Dr Raja Adnan Razzaq

Dr. Raja earned his doctoral degree in Social Sciences, focusing on the rehabilitation of Muslim refugees in West Punjab following the 1947 partition. Since October 2022, he has been a Visiting Research Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford. In this role, he is addressing the sensitive matter of repatriating Muslim refugees to India who migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and were initially resettled in Punjab or Sindh, Pakistan.

Furthermore, at the ASC, Dr. Raja is conducting a study on a distinctive Pakistani community known as the Sheedis, who inhabit the Makran region of Baluchistan and certain parts of Sindh. The Sheedis are recognized as an African diaspora that was brought to the Indian subcontinent primarily as slaves. Dr. Raja's objective is to trace their historical journey and their subsequent integration into society while still preserving their unique cultural elements, including their festivities, dance styles, folklore, musical instruments, and notably, their vocal characteristics that reflect their African origins. He initiated this work during his time at King's College London and the Centre of South Asian Studies, University of Cambridge, and is currently continuing his research on the topic in his monograph titled "Tracing the Roots and Routes: An Ethnographic Study of the Sheedi Diaspora in Pakistan" here at the ASC.

Dr. Raja possesses extensive experience in teaching and research, spanning over eighteen years, with a particular focus on peace and migration studies. He has authored books and research articles on these subjects. Following his service at Quaid-i-Azam and National Defence Universities in Islamabad, he presently holds the position of Associate Professor of History at Minhaj University in Lahore, Pakistan.