TRANSITIONAL MIGRANTS FROM HOSPITALITY TO HOSTILITY: UNDERSTANDING SETTLERS-INDIGENOUS RELATIONS IN HILLS OF MURREE

Abstract

This study explores social, cultural, environmental conflicts and underlying causes of conflicts between indigenous communities and new settlers in Murree: Darya Gali, Pakistan. With increasing in-migration & unplanned settlement, tensions have emerged over land use, cultural practices and resource sharing by using a qualitative research design. The study delves into the socio-economic, cultural and environmental dimensions and how unplanned urbanization, influx of settlers has disrupted local conditions, strained resources and altered the social and environmental condition of the region. The key areas of inquiry include dispute over land ownership, competition of natural resources, haphazard construction & clash of cultural values. To identify the causes of conflicts, data was gathered through semi structured in-depth interviews and thematic analysis was used for more clarification. Thus, the researcher reveals the finding that the unregulated settlement patterns and commercialization have not only disrupted the ecological balance of the region but also strained the social cohesion within the community. This study contributes to the broader discourse on internal migration, environmental justice and sustainable development in mountain regions of Pakistan.