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CONVERSION TO ISLAM Although Islamic conversions in the Punjab started in the 11th century, it is uncertain when the Khatri and Arora traders embraced Islam. The earliest reference to Khojas in the Punjabi literature is in the '' Heer Ranjha '' of Waris Shah (1735-1790): The beauty of her red lips slays rich Khojas and Khatris in bazaar, like murderous Kizilbash [Afghan soldiers troopers riding out of the royal camp into bazaar with a sword. These verses of ''Heer Ranjha'', written by Waris Shah in 1766, describe the conditions of the post-Mughal Punjab. Khatris and Khojas occupied an important place in the economy of the Punjabi towns. This was probably the earliest reference to the emerging role of Hindu and Muslim Khatris as rich traders, instead of performing their Vedic functions as fighters and governors. KHOJAS IN THE CENSUS The first census of the Punjab was conducted by Ibbetson and MacLagan in 1883 and 1892. According to their reports, the Khojas of Bhera in Shahpur (Sargodha) were converted from Khatris, and those from Jhang were said to be converted from Arora . At Chiniot in Jhang District, the Khojas are mainly Khatris, though some are Arora. They reported the following sections (gotras) of Khatris from Chiniot: ''Adal, Behrara, Churra, Maggun (or Maghoon), Sahgal, Wadhaun (or Vadhavan), Wihara, Talwar, Puri, Topra''. The following Arora sections were reported from Chiniot: ''Tarneja, Goruwala, Khurana, Dhingra, Chawala''. The sections of Khojas from Bhera were reported as follows: ''Vohra, Sahgal, Kapur, Sethi, Duggal, Rawar (or Ror), Gorwala, Magun, Mehndru, Motali.'' These are all Khatri sections. The Khojas of Leiah have following Khatri sections: ''Kapur, Puri, Tandan and Gambhir''.Ibbetson, Denzil; Edward MacLagan and H.A. Rose. ''A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province'', vol. II, 1911, pp. 537-538. CHINIOTIS AND SAIGOLS Khoja Sheikhs of Chiniot, a town of Jhang District, known as Chiniotis , are some of the leading industralists of Pakistan. Most of these families started in the leather and hide trade in undivided India. Due to religious reasons, Hindus never ventured into this field. The Khojas migrated as far as Kolkata in the late 19th or early 20th century and started business. After partition in 1947, they diversified into other industries such as textiles, ginning, chemicals, shipping, engineering, etc. As per a survey in 1970,Shahid-ur-Rehman, ''"Who Owns Pakistan?",'' online publication there were five Chinioti groups—Colony, Crescent, Nishat, Mannos and Maulabakhash—in the top 42 groups registered on the Karachi Stock Exchange. In 1997 this number increased to 14 out of 45 groups. The Saigols (or Sahgals) from Chakwal are another leading business family of Pakistan. They are related to the Chinioti families through marriage. The Saigols are known as Punjabi Sheikh instead of Khoja Sheikh. See also Punjabi Khatri and Punjabi Sheikh . DISTINGUISHED KHOJA SHEIKHS
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