Non-Mirpuri Pakistanis, struggling to make ends meet, consider Mirpur as a collective lottery winner, because a large proportion of its population are settled in the UK. It is one of the first comments I expect to hear from porters, porters-cum-beggars (how else can I describe 5 people trying to grab my single holdall), just beggars and taxi drivers. They demand payment, or charity, in pounds not rupees. If you protest, you are reminded of your extraordinary good luck and duty to fellow countrymen. On one occasion, an elderly female beggar claimed she was not begging but merely claiming her due from her ‘son’.
The non-Mirpuri Pakistanis see only the conspicuous symbols of wealth, such as the hacienda-style mansions that dot the Mirpur district. They have no idea of the long hours spent as taxi drivers, factory workers or corner shop owners in England!
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