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Barādarī, or Birādrī or Biraderi (Urdu: برادری), means Brotherhood and originates from the Persian word برادر Baradar, meaning "Brother". In Pakistan and India, it is used to denote a number of clans among South Asian Muslims. According to British author Anatol Lieven, "the most important force in Pakistani society" are Baradari, usually far stronger than any competing religious, ethnic, or ideological cause. Parties and political alliances in Pakistan are based on Baradari, not ideology. Baradari have also influenced politics in some parts of the United Kingdom where a significant number of people are of Pakistani descent, most notably in Bradford.

See also

• Caste system among South Asian Muslims
• Phratry, an institution of Ancient Greece similar in meaning and etymology.

References

1. Hamid, Mohsin. "Why They Get Pakistan Wrong". New York Review of Books.
2. "How clan politics grew in Bradford". February 27, 2015 – via www.bbc.co.uk.

Further reading

• Gilmartin, David (1994). "Biraderi and Bureaucracy: The Politics of Muslim Kinship Solidarity in 20th Century Punjab," International Journal of Punjab Studies 1, no. 1.
• Peace, T., & Akhtar, P. (2015). Biraderi, bloc votes and bradford: Investigating the respect party's campaign strategy. The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 17(2), 224-243.

• Culture of India
• Culture of Pakistan
• Culture of Bangladesh
• Pakistani social culture
• Persian words and phrases
• Pakistani class system