Nomads: the Politically Marginalised Segment of Pakistani Society on the basis of Ethnic Prejudice

Abstract

The study ‘Nomads: The politically marginalise segment of Pakistani society on the basis of ethnic prejudice’ was conducted in tehsil Dargai, district Malakand with the aim to find out the relative nature of social and political exclusion of nomadic communities, keeping in mind their conservative and ethnically vulnerable status in Pakistani society. The researchers aimed to elucidate nomadic groups’ political exclusion, as a relative phenomenon in the study area with ethnic prejudice and conservatism. However, nomads are ethnic minority groups in the study area and their ethnic marginality was tested through participation, access to the basic amenities and resources of society in comparison to that of the settled community. A sample size of 123 respondents out of 180 was selected through random sampling procedure. It can be seen that majority of the respondents (78.4%) agreed that ethnic prejudice is a leading factor for their marginalisation within society. Likewise, (87.6%) of the respondents reported that they were considered outsiders and strangers everywhere by the settled population. This form of latent abstraction decreases their access to the basic services of society. The study found that almost (80.4%) of sampled groups did not have access to potable water, electricity, health, and employment opportunities in the targeted area.

The relationship was found highly significant i.e. (P = 0.000) between ethnic prejudice and political exclusion. Furthermore, ethnic prejudice was significantly (P = 0.001) contributing in the development of negative attitudes, beliefs, and judgments about nomads and their ways of life. Moreover, a significant (P = 0.004) relationship was also found between political exclusion and the way policies are devised in our country Pakistan.