Who are the Makranis and Sheedis of Karachi?

In Karachi, the terms Makranis and Sheedis refer to communities of Black African ancestry. These groups are descendants of individuals who were brought to the region from Africa as part of the historical slave trade.1

While the term Makrani is sometimes associated with the Makran coastal region of southwestern Pakistan and southeastern Iran—where coastal populations also include descendants of imported slaves—in the specific context of Karachi's demographics, both names identify these distinct communities of African descent who have become part of the city's diverse ethnic fabric.12