Overseas Pakistani

The Pakistani diaspora refers to overseas Pakistanis, who are Pakistani citizens that have migrated to another country, as well as people who are of Pakistani descent. According to the Pakistani Government, there are around 8 million Pakistani people living abroad with a vast majority of them residing in the Middle East. Pakistan ranks 10th in the world for remittances sent home in 2013 at $14.9 billion.

Overseas Pakistani

A map showing the distribution and population of Pakistan diaspora by country.
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  Location of Pakistan

The term Overseas Pakistani is officially recognized by the Government of Pakistan. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis was established in 2008 to exclusively deal with all the matters and affairs of the overseas Pakistanis such as attending to their needs and problems, intending schemes and projects for their welfare and working for resolution of their problems and issues. Overseas Pakistani workers are the second largest source of Foreign Exchange Remittances to Pakistan after exports and over the last several years, the foreign exchange remittances have maintained a steady rising trend, with a recorded increase of 21.8% from $6.4 billion in 2007-08 to $7.8 billion during 2008-09. In 2009-10, Pakistanis sent home $9.4 billion, the 11th largest in the world. By 2012, Pakistan increased its ranking to 10th in the world for remittances sent home at $13 billion per annum. In the first six months of fiscal year 2014 Pakistanis sent home $7.9 billion showing continuously increasing trend and projected to touch around $16 billion at the end of the FY14. The Overseas Pakistani Division (OPD) was created in September 2004 within the Ministry of Labour and Manpower. Since 2004, 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, 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.

OPF Schools

The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation operates more than 24 schools in across Pakistan, offering preschool, primary, secondary and preparation for local SSC and the international GCE education. Most of its students opt to take the GCE O and AS/A Levels organized by the CIE of UCLES. It also has established international projects in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. The head office of the OPF school is located in Islamabad, administering the system through Six main regional offices:

• Regional Office Karachi, Sindh (ROK)- Karachi Metropolitan Area and Sindh
• Regional Office Lahore, Punjab (ROL) - Punjab
• Regional Office Multan, Punjab (ROM) - Some Divisions of Punjab under ROM like Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan
• Regional Office Northern Areas, Mirpur (AJK) - Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
• Regional Office Pehsawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (ROP)- Khyber Pakthunkhwa
• Regional Office Quetta, Balochistan (ROQ)- Balochistan

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:

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

National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP)

Main article: NADRA

The Computerized 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. It cannot be issued to those with dual nationalities, with one being Pakistani, as the NICOP is meant for those individuals.

Little Pakistan

Main article: Little Pakistan

Aziziya - Jeddah، 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

Millions of Pakistanis immigrated to various countries abroad during the 1970s and 1980s. Unlike European immigrants who settled permanently in the new world, many 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.

From The Middle East

Main article: Arabs in Pakistan

Since the independence 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 Urdu, English and their regional language. They are most likely involved in trading, media, telecommunications, banking, and aviation.

From Europe

Main article: Britons in Pakistan

Since the 1990s, a large number of Pakistanis who settled in Europe have been returning to 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 and Denmark are mostly settled around Kharian in the Punjab province, whereas those from northern England (Bradford) can be found in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (mainly Mirpur), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper Punjab (Jhelum, Chakwal, Attock and Rawalpindi).

From America

Main article: Americans in Pakistan

Main article: Canadians in Pakistan

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. Many from North America are found in the major cities of Pakistan, mainly Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Faisalabad 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.

Population by country

Population of Pakistanis abroad, by country.

See also

Diasporas of Pakistani ethnic groups

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

Related diasporas

• Afghan diaspora
• Bangladeshi diaspora
• Indian diaspora

Other

• NADRA
• Demographics of Pakistan
• Pakistani students abroad

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
• The Asian Population Census report 2010
• Pakistan Cultural Association -Australia