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The UK and the US both welcome huge numbers of new citizens every year, and Pakistani immigration is no exception. Britain is currently home to the second largest Pakistani expat community while the population of Pakistani-Americans is growing faster than any other in the US.
But despite their similarities, when it comes to topics like marriage and dating, life for Pakistani singels in the UK and the US does have its differences. Here’s a look at some of the important parts of love and marriage experienced by the two communities.
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1. Laws and formal celebrations
The UK and the US both enjoy forward thinking and liberal laws when it comes to marriage. On the whole, Pakistani communities have embraced these Westernised attitudes and shaped their traditional culture to fit in with the local ways of life.
The Pakistani community tends to feature very close-knit families and relationships, and it’s not uncommon for expats to keep close ties with their friends and families at home, particularly in the Mirpur and Kotli districts and the Punjab province.
For singles who would prefer to marry friends or contacts from their home community, visa laws can have an impact on their decisions. In the UK this means applying for the spouse or partner visa - the minimum income threshold for this rose to £18,600 in 2012.
In both countries it’s important for new Islamic marriages to also be recognised during a civil registration. This will guarantee both parties have equal matrimonial rights rather than the lesser rights of a cohabitee.
2. Cultural codes and conduct
The vast majority of Pakistanis in America and the UK are Muslim, with more than 90% of British-Pakistanis practicing the Muslim faith and the majority following the Sunni form. This means that love and marriage are both shaped heavily by traditional customs and etiquette.
It’s important to understand that religious piety is really a personal decision and the attitude to marriage and courtship can change between families and individuals. A traditional Muslim wedding is comprised of two key parts, the nikah, or ceremony, and the Wallima, or marriage celebration and banquet.
The important parts of the Muslim marriage ceremony include the reciting of verses, including excerpts from the Koran. The bride, groom and their witnesses also sign the marriage contract and a sermon is delivered containing a prayer for the couple, their families and the wider community.
The Wallima then follows and the banquet serves as an occasion to celebrate the happiness of the newlyweds and to present them with gifts.
3. Mixed-religion relationships
With both nations priding themselves on their melting pot attitude to culture and religion, mixed-race and mixed-religion relationships are very common in the US and the UK. In 2012 interracial marriages in the U.S. climbed to 4.8 million, while in the UK 2011 census data showed that there are more than one million people born to parents in an interracial relationship.
These statistics show that, while some prejudices do still exist, the overwhelming majority of people share forward-thinking attitudes to mixed-faith relationships.
4. Online dating trends within the Pakistani community
For Pakistanis singles the search for love can be just as frustrating as it is for British and American born citizens. Much like everyone else, Pakistani singles are looking for a person who is compatible with their lifestyle, culture and core beliefs like religion.
One of the most popular developing trends has been for Pakistani singles to look for love online, with dating websites helping them to find like-minded people who share their Muslim beliefs and attitudes.
Author Bio
Tracey Chandler is a freelance writer. She regularly contributes to female-interest publications online and a wide variety of travel blogs.
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