There is a population of Pakistanis in France, primarily of Punjabi origin from

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

and

Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir (; ), abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir, is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entitySee: * * * and constituting the western portion of the larger Ka ...

. Large-scale Pakistani migration to France began in the 1970s; they clustered around the

Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis The Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis is a street in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. It crosses the arrondissement from north to south, linking the Porte Saint-Denis to La Chapelle Métro station and passing the Gare du Nord. History The Rue du Fa ...

in the

10th arrondissement of Paris The 10th arrondissement of Paris (''Xe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''dixième'' ("10th arrondissement of Paris" = "dixième arrondisseme ...

, where many set up grocery stores and restaurants. According to the latest figures published by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, there were an estimated 104,000 Pakistanis living in France as of the year 2017. According to the latest official statistics published by the French government, there were 24,305 Pakistani-born people living in the country in the year 2015, also there were 19,646 Pakistani nationals living in France in 2015.

Air France Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global air ...

previously served

Karachi airport Jinnah International Airport ( ur, جناح بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا) , formerly Drigh Road Airport or Karachi Civil Airport, is Pakistan's busiest international and domestic airport, and handled 7,267,582 passengers in 2017� ...

until the mid 1990's and there is now demand for a return, especially given the comparable cities in North Africa more continuously served by this premium carrier. Most Pakistanis in France are concentrated in the major cities such as Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, and Toulouse. They have settled in France for various reasons, including education, work opportunities, family reunification, and political asylum. Education is a significant reason for Pakistani immigration to France. Many Pakistani students come to France to pursue higher education in fields like engineering, computer science, medicine, and business. They often enroll in prestigious French universities and institutions like the École Polytechnique, Sciences Po, and HEC Paris. File:New Balal Paris.jpg, Pakistani Restaurant in Paris File:Pakistani Restaurant.jpg, Pakistani Restaurant in Paris File:Restaurant Panjab Chateau Thierry.jpg, Panjab Restaurant in Chateau Thierry File:Panjabi Cook in France.jpg, A Punjabi ''

Chef de cuisine A chef de cuisine (, French for ''head of kitchen'') or head chef is a chef that leads and manages the kitchen and chefs of a restaurant or hotel. A chef patron (feminine form ''chef patronne'') (French for ''boss chef'') or executive chef is ...

'' in Paris

Notable people

Mehmood Bhatti Mehmood Bhatti is a Pakistani-French fashion designer. Biography Mehmood was born in Lahore, Pakistan, and graduated from Government College University. Bhatti immigrated to France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), ...

, fashion designer and entrepreneur, settled in Paris in 1977 *

Namira Salim Namira Salim (Urdu: نمیرا سلیم) born in Karachi, is a Pakistani polar adventurer, future astronaut and artist based in Monaco and Dubai. On the recommendation of the Pakistani government, she was in 2011 appointed as an honorary consul ...

, Pakistani-born astronaut now based in Paris and Dubai *

Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan ( ar, صدر الدين آغا خان, , 1933 – 2003) was a statesman and activist who served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1966 to 1977, during which he reoriented the agency's focus beyond ...

, French-born son of

Ismaili Isma'ilism ( ar, الإسماعيلية, al-ʾIsmāʿīlīyah) is a branch or sub-sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor (imām) to Ja'far al-Sa ...

imam

Aga Khan III Sultan Muhammad Shah (2 November 187711 July 1957), commonly known by his religious title Aga Khan III, was the 48th Imam of the Nizariyya. He played an important role in British Indian politics. Born to Aga Khan II in Karachi, Aga Khan III ...

James Caan James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972) – a performance which earned him Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award an ...

British Pakistani British Pakistanis ( ur, (Bratānia men maqīm pākstānī); also known as Pakistani British people or Pakistani Britons) are British people, citizens or residents of the United Kingdom whose ancestral roots lie in Pakistan. This includes ...

entrepreneur who lives in France during part of the year

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading