Urdu Speakers in Pakistan

Video Transcript

(Note: This transcript has been edited for readability.)

"‘Muhajir’ literally translates into ‘refugee.’ And it was a word that was applied to all of the refugees who came from India, but is still used for people who are second and third generation, now, Pakistani. And it also became associated with a political party. And because of that, it’s now a sensitive term. It’s not something that you would go up to somebody and [say], like, ‘Hey, Muhajir.’ You wouldn’t say that. It’s not something that you would really apply in everyday language. Because those people themselves aren’t considering themselves refugees. I think you could just say that somebody is Urdu-speaking, rather than calling them a ‘Muhajir.’ The implication is that they are probably from a Muhajir family, but it's a more polite way to say that."

A Pakistani national discusses the terms "Muhajir" and "Urdu speaker."