Pakistanis in Austria
Encyclopedia
Pakistanis in Austria consist of expatriates and residents from Pakistan
who live in Austria
as well as Austrian people of Pakistani descent. As of 2005, the number of Pakistanis in the country exceeded 4,000.
This is a significant increase from the 1991 figures when there were just over 900 Pakistanis. In terms of demographics, they consisted overwhelmingly of males though recent years have seen growth in arrival of families; a very small number came as asylum seekers and a negligible proportion hold Austrian citizenship.
The community is fairly small and well-integrated; Pakistani immigrants belong to the Islam
ic faith and contribute to the much larger community of Muslims in Austria
. They undertake various festivities and celebrations to mark religious and cultural occasions. Minhaj-ul-Quran
also maintains a local chapter in Austria, registered with the Austrian government, which is run and managed by the Pakistani community. The organisation arranges numerous gatherings at mosques and elsewhere. In addition to this, there is a recognisable community of Pakistani Ahmadis in Austria, officially established since 1992.
There are a sizeable number of students from Pakistan pursuing higher education courses in various Austrian universities and institutions; they have been sponsored and supported by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Pakistani expatriates have kept the tradition of cricket
alive within their community; there are two Pakistani cricket clubs registered with the Austrian Cricket Association
including Pakistan CC and Pakistan Falken CC. Both teams contest in the ACA Open League each year; since 2007, Pakistan CC have been the defending champions in the league. The Austria national cricket team itself also contains a few players of Pakistani origin.
As of 2009, there were up to 21 Pakistanis held in Austrian detention centers on charges of illegal migration. The government of Pakistan has been trying to investigate the cases of the prisoners through its embassy in the country.
There is an Austro-Pakistan Society based in Vienna which was founded in 1976. Its aim is to foster and improve Austrian-Pakistani relations at the political, social, cultural and scientific levels.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
who live in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
as well as Austrian people of Pakistani descent. As of 2005, the number of Pakistanis in the country exceeded 4,000.
This is a significant increase from the 1991 figures when there were just over 900 Pakistanis. In terms of demographics, they consisted overwhelmingly of males though recent years have seen growth in arrival of families; a very small number came as asylum seekers and a negligible proportion hold Austrian citizenship.
The community is fairly small and well-integrated; Pakistani immigrants belong to the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic faith and contribute to the much larger community of Muslims in Austria
Islam in Austria
Islam is a minority religion in Austria with 4.22 % of the population in the 2001 census. In 2010, it is estimated to be around 400,000 to 500,000 Muslims in Austria, or up to about 6% of the total population...
. They undertake various festivities and celebrations to mark religious and cultural occasions. Minhaj-ul-Quran
Minhaj-ul-Quran
Minhaj-ul-Quran International is an international Sufi-based non-governmental organization founded by Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in 1981 in Lahore, Pakistan...
also maintains a local chapter in Austria, registered with the Austrian government, which is run and managed by the Pakistani community. The organisation arranges numerous gatherings at mosques and elsewhere. In addition to this, there is a recognisable community of Pakistani Ahmadis in Austria, officially established since 1992.
There are a sizeable number of students from Pakistan pursuing higher education courses in various Austrian universities and institutions; they have been sponsored and supported by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Pakistani expatriates have kept the tradition of cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
alive within their community; there are two Pakistani cricket clubs registered with the Austrian Cricket Association
Austrian Cricket Association
-About the Austrian Cricket Association:The Austrian Cricket Association is the National Governing Body of Cricket in Austria. It was founded in 1981 by Kerry Tattersall, as the Austrian Cricketers Association, following the re-introduction of cricket to Austria in 1975, with the founding of Vienna...
including Pakistan CC and Pakistan Falken CC. Both teams contest in the ACA Open League each year; since 2007, Pakistan CC have been the defending champions in the league. The Austria national cricket team itself also contains a few players of Pakistani origin.
As of 2009, there were up to 21 Pakistanis held in Austrian detention centers on charges of illegal migration. The government of Pakistan has been trying to investigate the cases of the prisoners through its embassy in the country.
There is an Austro-Pakistan Society based in Vienna which was founded in 1976. Its aim is to foster and improve Austrian-Pakistani relations at the political, social, cultural and scientific levels.
Notable people
- Mahmud A. AsrarMahmud A. AsrarMahmud Anjum Asrar is a Turkish-born comic book artist of Pakistani and Austrian ethnicity, who is known for his work on American and non-American comic books....
- Muhammad AsadMuhammad AsadMuhammad Asad , was an Austrian Polish Jew who converted to Islam, and a 20th century journalist, traveler, writer, social critic, linguist, thinker, reformer, diplomat, political theorist, translator and scholar...
- Viqar un Nisa NoonViqar un Nisa NoonBegum Viqar-un-Nisa, Lady Noon was the wife of the seventh Prime Minister of Pakistan, Feroz Khan Noon. By profession, Viqar Noon was a social worker. She was an Austrian by birth and origin, and was born as Victoria in July 1920. She married Sir Feroz Khan Noon in 1945...
- Rubin OkotieRubin OkotieRubin Rafael Okotie is an Austrian professional footballer currently playing as a Striker for Belgian first division side K. Sint-Truidense V.V., who hires him for 1 year from 1. FC Nuremberg....