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Polish people in Pakistan
Ethnic group From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Polish community in Pakistan consists of Pakistani citizens of Polish ancestry, as well as Polish nationals who migrated to and settled in the country.[1][2]
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History
During the Second World War, between August 1942 and December 1944, approximately 28,000 Polish refugees arrived in Karachi, then part of the British Raj.[3] Many of them were later resettled in other countries, but a number died during their stay. About 58 Polish graves remain in the Christian Gora Qabaristan cemetery in Karachi.[4] In 2012, the Polish government erected a memorial at the cemetery, inscribed with the names of the 58 individuals who died in Karachi during the 1940s.[5]
Most of the current migrants came to the country after its independence in 1947. The Pakistan Air Force employed some 30 Polish pilots to help develop it in the initial years with three year contracts.[6]
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Notable people
- Władysław Turowicz — A Polish pilot who settled in Pakistan after the Second World War. He joined the Pakistan Air Force, rising to the rank of Air Commodore, and later became a leading figure at the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).[7][8]
- Anna Molka Ahmed — Born to a Polish-Jewish family in London, she migrated to Lahore after marriage. She became a pioneering artist and founded the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Punjab.[9]
- Ilona Yusuf — A contemporary Pakistani poet of Polish descent, known for her English-language poetry collections and for contributing to Pakistani literary journals.[10]
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See also
References
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