| Group: | Muslim Dhobi |
| Popplace: | • Pakistan • India |
| Langs: | • Urdu • Hindi • Gujarati • Punjabi • Seraiki |
| Rels: | Islam |
| Related: | Malik • Shaikh |
The Muslim Dhobi are a South Asian Muslim caste whose traditional occupation is washing clothes. They are considered to be Muslim converts from Hinduism, where the Dhobi castes are launderers. Muslim Dhobis are found throughout the Indian subcontinent.
The community is also known as Charhoa and Gazar in Pakistan, and Qassar in India. They also use "Hawari" as a surname.
In Pakistan, the Punjab Qassar are mainly a rural community. The Qassar are an artisan caste, receiving a fixed share of the agricultural produce for their services. The Gazar sub-division, found in southern Punjab, have taken to agriculture. The Gazar and Charhoa are Seraiki speaking, while the Qassar in central Punjab speak Punjabi.[1]