Are Pakistani people considered white or brown people?

The classification of Pakistani people can vary depending on the context, particularly in terms of racial and ethnic categorization.

Racial Categorization

In the United States, for census purposes, Pakistani Americans are categorized as "Asian" under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards. This is because the OMB defines "Asian" as including people with origins in the Indian subcontinent, among other regions3.

Historical Classification

Historically, the classification has changed. For the 1970 U.S. Census, all South Asians, including Pakistanis, were categorized as "white." However, this classification has since been updated, and as of the 2020 U.S. Census, Pakistani Americans are categorized as "Asian Americans"1.

Ethnic and Cultural Identity

Ethnically, Pakistani people identify with various ethnic groups such as Punjabis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Muhajirs, and others, each with their own distinct cultural, linguistic, and historical identities. These identities are rooted in shared cultural experiences, traditions, and ancestry rather than just physical attributes2.

Self-Identification

In terms of self-identification, while some Pakistani Americans may identify as white or black in small numbers, the majority identify as Asian. For example, a study based on the 1990 U.S. Census showed that a grand majority of Pakistani Americans identified as Asian1.

In summary, Pakistani people are generally considered part of the Asian racial category in the U.S. census context, but their ethnic identities are more complex and diverse.