Pasni (city) - Demography

Demography

Various kinship groups exist side by side in Pasni. These include Rais, Khodai, Kalmati, Sangur, and Shahzada who belong to traditional ruling communities and currently, tend to dominate land ownership and the fishing industry. Pasni also has some other castes such as Barr, Jadgaal, Wadaila people living in this small town, but the working classes have traditionally comprised Medh, Darzada, Push, Maqsoodi and Naqeeb, some of whom are groups that were historically slaves of the ruling families. People of East African ancestry commonly known as 'Sheedis' can also be found in Pasni in small numbers; this African lineage is found at low frequency in the rest of Makran, as well as Karachi. 'Sheedis' are mostly descended from female slaves brought in as concubines in the early 19th century, when slave trade flourished under Omani Sultans whose suzerainty extended over Gwadar till 1958.