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.jpg) Europeans inLahore, c. 1590 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 80,000+(2015)[1] excluding multiracial people ~0.03% of Pakistan's population | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Nationwide including cities inPunjab,Sindh, andIslamabad Capital Territory; sizable populations in other regions[citation needed] | |
| Languages | |
| VariousEuropean languages · English · Urdu and otherLanguages of Pakistan[citation needed] | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity · Islam[citation needed] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| European diaspora |
European Pakistanis are the residents ofPakistan who are of full or partialEuropean origin.[citation needed]
Prior to thePartition of India in 1947, Pakistan was part of theBritish Raj. British control of the region began with the annexation ofSind in 1843,Punjab and theNorth-West Frontier in 1849, andBaluchistan in 1876.[2] Thecolonial period expanded European influence inSouth Asia. Thousands of Europeansettlers arrived in theIndian subcontinent as administrators, soldiers, officials, civilians,missionaries, and traders.[3] During the 1940s, there was a small population ofEuropean Jews scattered across cosmopolitan cities that are now in Pakistan, such asKarachi andLahore. They arrived as part of the Jewish exodus toBritish India following the outbreak ofWorld War II inEurope. However, by the late 1960s, most of these Jews, along with thelocal Jewish population, experiencedan exodus following the independence of Pakistan and consequently left the country for neighbouringIndia orIsrael and theWestern world.[4] The termsgora (lit. 'white [man]') andgori (lit. 'white [woman]'),firangi (lit. 'foreigner') orangrez (lit. 'English') are used interchangeably in Pakistan to refer to aWhite person.[5]
The following sections outline current expatriate European communities in Pakistan, sorted by theirgeographical region of origin.
TheSwiss community in Pakistan numbered 336 people as of 2014, based on embassy registrations.[6][7][8] There is also a smallAustrian expatriate group.[9]Czechs in Pakistan are a small community consisting of expatriates, and Czech nationals married to Pakistanis. A Czech Film Club was set up in Islamabad by the Czech embassy, as of 2004. It arranged screenings ofCzech films for Czechs living in Pakistan as well asCzech-speakers.[10] There is also a smallGerman community as well.
There is a very smallUkrainian community in the country, numbering a few dozen. It includes businesspersons, journalists, diplomats, and Ukrainian spouses married to Pakistanis. Most of them reside in metropolitan cities.[11] There is also a smallRussian community in Pakistan, and has been present since theSoviet era. There are someRomanians, concentrated in Islamabad.[12][13][14]
Northern European expatriates in Pakistan primarily consist ofScandinavian communities. A pattern of return-migration is observed amongDanes ofPakistani origin, of whom some families have settled in Pakistan.[15] Around 100 other Danes were living in Pakistan as of 2006.[16] There were also around 200Swedes in Pakistan, and they are spread throughout the country.[17] The population ofFinns in Pakistan is fewer in number.[18]
ANorwegian diaspora is present in the country, a large number of them beingNorwegians of Pakistani descent.[19] Up to 4,000 Norwegian citizens live in Pakistan.[20] The town ofKharian inGujrat district of Punjab is known as "Little Norway", as the majority of Pakistani-Norwegians hail from this area and many of them have resettled here.[21][22] Others split their time between Norway and Pakistan.[23] They have established family businesses and built large houses in the town, including those who have moved back to Pakistan post-retirement.[21][24] Remittances and investment by Norwegians have boosted the town's economy and real estate.[25] Those who are more accustomed to urban living prefer owning houses in larger cities such as Islamabad and Lahore.[26] Private schools in Kharian supported by the embassy provideNorwegian-language classes to the children of Norwegian citizens, making assimilation easier when the expatriates return to Norway.[20][25] According toStatistics Norway, one-in-three Pakistani-Norwegian youth spend at least a year or more in Pakistan, gaining key exposure to their cultural roots.[26][27] The Norwegian community maintains a keen interest in politics back home and observes the country's national events.[28]
As of 2010, 300Italian nationals were residing in Pakistan.[29][30] Some Italians are notable in the region's history as empire mercenaries, such asPaolo Avitabile andJean-Baptiste Ventura who served in Punjab and the Frontier underRanjit Singh.[31] There is a smallSpaniard population in Pakistan, mainly confined to Islamabad.[32][33]There is also a smallPortuguese community residing in Karachi. The community is known for establishing missionary schools, and for its contribution to the country's pop music scene.[34] The Portuguese presence in South Asia dates back to the start of the 16th century, following the rise of thePortuguese Empire. The empire did not control any regions that are part of modern Pakistan. However, it did possesscolonies in India (most notablyGoa), and made a series of incursions along Pakistan's present southern coastline. In 1568, the Portuguese led by admiralFernão Mendes Pinto attackedDebal (nearThatta) when they encounteredOttoman traders' ships anchored at the port.[35]
In 2005, over 47,000Britons resided in Pakistan. By 2015, their population was 80,000, making them by far the largest Western community.[36][1] They compriseEnglish and smaller numbers ofScottish,Welsh, andNorthern Irish expatriates.[37] The community also includes a large number ofBritish Pakistanis who have resettled in Pakistan. The city ofMirpur inKashmir, where themajority of British Pakistanis originate from, is called "Little Britain" due to its expatriate British population.[38][39][40] Colonial-era buildings, infrastructure, laws, institutions, governance, and culture left by the British exist throughout Pakistan as a legacy of the empire.[41]
Irish people have been present in theSouth Asian subcontinent since the days of theEast India Company.[42] Many of them served as soldiers and government officials for the colonial empire.[43] Around half of the British forces in the subcontinent consisted of Irish manpower.[41] Others became renowned as educators, nurses, and Christian missionaries.[41][44][45] This tradition continues today, as several convent schools in Pakistan are run by Irish nuns – such as theConvents of Jesus and Mary in Karachi, Lahore, andMurree,[46] or the Presentation Convent Schools inPunjab founded by thePresentation Sisters.[45][47] ManyRoman Catholic missionaries fromIreland have been working in Pakistan for decades, and are involved in social work or provision of services to the country's Christian community.[48][49][50][51] Irish expatriates also work as medical volunteers or have occupied key positions representing international organisations such as theUnited Nations.[45][52] Notable Irish-Pakistanis include SisterJohn Berchmans Conway who became a teacher,[53] andJennifer Musa who married into the Qazi family and entered politics – earning the title "Queen ofBalochistan."[54]
Other Western European diasporas include a smallFrench community as well.[citation needed]
European countries have embassies inIslamabad, while some also have deputy missions in Karachi and Lahore. In addition, theEuropean Union is represented in Pakistan through a delegated mission.[55]
As many as 116,308 Afghan nationals are living as immigrants in the country, higher than any other country," Nisar told the House. Besides Afghans, 52,486 Americans, 79,447 British citizens and 17,320 Canadians are residing in the country, the interior minister added.
In 1861, for instance, a census in British India registered a count of 70,962 European soldiers – including their families – and 40,379 civilians.
Our experts and students from HLT Retz prepared Austrian food specialties, considering cultural sensibilities. In total 300 guests – local guests, Austrians in Pakistan and members of the diplomatic corps - accepted the invitation to the Austrian Residence.
I have also met some Pakistani-Norwegians in Islamabad after the tragedy, and many have wanted to talk with other Norwegians... That is a reminder to us Norwegians living in Pakistan, that we must also show empathy when tragedies happen in the beautiful land of Pakistan.
On Thursday, Ambassador of Norway to Pakistan Cecilie Landsverk made that pilgrimage and seemed very excited to meet the Norwegian-Pakistanis that live here. As she entered the little village of Ogarian in Kharian, she was greeted by Aslam Ahsan, a Norwegian-Pakistani, and his family at his residence. To greet the ambassador in a traditional manner, her car was escorted by a dancing horse. As soon as she stepped out, one was treated to another unusual sight. A man looking like a typical Pakistani farmer in his shalwar kameez and shawl around his shoulder greeted and conversed with the ambassador in Norwegian, with the rest of the family doing the same. "They look Pakistani but they are Norwegians," said Landsverk.
The representatives of diplomatic community, serving and former government representatives, members of the Spanish community in Islamabad, prominent health care professionals as well as students attended the seminar from the Spanish department of NUML.
We will explore the potential for engaging with the Scottish Diaspora in Pakistan and other networks to raise the profile of Scotland in Pakistan.
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