Pakistanis in Germany

Pakistani-Germans refers to the ethnic community in Germany of Pakistani heritage or descent.

Pakistanis in Germany
Total population
124.000 (2019 official estimate)<https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Bevoelkerung/Migration-Integration/Tabellen/migrationshintergrund-staatsangehoerigkeit-staaten.html;jsessionid=97B9597B1B67076CD03512BF51CB858F.internet8721>
Regions with significant populations
Frankfurt am Main, Berlin and Hamburg
Languages
German, Pashto Language, Urdu, Saraiki, Sindhi, Punjabi, English, Balochi
Religion
Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Others
Related ethnic groups
Overseas Pakistani
The figure given above of Pakistanis in Germany includes only people holding a Pakistani passport. German citizens of Pakistani origin or descent are not included.

History

Roughly every fifth Pakistani in Germany (21%) has been living in Germany for over 15 years. Just over 25% or around every fourth Pakistani living in Germany today came to Germany less than four years ago. Many young Pakistanis have come to Germany recently as students of science and technology in prestigious universities. German Government has established German Academic Exchange Service in Islamabad.[1] These highly educated Pakistanis are serving in various sectors of the German economy.[2]

According to Statistisches Bundesamt Deutschland 1,116 Pakistanis were naturalized as German citizens in the year 2006. Almost a third of all Pakistanis in Germany live in Hesse. There are approximately 1900 Pakistanis living in the northern city-state of Hamburg, about 1500 in Frankfurt am Main and almost 1400 in Berlin and its suburbs.[3] In 2009, the German government estimated the number of people of Pakistani descent residing in Germany at 76,173.[4]

The tradition of Pakistanis coming to Germany for higher education was pioneered by the famous poet and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal. In 1907 Iqbal traveled to Germany to pursue a doctorate from the Faculty of Philosophy of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich. Working under the supervision of Friedrich Hommel, Iqbal published a thesis entitled The Development of Metaphysics in Persia.[5]

International students

Pakistanis have been attracted to Germany because of its low university tuition fees. This is a significant incentive, as some Pakistani students from middle income groups who find it expensive to study in places like the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. The Government of Pakistan through its Higher Education Commission has also sent hundreds of Pakistani researchers and scientists for training in German universities.[6] Most major German universities have Pakistani student societies.[7][8][9] Hundreds of institutes in Pakistan teach students German as their primary foreign language as part of an effort by Germany's top technical colleges to attract more Pakistani students.

A recent study by Germany's Federal Employment Agency concluded that Pakistanis have been the most successful at finding work in the EU country over the past couple of years.[10]

Religion

Most Pakistanis in Germany are Muslim, including majority Sunnis, Shias and other sects. There are also many Pakistani Hindus, Parsis, Ahmadis, Sikhs, as well as a strong Christian community.

Street named in Muhammad Iqbal' s honour in Heidelberg, Germany.

Notable people

See also

References
  1. e.V., DAAD Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (4 November 2011). "DAAD-Information Centre Pakistan - Welcome to the Website of DAAD in Islamabad!". ic.daad.de.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2005-03-07. Retrieved 2008-01-13.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Startseite - Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis)". www.destatis.de.
  4. Bundesamt für Flüchtlinge und Migration, Dr. habil. Sonja Haug Stephanie Müssig, M.A. Dr. Anja Stichs (Hrsg): Muslimisches Leben in Deutschland, 2009: page 76, chart 5
  5. "Iqbal's "Development of Metaphysics in Persia" PhD thesis" (PDF).
  6. "daad-magazin.de". www.daad-magazin.de.
  7. "PSA RWTH Aachen". www.psa.rwth-aachen.de.
  8. Faisal, Sardar. "Home". Pakistan Students Association - University of Duisburg-Essen پاکستان اِسٹوڈنٹس ایسوسی ایشن - یونیورسٹی ڈوئسبرگ ۔ ایسن.
  9. http://www.tu-harburg.de/psa/constitution.htm
  10. Shamshir Haider, Deutsche Welle (5 June 2018). "Why are Pakistanis so successful at finding jobs in Germany?". DW.COM.
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