Underestimate of Rochdale’s Kashmiri population has left it ‘unknown and unseen’ by council and other authorities

The size of Rochdale’s Kashmiri population has been massively underestimated, leaving thousands ‘unknown and unseen’ according to a new report.

Research by the University of Manchester puts the borough’s Kashimri population at nearly 15,000 – while the 2011 census put the number of Kashmiri adults at just 1,026.

The study finds that the lack of a ‘Kashmiri’ category in surveys used by the council, government and other public bodies has led to the specific issues affecting the community being almost entirely overlooked.

The analysis suggests that two-thirds of the identified Pakistani community in Rochdale are actually of Kashmiri heritage – and therefore the largest South Asian community in the borough. 

And it says that the poor awareness of Kashmiris among public services is mainly because they are not properly included in ethnic monitoring systems – meaning they remain an ‘unknown and unseen’ community.

The report quotes a ‘Mr N’ – an elected member at the time the research was carried out – who summed up how flawed monitoring systems had led to the Kashmiri community’s ‘invisibility’.

He said: “I don’t like the term separate but looking at the Kashmiri community as separate means seeing it as having its own needs that are different from other communities. I don’t know what those needs are because no one’s asked the community, so until somebody does, I don’t know.”

The root of Kashmiri’s marginalisation appears to have its origin in the unequal relationship between the Pakistan and Azad (free) Kashmir – where almost all Kashmiris in Rochdale come from. 

As those from ‘Azad’ Kashmir travelled on Pakistani passports they were classified as Pakistanis in the British ethnic monitoring structures.

This had the effect of turning Kashmiris into a silent or silenced majority within the Pakistani ethnic minority in Britain.

Pahari – the mother tongue of Rochdale Kashmiris – is not recognised on a par with other ‘community languages’ used by public bodies.

The borough’s Kashmiri community suffers ‘significantly higher’ rates of unemployment than other south Asian minorities and lags behind in terms of educational attainment.

Awareness about healthy living provisions in Rochdale borough is low and disability and long-term illness is particularly prevalent among the over-50s.

Rochdale Kashmiris also highlighted a fear of being the victim of crime including a fear of being physically attacked because of their ethnic origin or religion. 

Almost half of participants said they thought Britain was more prejudiced today than five years ago, while around 30% reported having experienced harassment in their local area because of their ethnicity.

There were also serious concerns that young Kashmiris were more vulnerable to radicalisation and exploitation by criminal gangs – particularly those involved in selling drugs.

Rochdale council will share the report’s recommendations with its partner agencies – including the combined authority, Local Government Association and National Statistics Office – asking for the inclusion of the Kashmiri category in their ethnic monitoring systems.

Other recommendations include providing language support to Pahari speakers, health campaigns targeted at the Kashmiri community and devising ‘specific activities for Kashmiri youth to increase their sense of positive identity and belonging’.

Many are not within the council’s direct control.

Zulf Ali, of the Kashmir Youth Project, said it would be a big mistake to classify the report as ‘overzealous identity politics’.

“By denying a community its heritage, you deny its history and stifle its potential. If you do not recognise differences, you cannot value strengths. If you cannot differentiate language and culture, how can you communicate ideas and values?” he said.

“Clarity of categorisation for local services is a minimal requirement and essential for community cohesion. This data should be shared with other authorities where large Kashmiri communities live so that they too can learn from our experience.

“I am convinced that recognition leading to deeper understanding will improve local-level service delivery, therefore changes to national census categorisation will have a national impact. 

“Crucially, providers can start to design services that engage rather than marginalise Kashmiris to build a stronger and more cohesive environment for all.”

The report, entitled ‘Unknown and Unseen – the needs and issues of Kashmiris in Rochdale’  was also welcomed by council leader Allen Brett and Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter