Somalis in Pakistan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Somalis in Pakistan
Total population
2,500[1]
Regions with significant populations
Islamabad · Karachi · Lahore
Languages
Somali · Arabic
Religion
Islam

Somalis in Pakistan are residents of Pakistan who are of Somali ancestry. They are a small community of mainly students as well as some secondary migrants, most of whom arrived after the start of the civil war in Somalia in the early 1990s.

Demographics

The Somali community in Pakistan is very small, comprising around 2,500 immigrants as of late 2012.[1] It comprised 4,000[1] to 8,000 migrants only a few months earlier,[2] but steadily shrunk in size as Somali immigrants effected a secondary migration to other countries.[1]

Besides the majority Somali students, 535 refugees and 37 asylum-seekers were at the time legally registered with the UNHCR in Islamabad. Almost half of the latter arrived during the height of Somalia's Islamist insurgency between 2006 and 2009. 10 percent were young children and teenagers, and two percent were born in Pakistan.[3]

Most Somalis in Pakistan are concentrated in urban centers like Islamabad and Karachi.[1]

Community

The Somali community in Pakistan mainly consists of students,[4] as well as some secondary migrants who arrived after the civil war in Somalia broke out in the early 1990s.[2] They are generally a young, educated community, supported by their parents who are based in the Middle East.[2] Others receive remittances directly from relatives in Somalia.[5]

The secondary migrants moved to Pakistan with the ultimate aim of emigrating to North America, Europe and Australia. As of mid-2012, most of the former were legally registered with the UNHCR in Islamabad.[1] The agency offered skills-training programs in English, primary education courses, as well as provisions to cover basic amenities and living expenses. Members of the community sought to improve the quality and consistency of these services by raising their concerns with the relevant authorities.[3] Additionally, the UNHCR issued Proof of Registration (POR) Cards to the secondary migrants in conjunction with NADRA.[1] Others wielded a National Aliens Registration Authority (NARA) Card.[4] The expiration of the POR Cards in December 2012 saw a more expedited movement of the transient migrants from Pakistan to other countries.[1]

Somali pupils in Pakistan mostly study engineering, medicine and pharmacy. They typically return to Somalia after having completed their studies due to a lack of employment opportunities for migrants in Pakistan,[1] as well as a desire to contribute to the post-conflict reconstruction process in their home country.[6] Others have moved on to other nations, drawn by the possibility of better work options.[1]

Somali students pursue higher studies in Pakistan due to entry restrictions and the higher cost of education in the Western world.[7] They often do so through the auspices of the local Somalia embassy. The embassy provides scholarship opportunities to the pupils, particularly those in the field of engineering. Students studying medicine pay tuition costs ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 for a five year term.[4]

Other Somali students arrive via academic scholarships offered by the Pakistani government. These scholarships are limited in number and were issued at the behest of Somalia's Ministry of Education, following the 14th annual Meeting of the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific & Technology Cooperation (COMSTECH) in 2010.[8]

A third tier of Somali pupils arrived through individuals and private offices, like many other foreigners. These parties specialize in visa requirements, processing them for a small fee.[4]

Additionally, other Somali students and foreigners in general travel to Pakistan through Tabligh mullahs. They mainly migrate for da'wah and religious reasons. Most such students attend local Islamic universities with free tuition or low instruction fees.[4]

Organizations

Somalis in Pakistan are diplomatically represented by the Somalia embassy in Islamabad.[9]

Various Somali-run organizations also serve the community. Among these are the Somali Students Union[10] and the Somali Forum.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Fakhr, Alhan (15 July 2012). "Insecure once again". Daily Jang. Retrieved 10 November 2013. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Raxanreeb (24 August 2012). "Al Qaeda in Somalia recruits Somali students in Pakistan". The Friday Times. Retrieved 10 November 2013. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mussadaq, Maha (27 May 2012). "Strangers in a strange land". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 November 2013. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Osman, Abdulkadir Mohamed. "The Level and Density of Somali Students in Pakistan". Hiiraan Online. Retrieved 10 November 2013. 
  5. ↑ Lindley, Anna (2011). The Early Morning Phonecall: Somali Refugees' Remittances. Berghahn Books. p. 67. ISBN 9781845458324. 
  6. ↑ "Graduation ceremony for Somali students held in Pakistan for 20 engineers from the engineering faculties". Somalinewsnow. 23 September 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2013. 
  7. ↑ Palme, Joakim; Tamas, Kristof (2006). Globalizing Migration Regimes: New Challenges to Transnational Cooperation. Ashgate Publishing. p. 87. ISBN 9781409490890. 
  8. ↑ Mohamed, Shafie Sharif (2012). "Evaluating Quality Performance of Somali Universities". Kuwait Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review 1 (12). Retrieved 10 November 2013. 
  9. ↑ "Somalia Embassy in Pakistan". Visahq. Retrieved 10 November 2013. 
  10. ↑ "COMSTECH 14th Meeting". Ministry of Education, Culture & Higher Education. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 11 November 2013. 
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