Manchester culture thrives from its diversity with a rich heritage. It also has a history of welcoming immigrants, especially European post-war refugees and the families who were fleeing the destruction left by WW2.
The most recent influx of mass immigration into Manchester was during the 2007/08 recession. Almost every European country had been badly affected by the recession and those hit the hardest were the immigrants living within major cities. One such community of immigrants were a small group of Pakistani immigrants within Spain who could not keep up with the inflation and rising costs of living.
Immigrants likely have to work much harder than citizens born in the country they migrate to, because they cannot rely on several factors, such as generational wealth accumulated over time. Furthermore, immigrants are often sending resources to their families from the country they migrated from, whom they are supporting but were unable to travel with.
Therefore, it is not surprising that once communities of immigrants are unable to support themselves, they emigrate to other countries in search of affordable living conditions. Manchester was an appealing choice at the time due to its high population of South Asians.
Many of the Pakistanis that immigrated to the UK chose to situate themselves in the north of England. This was owing to the greater affordability to settle in cities such as Manchester and Birmingham. Due to the large community of South Asians/Muslims already present, many believed they would feel at home. It was also considered prudent due to hate crimes targeting immigrants that occured in areas that were not populated by many South Asians or other migrant groups.
During the recession, many working-class Pakistanis suffered abuse and hatred from xenophobes. This led to migrants being forced out of white majority areas and moved into inclusive environments, such as that of Greater Manchester, where they might feel more welcomed by the locals and to escape some of the harassment. This generated a feeling of collective alienation within some Pakistani immigrants for parts of British society that had abused them.
One consequence has been the seclusion of some communities from mainstream British culture, such as lower political participation and voter turnout in elections. There is a lack of a sense of belonging among some migrants and many do not feel attached enough to the country and its politics to care about such matters. They are often much more attached to the countries they migrated from and spend time reminiscing about the past, craving the feeling of belonging that they have sadly not yet felt in the UK.
Although some will never see Manchester as their true home, many will not deny the feeling of comfort and safety it has provided for the Pakistani community and the sense of belonging it has fostered.