Migrants and Patrons between North-Eastern Pakistan and Kuwait: Shia Networks and Transnational Spaces

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This project examines the transnational spaces produced by Shia Muslim networks between the Pakistani disputed border area of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kuwait. It also focuses on how these transnational spaces impact on the geopolitically crucial region of Gilgit-Baltistan. Kuwait is one of the main destinations for Baltistan migration to the Gulf countries and Kuwaiti Shia organizations have gained a presence in developmental work in Baltistan. The relations Baltistan enjoys with Kuwait are very different from those with other Shia majority countries such as Iran, limited to providing religious education to Baltis in Iranian schools, and Bahrain, where Baltis go to work but, as far has not yet led to any interest of Bahraini developmental organizations in Baltistan. The argument of this project assumes that the production of transnational spaces by Shia networks enhances the position of the actors involved at local, regional, state and international levels. This project investigates these transnational spaces, the ideas of world ordering they contain and their interconnectedness.