Little Pakistan: Brooklyn’s Coney Island Avenue

Pakistan Day Parade in New York City and Pakistan Day Mela (festival) in Brooklyn’s Coney Island Avenue are held every August. The parade goes back to early 80s while Mela is more recent occurrence. Coney Island Avenue is 4-lane road, approximately 5-mile in total. Along its’ path are various little neighborhoods (from Russian Jews to Hassidim to Bangladeshis), and roughly a mile or so of it is distinctly Pakistani. Some 30,000 Pakistanis (Paks from now on) call it home, a place affectionately known as Little Pakistan. Over the years CIA (my name for Coney Island Avenue) has changed much. The changes that are noticeable are numerous but so are some stillnesses. The biggest visible physical change in the recent past was a post 9/11 exodus of Paks after very aggressive FBI investigations in the community.
By some estimates, around 15,000 were either deported or left on their own; some moved to Canada, others left for Pakistan. These were innocent people whose only crime was overstaying their visas; even those legitimately waiting for immigration status change were picked up in the raids. As it is, an estimated one million NYC residents are undocumented migrants but because of circumstances Paks paid the price for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
According to a private research (Pew) data, there were 113,000 undocumented South and East Asians in NYC (my guess is that a vast majority of this group being Chinese, and perhaps from 5 to 10 thousand Pakistanis, certainly not more than that). There is no denying that Muslims (Arabs, South Asians) have faced a lot of hatred in the aftermath of 9/11 (particularly soon after the attacks, that went on for about a year before it started to decline). Ethnic and racial slurs have been directed at Muslim students, death threats issued to people who resemble Arabs or South Asians (a Christian Palestinian friend was once spat and yelled at, “Sand Nigger, go back home”). Those wearing Hijabs had even worse insults aimed at them. This article does not discuss racism or race relations. Instead, it hopes to capture how a community has gone through such adversity and is coming back to life, after almost losing it.

Some facts and figures about CIA Paks are presented based mostly on my own observations over the years, some a result of chats with friends, talks with a few community leaders, an Imam, and some from news articles. Academics might be curios about a discussion on power relations of social inequality for immigrants in their adopted land.
Unfortunately, this article does not go very deep into that (perhaps scratches just a little beneath the surface), but it does toy around with the notion of ‘cultural confidence vs. cultural competence’ in hope to generate a discussion on how this community can once again rise above all other ethnic Pakistani communities spread around the world, and does not fall into the same trap as some Pakistani British communities have fallen into.

New York City Commission on Human Rights (a governmental commission with a function to foster mutual understanding among the residents of NYC) issued a report in 2003 about discrimination against Muslims of Arab and South Asians background in NYC since 9/11. Some findings that stood out are, (1) 80% of respondents said they were affected by 9/11. (2) 26% complained about employment related bias since 9/11. (3) 70% reported discrimination. These are very serious findings. What’s even more serious is that 83% sought no help. To quote a Muslim Pakistani woman: “I live in fear in the land of freedom” says much. Is it due to cultural incompetence? I am not sure. Here are some facts about Little Pakistan (LP):

It is a very guarded part of NYC, very similar to other ethnic enclaves in the city. In character, closer to China Town and Brighton Beach than to Little Italy. The contrast is not important to this discussion. Ignore it.

This working class community is self-sustained and it feels as if one is walking in some part of Pakistan, minus the absence of Rikshaws and motorbikes, and is not really inside a huge metropolis and the concrete jungle called NYC.

Overall majority of residents (guesstimate 98%) are either from Mirpur (many refer to themselves as Kashmiris) or from other cities of Punjab province, and only a handful from other provinces.

Approximately 1/3 of Paks living in NYC live in and around LP and of those roughly 2/3 is Pakistan born, half educated below High School level.

According to welfare records, approximately a quarter live below poverty line.

Three main professions are construction, cab driving, and restaurant work.

There are lines of stores, restaurants, auto shops, money transfer businesses, etc. serving community.

There is one main mosque (Makki Masjad) Jumma (Friday prayers) lines are formed on the sidewalk as well, as mosque is not large enough to support all worshipers. It used to get a lot crowdeder before 9/11, when the Jumma rows will straighten well onto the Avenue. Makki Masjad is central to this neighborhood and is stacked between businesses – video stores on one side, and restaurants on the other. There are two other smaller mosques.

There were approximately 150 Pak-owned businesses of which some 30 were shut down due to 9/11 exodus.

Community is Sunni and Shia, there are no apparent tensions, but if some incidence happens in Pakistan, it does muddy the harmony a little.

Most families (~ 90%) live in rented apartments, and a few old timers own their own houses. They bought their houses when the property market was favorable to buyers, and most who bought are in construction business. Some apartment buildings are fully occupied by Paks.

Political discussions tend to get very hot in some restaurants, small offices. It’s always a joy to see Paks engaged in politics of homeland. That is a sign of involvement and care.

There are some rip-off artists that will charge 50 dollars to fill-out simple forms for Social Security, immigration matters or insurance claims.

There are two small NGOs delivering some service to local youth as well as women welfare.

Women are predominantly homemakers.

There are female-staffed female-only clinics, dental clinics, and general practice clinics, all owned and operated by Paks.

Many families rely on Medicaid (governmental subsidized insurance for low income families) for health coverage.
The local public schools have an ample Pak student presence. I found out that one area elementary school lost 50 Pak children to the 9/11 exodus. That breaks your heart.

Teenager boys, in attire and in demeanor imitate hip-hop style. Where their pants’ waste start at the conclusion of the buttocks. Unlike their parents, most speak unaccented English, but cuss a lot. Yep, even I noticed that.

The 3 main reasons given for immigrating to another country are: opportunity to improve one’s life, same, same. I learnt that the first wave of Pakistanis immigrated to New York from Britain in the late 70s, and later waves immigrated mainly for economic reasons and as an alternative to Arabian Gulf employment where a vast numbers came from.
Many also left home under Zia’s dictatorial rule, and some to escape sectarian violence. After that, why settle in LP? The main reason, as in any ethnic settlement, is that arriving immigrants felt safer to go to an environment where they would find their own kind, and some due to relatives already living there. The original Pak settlers were attracted there due to Jewish Kosher butcher shops for observance to religious dietary laws. The first signs of this community showing a formation were in the early 1980s, with the opening up of a couple of restaurants, and a mosque. The community was at its’ peak around 2001, and then came the attacks. Now it appears somewhat lethargic and sleepy but by no means near extinction.

There are dozens of ethnic neighborhoods in NYC, each with its unique flavor, and history. In the 20s and 30s, this part of CIA was purely a Jewish neighborhood (Woody Allan is originally from there), in the 70s 80s the Jews started moving out to other places, and in moved the Paks. Now Bangladeshis and Turks are filling up the shops being vacated by Paks. Such is the life in this city. A good friend who runs a business in the hood indicated that he rarely sees any African Americans in LP. There are plenty of Hispanics who live in LP, and the race relations between Hispanics and Paks are cordial. Each group respects the other. It is not uncommon to see Mexican workers in Pak restaurants. Pak construction businesses also employ Hispanic day laborers. I have come across Pak Construction Business owners who speak better Spanish than they speak English. Only in New York. Si, esto es correcto.

According to motor authorities, Paks make up the second largest group of taxi cab drivers in NYC numbering around 4,000, only a little behind Bangladeshis, who make up the largest. More than half of Pak cabbies live in and around LP. On the avenue itself, there are a few services exclusively for cabbies (insurance services, cab parking, etc.), and there are two or three 24-hour restaurants serving them when the shifts change. Usually, 2 or 3 guys will rent a Yellow cab for a set amount from a company; they share the cab for 2 to 3 shifts. After all expenses, rent etc., paid, I am told that on a good day, a cabbie can whip over $150 for an 8 hour of work. The income is off the books. Taxi driving seems to be a preferred occupation of many. A few may have some college education from homeland, but most are educated only upto high school level. Once in a while you will run into degreed guys waiting to get their exams cleared before getting American certification to practice their trades here. The other reason this profession appeals to some is because it pays more than the minimum wage jobs in secondary labor market, while some other find the idea of “no-boss” very appealing.

The first waves of Pak immigrants were not well educated; they came here as adults and pretty unfamiliar with this society, and their impression of this world was only from watching a few Hollywood movies (Mirpuris from England had a little better sense than those who came from Pakistan or the Arabian Gulf). A whole lot of them are still unassimilated in the broader society; it has shown its affects on the next generation. Many kids follow their parent’s path to whatever profession; many family construction contractors pass down the business to male children. You are lucky if you own a License (called Medallion) to own your own car service instead of renting one. That permit goes for upwards of $400,000 and is out of reach of most folks.

After Ms. Bhutto’s assassination, a horde of TV camera crews rushed there to report on peoples’ reactions. Obviously everyone was so in shock and saddened by the developments in their homeland. LP is mainly divided into two political camps: PML and PPP. Musharraf’s dictatorship had no support in Little Pakistan. Neighborhood organizations are divided between these two organizers. Sometime minor verbal fights break out, but mostly both groups realize that harmony helps the reputation of the hood. Crime is from non-existent to very little. There are no known gangs – a pastime of young kids in some other neighborhoods in the city.

Since the last exodus, this community is constantly living in fear of next attack and what that might bring their way. I feel that there is an overwhelming concern and sympathy for Muslim’s causes (Palestine, etc. etc.) but a tremendous majority, if not all, detest extremism and terrorism, or use of any violence to achieve even the legitimate goals. The community does not welcome firebrand mullahs.

I have some familiarity with Pakistani immigrant communities on both sides of the pond, I find CIA-LP Paks to still be more conformed (if not completely) in their adopted land than, for example, those living in the ghettos of Bradford and Leicester, and other cities across Europe. There are loads of reasons for that. We will save that discussion for some other time. Here, let’s discuss how can CIA Paks engage in social relationships to benefit from one another (as in Exchange Theory), and how can LP, once again, be a microcosm of ethnic America. A place to raise responsible Americans that are uniquely Pakistanis. I believe it to be absolutely possible.

It is still too early to gauge what the future of this community will be like, but there are all indications that it’s on its’ way up. All parents wish their kids to attend colleges, and go on for professional degrees, and many are achieving that goal. A local NGO (check out “ HYPERLINK "http://copousa.org" \t "_blank" copousa.org”) offers ESL and other help to kids of Pakistani immigrants assimilate better and become part of this multicultural melting pot that transcends all cultural and religious boundaries. When asked Mr. Razvi (ED of COPO) what he thinks the future of this neighborhood holds? He said, and I quote:
“In ten years the community will come back to where it was prior to 9/11.”

In 2003, the Village Voice did a little story on Little Pakistan and asked whether Little Pakistan was yet another casualty of the “war on terror”. At that time, I believed that it was, but to their credit and their resilience, the neighborhood has begun to collect the pieces and is starting anew, this time with renewed vigor and lots of garam masala.
God bless Little Pakistan.
God bless CIA.