British Period

By the end of the first half of the 19^th century, Pakistan was occupied by the British. Control was exercised by the creation of a new comprador class to represent their commercial interests; and the creation of a new feudal class assigned to controlling the local population. Manifestations of this new development were a demographic explosion, the expansion of the irrigation systems and the concomitant settlement of new canal colonies, railways and other forms of communication. While these were designed to further the commercial and strategic interests of the rulers, they also made the population more mobile.

The British also introduced a new language and a new educational and administrative system, disconnecting with the traditional use of Farsi and the mosque-school, the madrassah. With the introduction of the English language came European cultural paradigms, which changed literary works and led to the emergence of a new urban culture. Cricket, which has now become a part of our culture, was a product of this period. Social stratification also underwent considerable change both in the urban as well as rural areas.