In France, a country of around 65 million people, 100,000 people of Pakistan origin are living and of that number too, 50,000 live in Paris alone.
Although majority of these Pakistani-descent citizens of France are doing business or driving cabs yet a good number is also serving at important positions contributing to France economy, development and its overall uplift.
Whereas these Pakistanis have adopted French values and ways of living and often describe themselves as French citizens they have also introduced in France Pakistani cuisine, culture art and sports.
In a meeting with Pakistani media persons who are currently on a visit to France, representatives of Friendship Groups in the French National Assembly and Senate told in those cities and towns where Pakistani community is in large number cricket and volleyball are being played and their tournaments are held on regular basis.
President of France-Pakistan Friendship Group in National Assembly of France Jean Bernard Sempastous, the Vice President Francois Pupponi told Pakistani community was doing great work and their contribution was highly valued.
Francois Pupponi who earlier worked as President of the group and has quite a large Pakistanis in his constituency Sarcelles said though the elderly people who came in 1970s and 80s were not completely mingled yet their children who either born in France are raised and educated here were perfectly integrated in the society.
French schools he said were the places where children of all ethnic groups and identities learned values of French secularism, respect for all religions and no racism nor racist behaviour.
In my constituency Sarcelles where i have served as Mayor too I can surely tell cricket and volleyball are among popular sports thanks to French population of Pakistani descent, said Mr Pupponi.
To a question he said number of the Indian-descent population is much lower as compared with the Pakistanis.
To a question he said sometimes he faced awkward situation owing to cultural differences. Once I received an application by Pakistani origin French citizens who wanted to allocate specific piece of land in the graveyard as they didn’t want to be buried with non-Muslims.
President of France-Pakistan Friendship Group in NA Jean Bernard Sempastous also spoke high of Pakistani community living and working in France.
I have a number of mountaineers in my constituency who know about K2 and are keen to scale peaks of various mountains including K2 in Pakistan, he said. However they cannot visit the country due to precarious security situation and lack of adequate facilities.
Mr Sempastous also shared his concerns about deteriorating state of human rights in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and said President Macron has raised the issue with PM Modi on a number of occasions.
To a question he emphasised exchange of visits between France and Pakistan so that French people could know more and more about this wonderful country.
He hoped in President Macron tenure, a high level ministerial visit would take place to Pakistan in next two and a half years.
President of France -Pakistan Friendship Group in Senate Pascal Allizard also held meeting with Pakistani journalists and elaborated on a number of France Pakistan relations.
He said since he took over as President of the group in Senate he visited Pakistan four times and found the country quiye amazing and with huge potential of tourism and trade. He said Pakistan was 6th biggest dairy producer in the world but its dairy export was not up to the mark. He also regretted since 2008 there was no major political visit between the two countries and urged the country to improve its international image in order to attract global attention towards its huge market.
A large-scale Pakistani migration to France began in the 1970s; they clustered around the Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, where many set up grocery stores and restaurants.
