration. Up to 5,000 people from Mirpur (5% of the displaced)^[10] left for Britain, the displaced Kashmiris were given legal and financial assistance by the British contractor which had built the Mangla dam.^[11]

Workers from the Punjab region began to leave Pakistan in the 1960s; they worked in the foundries of the English Midlands and a large number also worked at Heathrow Airport in West London. During the same time, medical staff from Pakistan were recruited for the newly formed National Health Service.^[12]

During the 1970s a large number of East African Asians, most of whom already held British passports because they were brought to to Africa by the British colonialists, entered the UK after they were expelled from Kenya and Uganda. They were forced to leave East Africa due to the creation of policies by leaders such as Idi Amin. The Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 and Immigration Act 1971 largely restricted any further primary immigration, though family members of already-settled migrants were allowed to join their relatives.

Apart from those who came from rural areas, a considerable number of Pakistanis also arrived from urban areas in the 1960s. Many of these were qualified teachers, doctors and engineers and they had a predisposition to settle in London due to greater economic opportunities, as compared to the midlands or the north of England.^[9]

When the UK experienced deindustrialisation in the 1970s, many British Pakistanis became unemployed. The change from the manufacturing sector to the service sector was difficult for ethnic minorities and White Britons alike, especially for those with little academic education. The midlands and north of england, where British Pakistanis are most concentrated, were areas which were heavily reliant on manufacturing industries and the effects of deindustrialisation continued to be felt until the late 2000s. Increasing numbers of British Pakistanis resorted to self-employment. This pattern of employment persists, with one in seven British Pakistani men in employment in 2004 working as taxi drivers, cab drivers or chauffeurs.^[13]

According to the 2001 UK Census, 747,285 Pakistanis were residing in the UK and by most recent estimates the figure has increased to well over 1,000,000. This represents 1.5% of the UK's total population. As of 2010, the UK was estimated to have the world's largest overseas Pakistani community, around 10% bigger than the Pakistani community of Saudi Arabia. However, Saudi Arabia has traditionally had the largest overseas Pakistani community.^[2] Kashmiris make up the largest proportion of the British Pakistani population. Large Kashmiri communities can be found in Birmingham, Bradford, Oldham and the surrounding Northern towns.^[14] Luton and Slough have the largest Kashmiri communities in the south of england.^[9] The Pakistani community of London is made up of the most diverse cohort Pakistanis.^[9]

There is a small Pakistani Pashtun population in the UK.^[15] But the majority of British Pakistanis are from the Kashmir and Punjab areas of Pakistan.

Most Pakistani Britons speak English and second, third and fourth generation Pakistani Britons consider English as their first language. Urdu is understood and spoken by many in the community and is often the language of communication between Pakistani Britons. Urdu is taught in madrassas along with Arabic. In some of the larger communities Urdu is also taught in secondary schools and colleges to GCSE and A Levels respectively. Overwhelming, the majority of Pakistanis in the Britain are from Mirpur, Azad Kashmir^[14] and Jhelum, and the dominant languages therefore spoken are Pothwari and Hindko which are dialects of Punjabi. Other languages include Punjabi as spoken in the Punjab province, Pashto, Sindhi, Kashmiri and Balochi. According to an Ethnologue report, the number of speakers of such languages (as a primary language) in the United Kingdom are shown below. Please note that some of these languages are not only spoken by British Pakistanis however by other groups such as British Indians and British Afghans to name a few, these are indicated by an asterix.^[16]

• Eastern Panjabi* (although spoken predominantly in India) - 471,000 speakers as a first language
• Urdu* (although spoken predominantly in Pakistan) - 400,000
• Gujarati* (also spoken in India) - 140,000
• Kashmiri* (also spoken in India) - 115,000
• Western Punjabi* (although spoken predominantly in Pakistan) - 102,500
• Southern Pashto* (also spoken in Afghanistan) - 87,000
• Northern Pashto* (also spoken in Afghanistan) - 75,000
• Saraiki - 30,000
• Mirpur Punjabi - 20,000

The demographer Ceri Peach has estimated the number of British Pakistanis in the 1951 to 1991 censuses. He back-projected the ethnic composition of the 2001 census to the estimated minority populations during previous census years. The results are as follows:

Year	Population[17]
1951 (estimate)	10,000
1961 (estimate)	25,000
1971 (estimate)	119,000
1981 (estimate)	296,000
1991 (estimate)	477,000
2001 (actual)	747,000

The majority of Pakistanis in the UK are Muslims (mainly Sunni), however there is a sizeable minority of Shia Muslims as well as some Christians (around 8,000 people), and a few Hindus and Sikhs throughout some communities.

Pakistanis make up the largest group of Muslims in Britain at 43%. However, this varies from a high of 71% in Yorkshire and The Humber to a low of 21.5% in Greater London.^[14] The overall religious breakdown of British Pakistanis in 2001 can be seen below:

Religion	Percentage of British Pakistani population in England and Wales
Islam	92.01%
Not Stated	6.16%
Christianity	1.09%
Agnostic	0.50%
Hinduism	0.08%
Judaism	0.05%
Sikhism	0.05%
Other Religion	0.04%
Buddhism	0.03%
Total	100%

See also:^[18]

Pakistani population in the United Kingdom regions
Region	Population	Pakistani Population	Pakistanis as Percentage of Population	Cities / Boroughs with Significant Pakistani communities (2005)
West Midlands [19]	5,350,700	172,400	3.2%	Birmingham - 105,000 (11.0% of the city's population) [20] Walsall - 10,000 (5.6%) Sandwell - 8,500 (3.0%) Stoke-on-Trent - 7,000 (3.0%) Dudley - 6,500 (3.3%) Coventry - 6,500 (2.1%) Burton-on-Trent - 4,000 (6.6%) Wolverhampton - 3,000 (1.3%)
Greater London [21]	7,456,100	163,800	2.2%	Newham - 21,000 (8.7% of the city's population) Waltham Forest - 17,500 (7.7%) Redbridge - 15,000 (6.6%) Ealing - 11,500 (3.9%) Brent - 11,000 (4.3%) Hounslow - 9,500 (4.4%) Croydon - 7,500 (2.6%) Wandsworth - 5,500 (1.9%) Harrow - 4,500 (2.5%) Hillingdon - 4,000 (1.8%) Barnet - 4,000 (1.6%) Barking & Dagenham - 3,000 (2.2%)
Yorkshire and the Humber [22]	5,107,500	163,400	3.2%	Bradford - 75,000 (15.3% of the city's population) Huddersfield/Kirklees - 27,000 (6.8%) Sheffield - 16,000 (3.0%) Leeds - 15,500 (3.5%) Halifax/Calderdale - 10,000 (5.0%) Rotherham - 5,000 (4.3%) Wakefield - 3,500 (4.4%)
North West [23]	6,839,800	133,900	2.0%	Manchester - 23,500 (5.9% of the city's population) [24] Rochdale - 16,000 (8.2%) Oldham - 14,000 (13.5%) Blackburn - 12,500 (11.9%) Nelson/Pendle - 12,000 (13.1%) Bolton - 7,000 (5.0%) Accrington/Hyndburn - 6,000 (7.3%) Bury - 6,000 (9.9%) Burnley - 5,000 (5.6%) Trafford - 3,000 (1.4%) Stockport - 3,000 (2.2%)
South East [25]	8,184,600	71,300	0.9%	Slough - 15,000 (12.0% of the city's population) High Wycombe - 10,000 (8.5%) Aylesbury - 5,000 (8.3%)
East [26]	5,563,000	50,800	0.9%	Luton - 17,500 (9.4%) Peterborough - 7,500 (4.6%) Watford - 4,000 (5.0%)
East Midlands [27]	4,327,500	37,600	0.9%	Nottingham - 10,000 Derby - 9,000 Leicester - 5,000
Scotland [28]	5,094,800	40,000	0.6%	Glasgow - 30,000 Edinburgh - 6,500 Dundee - 2,500
North East [29]	2,549,700	17,900	0.7%	Middlesbrough & Stockton-on-Tees - 7,500 Newcastle Upon Tyne - 5,000
South West [30]	5,086,700	14,400	0.3%	Bristol - 4,500
Wales [31]	3,004,600	4,347	0.3%	Cardiff - 3,000
Northern Ireland [32]	1,685,267	666	0.03%	Belfast is likely to be home to the vast majority

London

The 2001 UK Census states that around 179,100 British Citizens of Pakistani origin live in the Boroughs of London (making up 2.4% of the population).^[33] The population is made up of Punjabis, Pathans, Urdu Speakers, Mirpuris and Sindhis. This mix makes the British Pakistani community of London the most diverse of any in the UK, since the population can trace their origins from all the various regions and cities of Pakistan. The largest presence is in the East London communities of Ilford, Walthamstow, Leyton and Barking, however Newham in East London continues to support the largest community. Other large communities can be found in Southall and Hounslow in West London and Tooting, Croydon and Streatham in South London. A considerable number of Pakistanis have set up their own businesses, often employing family members. Today a fifth of Pakistani Londoners are self-employed. Businesses such as grocery stores and newsagents are common, while others who arrived later in London work as taxi drivers or chauffeurs (this is most commonly found with Kashmiri and Pathan sub-communities). Well-known British Pakistanis from London include Anwar Pervez, whose Earl's Court grocery store expanded into the Bestway chain with a turnover of £2 billion and the playwright and author Hanif Kureishi.

Birmingham

Birmingham has one of the largest Pakistani expat communities in the World (113,000 Pakistanis made up 11.2% of the city's population in 2007).^[34] Most can trace their origins to Azad Kashmir and Punjab.

Bradford

Bradford is famous for its large Pakistani population and is often dubbed Bradistan by both Pakistani Britons and the British themselves.^[35] In 2001, riots escalated between the city's majority white population and the ethnic visible minorities (mainly Pakistani), and were called the Bradford Riots. The riot was estimated to have involved 1,000 youths. More than 300 police officers were hurt during the riot. There were 297 arrests in total; 187 people were charged with riot, 45 with violent disorder and 200 jail sentences totalling 604 years were handed down. In 2007, an estimated 80,000 Pakistanis resided in Bradford representing 16.1% of the city's population. Pakistanis number around 75,000 in Bradford.^[36]

Glasgow

The majority of Pakistanis living in Scotland reside in Glasgow (and the surrounding Greater Glasgow area). With an estimated 30,000 Pakistanis living in Glasgow, there are large Pakistani communities throughout the city, notably in the South and West sides with a noticeable presence of Pakistani owned businesses there. The majority have origins from the central Punjab part of Pakistan, around Faisalabad.^[37]

A survey by the University of Glasgow found that Scottish Pakistanis feel more patriotic than English people. The survey also revealed Scottish Pakistanis preferred political party to be the SNP.^[38]

Manchester

The largest visible minority in Manchester are Pakistanis (Majority of Azad Kashmir and Punjabi origin) which make up 6.1% of the total population (some 28,100 people in 2007). Large Pakistani populations are also to be found in the Greater Manchester boroughs of Oldham and Rochdale. Significantly, one in eight of all Pakistanis reside in Greater Manchester. This cultural diversity is expected to increase over time, given existing trends.^[39]

With greater affluence, a recent trend has seen the some of the Pakistani community move out of the inner city into more spacious suburbs. In South Manchester this means that they have been moving from Longsight/Levenshulme to more suburban areas such as Cheadle, Chorlton and Heaton Mersey. Due to some of these suburbs having high house prices, the Pakistanis who live there tend to be of later generation with successful/professional careers or those who have saved money for many years. The inner city areas that are being left are generally filled with newer immigrants from places like Iran, Afghanistan and Poland.^[40][41]

Around half of the British Pakistanis living in Britain can trace their origins to Mirpur in Azad Kashmir, which was the site of the Mangla Dam, which was built in the 1960s and flooded the surrounding farmland. Mirpur is a conservative district, even by Pakistani standards and rural life here has not changed much over the years. Families are not only a source of rigid hierarchies, but also the guiding influence behind everything from marriage to business.^[42] This has clashed with British values, in which people tend to be more independent and liberal. As a result, Kashmiri Pakistanis commonly live in secluded areas and avoid cross-cultural contact, thus the rise of ghettos in those communities. Mirpuris live in the most segregated areas of Britain, and their children attend the most segregated schools.^[43] The British government has dedicated itself to helping immigrants, providing some kind of shared identity which Pakistanis could learn to accept. One plan includes the busing of Pakistani background students to "white schools" in an attempt to bridge the divide between the British public and Pakistanis.^[44]

Many Kashmiris have named their businesses after the Pakistani area, one of the largest companies incorporating such a name is Kashmir Crown Bakeries which is a food making business based in Bradford. The company is a major local employer and is the largest Asian Food Manufacturer in Europe.^[45] The owner of Kashmir Crown Bakeries, Mohammed Saleem, claims that combining traditional Kashmiri Baking methods with vocational British training has given his baking business a multi-million pound turnover.^[46]

Punjabis make up the second largest sub-group of British Pakistanis, they are estimated to make up a third of the British Pakistani population.^[47] Around half of the Punjabis living in Britain are from Pakistan, with the other half being from India. As a result, two thirds of British Asians are of Punjabi descent,^[47] this has made Punjabi the second most commonly spoken language in the UK after English.^[48]

People who came from the Punjab area of Pakistan have integrated much more easily into British society because the Punjab forms one of the most prosperous parts of Pakistan.^[49] Early Punjabi immigrants to Britain tended to be more highly educated than Kashmiris, they found it easier to assimilate because many already had basic knowlege of the English language. British Punjabis are commonly found in the south of the England and the major cities in the north (as opposed to peripheral mill towns). Research by Teesside University has found that British Punjabi communities of late, have become some of the most highly educated and economically successful ethnic minorities in the UK.^[50]

James Caan and Amir Khan are examples of famous Punjabi Pakistanis who work in the fields of business and sport respectively.

Pakistan's Independence Day is celebrated on 14 August of each year. The celebrations and events usually take place in large Pakistani populated areas of various cities in the United Kingdom, primarily on Green Street in Newham, London and the Curry mile in Manchester. The colourful celebrations last all day with various festivals. Pakistani Muslims from the community also mark the Islamic Festivals of Eid ul Adha and Eid ul Fitr. Several young British Pakistanis rent high value German cars on Eid. These expensive cars are driven around thoroughfares such as the Curry mile in Manchester and Great Horton Road in Bradford, often displaying Pakistani window flags.^[51]

See also: Anglo-Pakistani cuisine

British Pakistanis often consume traditional Pakistani food at home. Pakistani food is similar to that of northern India, with an influence of Persian, Turkish and Middle Eastern flavours. Chapatti, dhal, samosas and tikkas are an integral part of many Pakistani restaurant menus in the UK. Kashmiri and Punjabi cuisine is also well represented in Britain, reflecting the backgrounds of many British Pakistanis. Balti (meaning bucket) is a Pakistani dish that was introduced in Birmingham by the Kashmiri community in the 1980s, it is now considered to be a popular and favourite dish in the UK. Pakistani cuisine has had a major impact on British culture,^[52] Chicken tikka masala has long been established amongst the nation's favourite dish,^[53] there has been support for a campaign in Glasgow to be given European Union Protected Designation of Origin status for chicken tikka masala.^[54]

In addition to this, many British Pakistanis run takeaways and restaurants. Pakistanis are well represented in the British food industry, as "Indian restaurants" in the North of England are almost entirely Pakistani owned.^[55]

Mumtaz is the most famous Pakistani restaurant in the UK. Its flagship store is in Bradford, where famous diners have included the Prime Minister David Cameron and Queen Elizabeth II.^[56]

Cricket was first documented as being played in southern England.^[57] The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being played overseas, Pakistan being a well known country for the sport. Sajid Mahmood, Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad currently play cricket for England. There are several other British Pakistanis who play cricket for smaller county teams.

Cricket is a core part of Pakistani culture and is often played by British Pakistanis for leisure and recreation. Hockey and polo are commonly played in Pakistan but these sports are not so popular with British Pakistanis, lack of popularity for the latter is possibly due to the urban lifestyles which the majority of British Pakistanis lead.

Adam Khan is Racing driver from Bridlington, Yorkshire. He represents Pakistan in the A1 Grand Prix series. Khan is currently the demonstration driver for the Renault F1 racing team.

Ikram Butt was the first South Asian to play code of international rugby for England in 1995. He is founder of the British Asian Rugby Association and the British Pakistani rugby league team.

Amir Khan is the most famous British Pakistani boxer. He is the current WBA World light welterweight champion and 2004 Olympics Silver Medalist.

Any religious extremism that exists within British Pakistani communities generally began around the same time as the September 11th 2001 attacks. However, the earliest seeds of extremism were sown shortly after the publication of Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses in 1988. Many British Pakistanis considered the book to have blasphemous references. It was first published in the UK and it led to protests which several British Pakistanis took part in, many of these protests were of a violent nature, where copies of rushdie's book were burned, the protests often took part in Pakistani populated areas such as Bradford.^[58]

Central Intelligence Agency and MI5 currently believe that a British-born Pakistani extremist entering the US under the Visa Waiver Program is the most likely source of another terrorist attack on American soil.^[59] Gareth Price, head of the Asia Program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London stated that British Pakistanis are more likely to be radicalised as compared to other Muslim communities in Britain.^[60]

In response to these issues the government has launched a "prevent strategy" which aims to stop radicalisation within British Pakistani communities, it is particularly targeted towards individuals from the Kashmir area of Pakistan.^[61] The initiative has given grants and financial support to community projects.^[62] £53m has been spent on the strategy between 2007–2010.^[63]

The public perception of British Pakistanis remains poor because there are frequent media links between Pakistanis and their collusion in terrorism. The majority of convicted Pakistanis whose plots have either taken place or have been foiled were British-born and young, it remains almost unheard of for senior British Pakistanis to participate in such activity.

British Pakistanis were eight times more likely to be victims of a racist attack than white individuals in 1996.^[64] The chances of a Pakistani being racially attacked in a year is more than 4% - the highest rate in the country, along with British Bangladeshis. Though, this has come down from 8% a year in 1996.^[65] The sensitive term "Paki" is often used as a racist slur to describe Pakistanis and can also be directed towards non-Pakistani south Asians. But, there remains some confusion amongst White British people as to whether the term is offensive or if it's simply an abbreviation, there have also been attempts by the youngest generation of British Pakistanis to reclaim the word and use it in a non-offensive way to refer to themselves.^[66]

Pakistani pupils are the largest ethnic minority group in primary and secondary schools. 98.8% of Pakistani Pupils are Muslim, 0.6% are Sikh, 0.3% are Christian and 0.3% have no religion.^[67]

British Pakistani students achieve below national GCSE pass rates. However, the British Pakistani GCSE pass rate has steadily increased since 1999, bridging the gap towards the UK national average, year by year. In addition, the British Pakistani GCSE pass rate fails to distinguish between the differences in achievement around the country, since Pakistani pupils have greater regional fluctuations than others.^[9] This is a result of differences in material circumstances, social class and migration histories between the different communities of British Pakistanis.^[9]

Already in 2004, Pakistani pupils from London were achieving above the regional and UK national averages. 50.2% of Pakistani boys and 63.3% of Pakistani girls from London achieved five or more A*-C grades.^[9] Compared to the national averages of 46.8% and 57%, for boys and girls, respectively.^[9] By 2008, the figure for British Pakistani students passing 5 or more GCSE's increased to 58.2%, showing an improvement of almost 10%, between 2005 & 2008.^[68]

In 2009, 13% of British Pakistanis achieved an A grade in GCSE Maths and 9% did so in GCSE English.^[69]

Latest figures available, pertaining to British Pakistanis, by local authority, dated: year 2004.^[9]

Region	Region status	Pass Rate	UK Region
London Borough of Redbridge	London Borough	64.9%	Greater London
Manchester	City and Metropolitan borough	54.2%	North West
London Borough of Ealing	London Borough	54.0%	Greater London
Nottingham	City	53.3%	East Midlands
London Borough of Newham	London Borough	52.7%	Greater London
England Average (All Ethnic Groups) (2004): 51.9%[9]
London Borough of Waltham Forest	London Borough	49.9%	Greater London
Rochdale	Metropolitan borough	48.3%	North West
Slough	Borough	47.7%	South East
Lancashire	Non-metropolitan county	46.1%	North West
Birmingham	City and Metropolitan borough	45.2%	West Midlands
British Pakistani Average (2004): 45.2%[9]
Luton	Borough	45.2%	East of England
Calderdale	Metropolitan borough	42.7%	Yorkshire & Humber
Oldham	Metropolitan borough	41.5%	Yorkshire & Humber
Kirklees	Metropolitan borough	40.2%	Yorkshire & Humber
Blackburn with Darwen	Borough	37.8%	North West
Leeds	City and Metropolitan borough	35.7%	Yorkshire & Humber
Buckinghamshire	Non-metropolitan county	34.9%	South East
Bradford	City and Metropolitan borough	34.4%	Yorkshire & Humber
Sheffield	City and Metropolitan borough	33.3%	Yorkshire & Humber

Source:^[9]

Year	Pakistani Pupils	All Pupils	Attainment Gap	References
1991	26%	37%	-11%	[70]
1993	24%	42%	-18%	[70]
1995	23%	44%	-21%	[70]
1997	29%	46%	-17%	[70]
1999	30%	49%	-19%	[70][71]
2001	40%	51%	- 11%	[70]
2003	41.5%	52%	- 10.5%	[72]
2005	48.4%	54.9%	- 6.5%	[67]
2007	53%	59.3%	- 6.3%	[73]
2008	58.2%	63.5%	- 5.3%	[68]

UCAS points achieved as of 2004 (on average by gender and combined):^[74]

Gender	UCAS points
Male	213
Female	221
Both	218

British Pakistani students are 1.7% of the 18 year olds in the country, but they make up 2.4% of the first year students at University.^[9] Regions of predominantly non-Kashmiri settlement, such as Greater London and the South East are sources of greater university applications.^[9] University applicants are over represented by 7.5% from Greater London and by 4.6% from the South East. In contrast, they are under represented by 4.9% from West Midlands, by 4.4% from the East of England and by 4.3% from Yorkshire and Humber. Whilst from other regions, there is a slight over representation by between 0.2% to 0.6%.^[9] 33% of British Pakistani boys choose to continue their studies to the university level. This rate is the third highest rate in the country after Chinese and Indian boys and is higher than the rate for White British boys (23%), Black African boys (30%), Bangladeshi boys (29%), Black Caribbean boys (16%) and those falling into the other black category (20%).^[75]

Science and Mathematics remain popular subjects with the youngest generation of British Pakistanis, as the youth begin to establish themselves within the field.^[76]

Urdu has recently been made available to study at GCSE and A level standards. Most young British Pakistanis speak Urdu at home, but many seek to improve their writing skills and take these Urdu courses to do so in addition to taking core subjects. Several British universities are hoping to offer degrees in Urdu in the future, these degrees would be open established Urdu speakers as well as beginners.^[77]

British Pakistanis contribute £31 billion (US$ 51 billion) to the UK GDP, this is equivalent to each British Pakistani contributing £25,833 to the British economy every year.^[78] It compares to £3.8 billion which British Bangladeshis contribute and £68 billion which British Indians contribute to the UK economy every year.^[79][80]

Weak economies of Northern Mill towns have limited entrepreneurial success. Whilst a sluggish housing market has restricted movement. Lower class resources and inner-city living have hampered social mobility. The existence of a North- South divide leaves Pakistanis in the North of England economically depressed, although there is a small concentration of wealthy Northerners living in the suburbs of Greater Manchester, as certain individuals have taken advantage of the opportunities^[81] that arise from living in the UK's Second City.^[82]

Location in Britain has had a great impact on the success of British Pakistanis. Those based in large cities such as Manchester or London are successfully making the transition into professional middle class, where as, those based in the peripheral towns are struggling. This is due to the fact that whilst Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow & Oxford have provided an encouraging environment for Pakistani entrepreneurs. Other towns in Lancashire and Yorkshire, have provided far fewer opportunities. Most of the initial funds for entrepreneurial activities were collected by working as factory workers. Further helped by working in the food and clothing industries, money saved by wives of migrants and interest free loans between fellow migrants. British Pakistanis quickly began dominating the ethnic & halal food businesses, "Indian" restaurants, Asian fabric shops and travel agencies. Many also began manufacturing and wholesaling clothes due to the availability of cheap family labour. The multi-million pound Joe Bloggs has such origins. Dominance in the clothing market, was affected by imports from South East Asia, however it didn't manage to stop many families in Manchester, Birmingham and Leicester from prospering.^[81]

In the housing rental market, rooms were first rented out to incoming migrants, later, as these rentees were in a position to buy their own homes, non-Asian university students became the main customers. By the year 2000, Pakistanis had established low-cost rental properties throughout England, apart from the most economically depressed towns in the North.^[81]

Many have invested in properties in Pakistan as well. Purchasing houses, in the cities, next to their villages and sometimes even being able to buy property in the most expensive cities, such as Islamabad and Lahore. Upon reaching retirement age, many migrant Pakistanis, handed over their houses in Britain to their offspring and settled in the homes previously invested in, in Pakistan, where the value of the British state pension multiplies significantly. Investing in Pakistan, nonetheless, limited success in Britain, due to lack of financial returns. Where as, other migrant groups, such as the Indian refugees from East Africa, benefited from investing only in Britain, which was helped by their lack of cultural links to India.^[81]

There are more than 100 multi-millionaire British Pakistanis in the UK.^[83]

Statistics from the 2001 census show that Pakistani communities in England, particularly in the North and the Midlands, are severely affected by poverty, unemployment and social exclusion, and that they are much less likely than the majority of the population to be employed in managerial and professional occupations. Figures collected by the DfES show that almost 40 per cent of Pakistani students in secondary schools are eligible for free school meals, compared with a national average of about 15 per cent.

A study by Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 2007 found that Pakistani Britons have the second highest relative poverty rates in Britain, second only to Bangladeshis. Their study found the following:

Ethnic group	Percentage in poverty
Bangladeshi	65%
Pakistani	55%
Black African	45%
Black Caribbean	30%
Indian	25%
White Other	25%
White British	20%

As of 2001, around 3,500 British Pakistanis were in the highest ranking business and professional occupations, compared to 1,000 Bangladeshis and 10,000 Indians. Keeping in mind the lower class resources of Kashmiris, the rates of entry of non-Kashmiri Pakistanis, into managerial or professional occupations, turns out to be similar to that of British Indians.^[81]

Research by the Office for National Statistics shows that British Pakistanis are far more likely to be self-employed than any other ethnic group. Pakistani men are most likely to work in the transport and logistics industry, most British Pakistanis in this sector are employed as cab drivers and taxi drivers.^[13]

Pakistani women have the highest unemployment rates in Great Britain, at 20 per cent (75 per cent economic inactivity). Those who do work are most likely to be employed as sewing machinists in the textiles industry.^[13][84]

There are some British Pakistanis who hold positions in major financial institutions or serve as Doctors, Lawyers and Academics. The majority of these individuals are based in London and the south-east of England.^[85]

As of January 2005, 34% of British Pakistanis were classified as being middle class. The majority of British Pakistanis are considered to be working class.^[86]

The British film industry is gradually beginning to portray more Pakistanis in its movies. Notable films which depict British Pakistanis include the BAFTA award winning film My Beautiful Laundrette and the popular East is East.

The Infidel was a film launched in April 2010. It looked at a British Pakistani family living in the north of England. The Infidel showed several religious issues and identity crisis' facing a young member of the family.

The film Four Lions also looked at issues of religion and extremism. It too followed British Pakistanis living in the North of England.

Indian Bollywood is also regularly shown at cinemas, it remains popular with many British Pakistanis.

The sequel follow up to East is East is currently being filmed, it is due to be released in late 2010.^[87][88]

In April 2007 the BBC produced a series of documentaries called "Pakistani, actually", the series offered an insight into the lives of Pakistanis living in Britain and some of the issues the community face.^[89][90]

The executive producer of the series said:

These documentaries provide just a snapshot of contemporary life among British Pakistanis - a community who are often misunderstood, neglected or stereotyped.

The Pakistani channels of ARY Digital and GEO TV are available to watch on subscription.

Mishal Husain is newsreader and presenter for the BBC.^[91]

The BBC Asian Network is a radio station available across the entire United Kingdom which is aimed at Britons of South Asian origin under 35 years of age, apart from this popular station there are many other national radio stations for or run by the British Pakistani community - including Sunrise and Kismat Radios of London. Regional British Pakistani stations include Asian Sound of Manchester, Radio XL of Birmingham and Sunrise Radio Yorkshire based in Bradford. These radio stations generally run programmes in both English and Urdu, so appeal to a variety of age groups.

The Pakistani newspaper the Daily Jang is the largest Urdu language newspaper in the world^[92] and is sold at several newsagents and grocery stores across the UK. It has also recently become available at some of the UK's national supermarkets such as Asda (only in areas where there are high Pakistani populations).

The Pakistani newspaper group the Daily Mashriq has also recently launched a free English only version of its newspaper, known as The Britannia. This features news of both the UK and Pakistan, designed to appeal to British Pakistanis.^[93]

Some more established and more popular newspapers include the Asian News (by Trinity Mirror) and the Eastern Eye. These are free weekly newspapers aimed at all British Asians.

Pakistani participation in mainstream British newspapers is more rare. But, Sarfraz Manzoor is a regular columist for The Guardian, one of the largest and most popular newspaper groups in the UK.

British Pakistanis make up a sizable proportion of British voters and votes from the community are known to make a difference in an election (both local and national).^[94]

As of 2007, 257 British Pakistanis were serving as elected councillors or mayors in Britain.^[95] There are also four British Pakistani MPs in the House of Commons including two ministers.^[96] Furthermore, Pakistanis are much more active in the voting process, with 67% voting in the last general elections of 2005, compared to the figure of just over 60% for the whole country.^[97]

The Conservative party and the Labour party make up the two largest political parties in Britain. There are increasing numbers of British Pakistanis getting involved with these two parties:

The Labour party has traditionally been the natural choice for many British Pakistanis, with 86% of Pakistanis voting for Labour in some areas.^[98] But this level of support has fallen in recent times because of Labour's decision to go to war with Iraq.^[99]

Influential Pakistani politicians within the Labour Party include Shahid Malik and Lord Nazir Ahmed. Sadiq Khan became the first Muslim cabinet minister in June 2009 after being invited to the post by the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.^[100]

The Conservative Party have become increasingly popular with many affluent British Pakistanis.^[101] David Cameron recently opened a new gym aimed at British Pakistanis in Bolton after being invited by Amir Khan.^[102] The Conservative party also made Lord Ahmed, a Kashmiri born politician, the first Pakistani peer in the UK. Multi-millionaire Sir Anwar Pervez, who claims to have been born Conservative,^[103] has donated large sums to the party,^[104][105] Sir Anwar's donations entitle him to become a member of the influential Conservative Leader's Group.^[106]

Sajjad Karim is a Member of the European Parliament. He represents North West England through the Conservative Party. In 2005 Karim became the founding Chairman of the European Parliament Friends of Pakistan Group. He is also a member of the Friends of India and Friends of Bangladesh groups.^[107]

Rehman Chishti became the new Conservative Party MP for Gillingham and Rainham. He secured more votes than the transport minister Paul Clark, polling 21,264 votes to Clark's 12,944.^[108]

Shortly after becoming the Conservative party leader, David Cameron spent two days living with a British Pakistani family in Birmingham.^[109] Cameron said that the experience made him learn more about the challenges of cohesion and integration.^[110]

Sayeeda Warsi was promoted to Chairman of the Conservative Party by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom shortly after the UK General Election, 2010. Warsi was the shadow minister for community cohesion when the Conservatives were in opposition. She is the first Muslim woman to serve in a British cabinet.

The Scottish National Party remains the preferred party for many Scottish Pakistanis.^[38]

Salma Yaqoob is leader of the left wing Respect party. The small party has seen success in areas such as Sparkbrook in Birmingham and Newham in London, where there are large Pakistani populations.

Qassim Afzal is the most senior Liberal Democrat politician of Pakistani origin. He has previously accompanied the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in meetings with Pakistan’s President, Asif Ali Zardari.^[111]

British Pakistanis have many societies where different members of the community can come together. Notable societies include:

• University Societys^{[112][113][114]}
• Doctors and Medical professional associations^[115][116]
• The Pakistani Society^[117]

On August 14, 2009 (Pakistani independence day) the Jinnah Awards UK was launched. The Jinnah Awards ceremony was created as a prestigious annual gathering in the City of Bradford to recognise and celebrate British Pakistanis who have made significant positive contributions to all aspects of life in Britain.^[118]

On average, British Pakistanis, male and female, claim to both have only one sexual partner. The average age of losing virginity is claimed to be 20 years for Pakistani males and 22 years for Pakistani females, thus giving an average of 21 years. 3.2% of Pakistani males reported to have been diagnosed with an STI, compared to 3.6% of Pakistani females. These statistics can be explained by the role of cultural norms, regarding issues such as multiple partners and the age of losing one's virginity. Resulting in substantially older age of first intercourse, lower number of partners and low STI rates.^[119]

A BBC report found that British Pakistanis, 55% of whom marry a first cousin, are 13 times more likely than the general population to produce children with genetic disorders, and that one in ten children of cousin marriages either dies in infancy or develops a serious disability. Thus Pakistani-Britons, who account for some 3% of all births in the UK, produce "just under a third" of all British children with genetic illnesses.^[120] A study published in 1988 in Journal of Medical Genetics found that the rate of consanguineous marriage was 55% and rising.^[121] Though this figure is still lower than the figure of 60% back in Pakistan. Where as, around the world, the figure is less than 29%.^[122]

According to British Home Office more than half the cases of forced marriage investigated involve families of Pakistani origin followed by Bangladeshis and Indians.^[123] Also British Home Office estimates 85 per cent of victims of forced marriages are women, aged 15–24, 90 per cent are Muslim and 90 per cent are of Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage.^[124] 60% of the cases involving forced marriages by Pakistani families are linked to the Kashmiri cities of Bhimber, Mirpur and Kotli.^[125]

• British Asian
  • British Bangladeshi
  • British Indian

• Pakistani community of London
• Pakistani diaspora

• Pakistan – United Kingdom relations
• Islam in the United Kingdom

• BBC Radio Player Discussion on the dissatisfaction over the term Asian
• An outline of the immigration pattern of the Pakistani community in Britain An outline of Pakistani immigration to Britain
• British Pakistani Kashmiris info A look at Kashmiri migration to Britain
• A comparative study of multilingual Pakistanis in Amsterdam and Birmingham Research on Pakistani linguistics by the University of Warwick