“Bismi Allaahi Arrahmaani Arrahiim...” recite a group of children of Pakistani origin at a community mosque in Reading. The children recite Quran almost every day so that they better understand the teachings of Prophet Mohammad. “ The essence of Islamic teaching is to be merciful,” says Ahmad Raza, Imam of Reading Islamic Centre. That is what was the teaching of Prophet Mohammed, said the young British educated Imam. 
Most of the children attending the mosques have recently arrived from Pakistan or their parents are religious and want to give continuity to their traditional way of teachings of Islam. I asked some of the children reciting the Quran why they read Quran every day, most of them said that it is their religious duty to pray and recite Quran five times a day.
According to the Islamic website Salaam there are a total of 1,689 mosques in the United Kingdom and majority of the mosques are said to be of the Pakistani community. Prayers, reading of the Quran, meetings and events are being held in the mosques regularly and they have been giving continuity to their religious practices.
Imam Raza says that the people living in the United Kingdom are more religious and practice religion strictly than in Pakistan. There is fear and threat in Pakistan and the Islamic extremists bombed mosques in various places in the recent days when the government adopted tough measures to wipe out the menace of terrorism whereas people are free to practice their religious beliefs in the United Kingdom. One highly skilled migrant from Pakistan says: “We are very free here, we can pray even during the time of our duty.” The prays and reciting help promote cross cultural understanding as we learn about the teachings of prophet “to be merciful and respect others’ beliefs,” he said.
Newspapers report that the Pakistani community is isolated and not fully integrated into the British way of life as they do not mingle with people of other religious faiths. Imam Raza agrees and says: “Older generation was completely isolated at least from the British public because of the lack of English language but the new generation is more than British.” Majority of the Pakistani Muslim youths are completely westernized and broke ties from Muslim language and cultures. Now the community is integrated as there are mix marriages and a large number of Pakistanis are in politics, business and other fields and that has helped for more interaction and understands each others.
In the Indian sub continent people like to mix up, visit each other without appointment or information, said Mrs Sahila Sheikh, who came to the UK 20 years ago. But the situation here is completely different, she said, adding “I have friends of different faiths and I have visited temples, Gurudwara and Churches and there is no problem for me to mix up and interact with people of all faiths.”
Pakistani Muslim community is part of the interfaith group which “enable members of different faiths to learn about each other's beliefs, practices and traditions to create greater friendship, harmony and understanding.” According to Reading Interfaith “We begin in our own community, working to eliminate prejudice and fear by promoting knowledge and appreciation of each other. For more than twenty years we have organized events in Reading to experience each other's worship, witness each other's ceremonies, enter into dialogue with one another and celebrate our common commitment to spiritual values.
As part of a multi-cultural society Reading Interfaith Group celebrates diversity and the opportunities we have to grow in our own faith tradition by communicating with each other. It is recognised that all our starting points are different.”
Pakistani community, who were first brought to fulfill the labour market of the UK in the 1950s and later the flow of Pakistanis increased, is the second largest ethnic minority community after Indians and has a total population of 747,285 in the census of 2001, according to the Office of the National Statistics. However, it is estimated that the number has crossed 1 million in 2010. The Pakistani community, which comprises 1.3 percent of the total UK population, is the second largest ethnic minority group after Indians with 16.1 percent of the total ethnic minority population. Islam is the second largest religious faith group in the United Kingdom after Christianity. After Saudi Arabia, UK is the home of second largest Pakistani Diaspora and Pakistanis live in various places of the UK.
Total UK Population 2001 census 58,789,194
Ethnic Group Population Percentage
White British 54153898 92.1
White Mixed 677117 1.2
ndian 1053411 1.8
Pakistani 747285 1.3
Bangladeshi 283063 0.5
Other Asians 247664 0.4
Black Caribbean 565876 1.0
Black African 485277 0.8
Black Other 97585 0.2
Other Groups 230615 0.4
Source: Office for National Statistics
The perception of the people in the west about Muslims and especially Pakistanis after the 9/11 attack in the USA and 7/7 London bombing is not positive as some of the suicide bombers were home grown Pakistani origin. And there are still many people who think, the Pakistani community in the UK have been supporting the terrorists. There is suspicion and fear in both sides. Famous Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan and UK’s International Development Minister Shahid Malik were detained in US Airports because of their Muslim names. Both of them oppose terrorism and extremism. There are threats to the west from Islamic extremists and there is fear from the west in the Muslim community. The threat of the Islamic extremists is real.
However, the religious, community and professional leaders completely oppose the acts of violence and terrorism and said in one voice “the acts of only a handful of extremists in the name of Islam cannot represent the whole Muslim community.”
British Pakistani businessman Imran Ahmad is reported in the local media as saying: “I think there's still a good general understanding in the UK that the actions of a few do not represent all Muslims.” That is completely true. A migrant of Pakistani city of Peshawar, who works as a security officer said: “If all Pakistani are terrorists then Britain could be under ashes.” A handful of extremists should not
Dr Tahir ul-Qadri, from Pakistan has issued a strong statement declaring fatwa against the Islamic extremists al-Qaeda, suicide bomber and terrorists. In his Fatwa, Dr Qadri said: “Islam forbids the massacre of innocent citizens and suicide bombings.” Imam Raza said Pakistanis support his views.
Most important aspects of breaking down barriers and building trust, mutual understanding, opening horizons and promoting cross cultural understanding is through the appreciation of others views, beliefs, meeting, entertaining, negotiating and holding talks among different cultural and religious groups. In the recent years, especially after 9/11 and London bombing, the Pakistani community has been taking initiative to build trusts and strengthen relations with different faith groups. To achieve this objective, the Pakistani Community Centre in Reading has held events inviting guests from other faiths including local MPs, councillors and others.
“It is great fun and great occasions to be together with people of different walks of life and religions”, said Robert Wilson, Member of Parliament, attending the Christmas dinner programme at the Pakistani Community Centre in which people of different faiths and walks of life participated to celebrate Christmas festival . People of different faiths attended the programme organised by the Muslims to mark the Christmas festival. “It has given a very positive message to the general public that we all are one though we speak different languages and follow different religions and have come from different countries”, says Mrs Hilary Edmond, a local community worker.
“Working, meeting, dealing, entertaining, negotiating and corresponding with colleagues or clients from different cultures can be a minefield,” states a multi cultural training centre manual about the success of business that also applies to promote dialogue and understanding among different communities. Such events build good relationship with communities, help understand each other better and build an environment of trusts at this time of mistrusts against the Muslims in the west. With the significant increase of Pakistani community in the United Kingdom for the last few years, the number of community centres and activities have also multiplied that will help bridge the gap between the western and Muslim cultures.
In addition to the religious and community organisations, there are many professionals organisations of the Pakistani community working to promote better understanding of the Pakistani professionals and bridging the gap with other cultures and faiths in the west.
“Strengthening community building relationship,” is our motto said the Pakistani Professionals Forum (PPF) which includes doctors, engineers and other professionals working in various fields in the United Kingdom.
Chairman of Dr M. Farrukh Hussain said: We aim to develop the mutual understanding of professional Pakistanis by enhancing friendly co-operation among them. We aim to consolidate and strengthen our community.
“Most importantly, through trust-promoting images of Pakistanis worldwide, we aim to set an example of peaceful co-existence with other religions, races, communities including the people who don't have belief in any religion. In short, humanising humanity,” said Dr Hussain, a Consultant Psychiatrist.
According to Pakistani embassy in London, “The Pakistani Diaspora in the UK is a source of great strength to the bilateral relations and reinforces the two governments’ efforts towards solidifying relations.” Pakistan is a major ally in the fight against Islamic extremists therefore the cross cultural understanding among different communities is very important in the context of the United Kingdom. The words of former Prime Minister Tony Blair clearly reflect that feeling. “We celebrate the diversity in our country, get strength from the cultures and the races that go to make up Britain today."
Voxpop
I asked people about their views on "Pakistani community in the United Kingdom" just outside the train station in Kings Cross, Central London which is a mixed ethnic community area on 15th March, 2010. Out of over 4 dozen people inquired, only 20 people responded, among them 8 were British, 3 European national, 6 Asians and 3 others.
Seven people said that Pakistanis are the part of the UK community, 4 people said Muslim religion promoters, 3 said terrorist and suicide bomb supporters and remaining others said part of the cultural diversity, an important ally of the west, goodwill ambassadors to promote ties between the two countries and honest people.
Though it does not represent the feelings of the United Kingdom, it shows positive aspects of the Pakistanis as large majority of the people consider Pakistani community as part of the UK, goodwill ambassadors and honest people.
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This article is as part of the ICFJ and UN Alliance of Civilisation joint reporing project with Bill and Sundus.
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