Pakistani diaspora

Overseas Pakistanis

Total population
7,000,000+ [5] Approximately 4% of the Pakistani population.
Regions with significant populations
United Kingdom 1,200,000[1]  Saudi Arabia 1,200,000  United Arab Emirates 1,100,000  United States 700,000  Canada 300,000  Kuwait 100,000  Italy 100,000[1]  Oman 85,000  Greece 80,000[1]  France 60,000[1]  Germany 53,668  Qatar 52,000  Spain 47,000[1]  Bahrain 45,500  Netherlands 40,000[1]  Denmark 21,152  Norway 30,161  Libya 30,000  Australia 20,000  Hong Kong 20,000  Belgium 14,500  Ireland 12,500  Japan 12,000  Iran 11,500  Turkey 10,000  Jordan 8,000  Portugal 6,000  Sweden 6,000  New Zealand 5,000  Austria 4,500  Ukraine 1612
Languages
English, Urdu, Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki, Balochi, other languages of Pakistan and the languages spoken in the respective country of residence.
Religion
Predominantly Islam (Sunni & Shia) with small numbers of Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism and Sikhism.

The Pakistani diaspora, or an overseas Pakistani is a Pakistani citizen who has migrated to another country or a person of Pakistani origin who is born outside Pakistan. There are approximately 7 million Pakistanis living abroad.^[2] Many overseas Pakistanis in Europe and North America have obtained citizenship of their country of residence.

Overseas Pakistani

The term Overseas Pakistani is officially recognized by the Government of Pakistan. The Overseas Pakistani Division (OPD) was created in September 2004 within the Ministry of Labour and Manpower. Over the past 6 years, it has recognized the importance of overseas Pakistanis and their contribution to the economy. Together with Community Welfare Attaches (CWAs) and the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), all three are improving the welfare of overseas Pakistanis. The division aims at providing better services to the overseas Pakistanis through improved facilities at airports, setting up suitable schemes in housing, education and health care. Its largest effort is facilitating the rehabilitation of returning overseas Pakistanis.

Overseas Pakistanis Foundation

The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) was established July 1979, with its head office at Islamabad and regional offices in all provincial capitals as well as Mirpur, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The objective of the OPF is to advance the welfare of the Pakistanis working or settled abroad and their families in Pakistan by identifying their problems and contributing to their solutions. These include health care, financial aid, foreign exchange remittance and education.^[3]

OPF Public Schools

The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation operates more than 150 prestigious school systems in 43 cities across Pakistan. It offers preschool, primary education, secondary education and preparation for local SSC and the international GCE. Most of its students opt to take the international GCE O and AS/A Level examinations organized by the CIE of UCLES. It also has established international projects in UAE, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom. The head office of OPF Public School is located in Islamabad, administering the system through four main regional offices: Southern Regional Office (SRO), which caters to Sindh (only Karachi) and Balochistan; Central Regional Office (CRO) Lahore, which oversees 80% of Southern Punjab; Northern Regional Office (NRO), which looks after the rest of Northern Pakistan; and Mehran Regional Office (MRO), which caters to interior Sindh (Sukkur, Larkana and Hyderabad. OPF School system, in collaboration with various other national institutions, formed The City APIIT. Established in 1978, the school's courses are modeled on those of British schools

Branches

OPF Public School has branches in many cities of Pakistan which include Abbotabad, Attock, Bahawalpur, Bannu, Burewala, Chakwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Jamshoro, Jhelum, Jhang, Karachi, Kasur, Khairpur, Khanewal, Kharian, Kohat, Kot Addu, Lahore, Larkana, Mardan, Mianwali, Mirpur, Mirpurkhas, Multan, Muzaffarabad, Nawabshah, Nowshera, Okara, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sialkot, Sukkur, Swat, Thatta and Vehari. The OPF branch in Islamabad is designed by architecture of America and it is one of the most beautiful college and hostel buildings in Islamabad.

Foreign Community Welfare Attaches

Community Welfare Attaches (CWA's) are located in 18 cities around the world. There primarily function is to establish and maintain close contacts with the foreign firms who are in need of manpower for their ventures in different countries, and to aid in the welfare of overseas Pakistanis. CWA's are currently located in:^[4]

• Abu Dhabi, UAE
• Sharjah, UAE
• Doha, Qatar
• Dubai, UAE
• Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Kuwait City, Kuwait
• London, England
• Manchester, England
• Milan, Italy
• Muscat, Oman
• Oslo, Norway
• Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Tripoli, Libya
• Seoul, South Korea
• Manama, Bahrain

National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP)

The National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis, also called NICOP, was conceived by NADRA as a project by mutual resolve of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), the Ministry of Labour & Manpower, and the Interior Ministry. The scheme calls for the creation of a comprehensive database of Pakistanis who either work abroad or hold a dual nationality. The NADRA Ordinance envisages issuance of NICOPs to Pakistani workers, emigrants, citizens, or Pakistanis holding dual nationality, having been registered under the NADRA Ordinance. The ordinance entrusts NADRA with the task of registering the overseas Pakistanis. NICOP, in addition to providing the authenticity of the individual, allows the NICOP holder to visa-free entry to Pakistan.

Pakistan Origin Card (POC)

Like the NICOP, the Pakistan Origin Card (POC) is issued by NADRA to eligible overseas Pakistanis. However, the major difference between the two is that a POC is only issued to people of Pakistani origin, i.e., those who are citizens of other countries but have some Pakistani background including former nationals.^[5] It cannot be issued to those with dual nationalities, with one being Pakistani, as the NICOP is meant for those individuals.^[6]

Little Pakistan

Main article: Little Pakistan

"Little Pakistan" is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Pakistanis or people of Pakistani ancestry (overseas Pakistani), usually in an urban neighborhood.

Returning Overseas Pakistanis

History

Millions of Pakistanis immigrated to various countries abroad during the 1970s and 1980s. Unlike European immigrants who settled permanently in the new world, Pakistanis who immigrated abroad considered themselves to be sojourners, who left to earn money abroad but not to settle, or were students who intended to return to Pakistan when their degree programs were completed.

Returning

• From the Middle East

Since the inception of Pakistan in 1947, there has been a large population of Pakistanis in the Middle East, mainly in Saudi Arabia. However, since the 1990s, many of them have opted for countries like the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Pakistanis who immigrated to these countries or who were born in these countries tended to stay close to Pakistani culture. Many "International Pakistan Schools" were opened to cater for the large population and for them to study under the same boards as Pakistani students at home. As a result, those returning to Pakistan from the Middle East have found it much easier to adjust. Pakistanis from the Middle East can be found throughout the country today and these people are usually fluent in Arabic, Urdu, English and their regional language. They are most likely involved in trading, media, telecommunications and banking.

• From Europe

Since the 1990s, a large number of Pakistanis who settled in Europe have been returning to Pakistan. These Pakistanis tended to be less educated and in many cases had to apply for multiple jobs in order to help their children attain a decent education, which they could not provide for them in Pakistan. Those who were born in Europe have also maintained close links to Pakistani culture. However, there are some instances of children not learning Urdu while growing up or being accustomed to Pakistani culture. As a result, those who return from Europe do experience "culture shocks". Those returning from Norway can be mostly found in Kharian in the Punjab province, whereas those from northern England can be found in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (mainly Mirpur) and upper Punjab (Rawalpindi).

• From America

Very small numbers of Pakistanis from Canada and the United States have historically returned to Pakistan. Although they frequently visit Pakistan during the summer and winter vacations, permanent settlement had not been popular amongst them until 2001. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks and the recent Financial crisis of 2007–2010, a large number of Pakistani Americans and Pakistani Canadians have begun to return. The population of returning expatriates from the Americas, who tend to have excellent credentials, has increased significantly due to new job opportunities in Pakistan.^[7] Many from North America are found in the major cities of Pakistan, mainly Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar. Large populations can also be found in smaller cities and towns, such as Sialkot. Those returning from North America have tended to find jobs easier in Pakistan and are involved in a wide scope of fields, primarily healthcare, engineering, law, banking, information technology, mass media and industry.

Statistics

Continent / Country	Articles	Overseas Pakistani Population
Asia		74,391
Hong Kong	Pakistanis in Hong Kong	20,000[8][dead link]
Japan	Pakistanis in Japan	12,500[9]
Malaysia	Pakistanis in Malaysia	10,000, expected to increase to 100,000 by end of 2010[10]
South Korea	Pakistanis in South Korea	7,000
Thailand	Pakistanis in Thailand	1,980
Singapore	Pakistanis in Singapore	1,600
Philippines		1,000
China	Pakistanis in China	653
Kazakhstan		500
Brunei	Pakistanis in Brunei	300[11]-500
Indonesia	Pakistanis in Indonesia	400
Sri Lanka	Pakistanis in Sri Lanka	369
Kyrgyzstan	Pakistanis in Kyrgyzstan	1500[12][dead link]
Bangladesh	Pakistanis in Bangladesh	310
Turkmenistan		243
Azerbaijan		200
Maldives		100
Uzbekistan		75
Myanmar		51
Nepal		46
Tajikistan		30
Vietnam		25
Mongolia		15[13]
Europe		2,200,000[1]
United Kingdom	British Pakistanis, Pakistanis in London	1,200,000[1] England: 1,100,000 (2010)[14] Scotland: 90,000 (2010)[15] Wales: 9,000 (2010)[16] Northern Ireland: 1000 (2010)[17]
Italy	Pakistanis in Italy	100,000[1]
Greece	Pakistanis in Greece	80,000[1]
France	Pakistanis in France	60,000[1]
Spain	Pakistanis in Spain	47,000[1]
Netherlands	Pakistanis in the Netherlands	40,000[1]
Norway	Pakistani Norwegians	36,400[18]
Germany	Pakistanis in Germany	35,081[19]-52,668(2005)[20]
Denmark	Pakistanis in Denmark	31,000[1][21]
Belgium	Pakistanis in Belgium	14,500
Turkey	Pakistanis in Turkey	2,000
Ireland	Pakistanis in Ireland	5,000
Portugal		6,000
Sweden	Pakistani Swedish	5,250
Austria	Pakistanis in Austria	3,500
Switzerland	Pakistanis in Switzerland	2,415
Ukraine	Pakistanis in Ukraine	1,612
Russia	Pakistanis in Russia	1,500
Cyprus		1,100
Romania		710
Finland		525
Poland		180
Hungary		45
Bosnia and Herzegovina		16
Bulgaria		16
Moldova		10
Serbia		2
Croatia		1
Others		1620
Americas		851,385
United States	Pakistani American	210,245[22]
Canada	Pakistani Canadian	90,000[23] - 124,730
Cuba	Pakistanis in the Caribbean	1000[24]
Peru		250
Chile		200
Brazil		180
Mexico		150
Bolivia		50
Argentina		30
Paraguay		12
Colombia		10
Suriname		3
Africa		37,964
Libya	Pakistanis in Libya	30,000
South Africa	Pakistanis in South Africa	2,500
Kenya		1,862
Tanzania		950
Egypt	Pakistanis in Egypt	700 (2011)[25][26]
Zimbabwe		400
Nigeria		292
Sudan		200
Botswana		160
Ghana		152
Niger		62
Mauritius		43
Morocco		38
Algeria		34
Djibouti		30
Senegal		26
Comoros		11
Madagascar		11
Seychelles		5
Others		773
Oceania		25,000
Australia	Pakistani Australian	20,000[27]
New Zealand	Pakistani New Zealander	5,000[28]
Middle East	Pakistanis in the Middle East	1,893,373
Saudi Arabia	Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia	1,100,000
United Arab Emirates	Pakistanis in the United Arab Emirates	1,200,000
Kuwait	Pakistanis in Kuwait	100,000
Oman	Pakistanis in Oman	85,000
Qatar	Pakistanis in Qatar	52,000
Bahrain	Pakistanis in Bahrain	45,000
Iran	Pakistanis in Iran	11,500
Jordan	Pakistanis in Jordan	8,000-10,000[29]
Israel	Pakistanis in Israel	1,000
Lebanon	Pakistanis in Lebanon	700[30]
Yemen	Pakistanis in Yemen	700
Syria	Pakistanis in Syria	600-700[29]
Iraq	Pakistanis in Iraq	456
Palestine		10
Others		500
Total Overseas Pakistani Population		7,000,000+[2]

See also

Diasporas of Pakistani ethnic groups

• Baloch diaspora
• Kashmiri diaspora
• Hazara diaspora
• Pashtun diaspora
• Punjabi diaspora
• Sindhi diaspora

Related diasporas

• Afghan diaspora
• Bangladeshi diaspora
• Chinese diaspora
• Indian diaspora
• Iranian diaspora

Other

• NADRA
• Demographics of Pakistan
• Pakistani students abroad

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n} "The Pakistani Diaspora in Europe and Its Impact on Democracy Building in Pakistan" Paper at Idea
2. ^ ^{a b} "Pride and the Pakistani Diaspora" by Ali Eteraz Saturday, 14 Feb, 2009, Dawn.com [1]
3. ^ OPF Official Website
4. ^ Government of Pakistan, Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment
5. ^ POC NADRA Retrieved 23 January 2010
6. ^ NICOP Pakistan High Commission, UK Retrieved 23 January 2010
7. ^ "Returning Pakistanis praise new lives". BBC News. 2008-07-06. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7490555.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-21. 
8. ^ [2]
9. ^ Year Book, 2004–2005, Islamabad: Ministry of Labour, Manpower, and Overseas Pakistanis, http://www.opf.org.pk/download/anual/YEARBK.pdf, retrieved 2009-09-19 
10. ^ "100,000 Pakistani labourers expected to work in Malaysia by end 2010", August 27 Thaindian.com [3]
11. ^ Pakistan navy men visit BT
12. ^ [4]
13. ^ Census's
14. ^ Pakistanis in England in 2007
15. ^ Pakistanis in Scotland
16. ^ Pakistanis in Wales
17. ^ Pakistanis in Northern Ireland
18. ^ Immigration and immigrants
19. ^ DW-WORLD.DE - southasia.de
20. ^ Yearbook 2004-2005, Ministry of Labour, Manpower & Overseas Pakistanis
21. ^ Goli, Marco; Rezaei (March 2005), Active Civic Participation of Immigrants in Denmark, Building Europe with New Citizens? An Inquiry into the Civic Participation of Naturalised Citizens and Foreign Residents in 25 Countries, European Commission, http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/politis-europe/download/Denmark.pdf, retrieved 2008-11-19 
22. ^ US demographic census, http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-qr_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201&-qr_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201PR&-qr_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201T&-qr_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201TPR&-ds_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_&-reg=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201:045;ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201PR:045;ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201T:045;ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201TPR:045&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false&-format=, retrieved 2006-11-19 
23. ^ [Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada - http://www.asiapacific.ca/data/people/demographics_dataset1_bycity.cfm Population by Ethnic Origin]
24. ^ "THE PLIGHT OF PAKISTANI MEDICAL STUDENTS IN CUBA" September 17, 2009, Overseas Pakistani Friends
25. ^ Egypt: India and Pakistan move to help nationals, BBC News South Asia, 31/Jan/2011
26. ^ Pakistan nationals in Egypt are safe: Basit, OneIndia News, January 30, 2011
27. ^ "Pakistan country brief" Australian Government web site
28. ^ "Pakistan: Living On Borrowed Time" 29 December 2007, Scoop News
29. ^ ^{a b} Middle East uprising: Pakistanis safe in Syria, Jordan despite revolt, officials say, By Saba Imtiaz, Express Tribune, Published: March 29, 2011
30. ^ "INTERVIEWS OF AMBASSADOR" Embassy of Pakistan in Lebanon web site

External links

• National Database and Registration Authority
• An outline of the immigration pattern of the Pakistani community in Britain
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs Division
• Pakistan Citizenship Law
• www.asiapacific.ca
• www.census.gov
• Census Profile: New York City’s Pakistani American Population
• www.saalt.org
• Pakistani Americans www.aopp.org
• Pakistan Cultural Association -Australia
• An article on Pakistani Diaspora in Europe