Hyderabad is noteworthy in Sindh and Pakistan generally for its relative tolerance towards religious affairs; members of religious minorities such as Hindus and Christians are not in as much danger there as elsewhere in the country. However, there has been a history of conflict in Hyderabad between native Sindhis and the Muhajirs, the non-Sindhi Urdu-speaking Muslim refugees who entered Sindh from post-Partition India in 1947 and who were awarded the abandoned property left by the departing Sindhi Hindus. Nowadays, Sindhis and Muhajirs live in relative separation, in discrete sectors of Hyderabad. A large influx of Pakhtuns and Punjabis were attracted to Hyderabad after the Indus treaty settlement. Most Punjabis mixed with the local population however most Pakhtuns are distinct and separately living near the railway station and its vicinity.
Native Sindhis mainly reside in Qasimabad, which is still developing. On the other hand Muhajirs live in Latifabad. A large number of Memons having two sects namely Diplai from Tharparkar and Kathiawari from Gujarat, India live isolated from other citizens. Many Shia-Ismaili colonies exist where Aminabad Colony and Mubbarak Colony are one of the most prominent.
While Christians constitute 2% of the total population, Hyderabad is the seat of a Diocese of the Church of Pakistan and has five churches and a cathedral.
Despite its strategic location and thrifty people the city is under the shadow of Karachi and yet to make its mark economically. One reason for this is the artificial factional and sectarian isolation imposed after the riots of late 1980s and early 1990s which cleft the urban populations.
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