Pakistanis in Russia

Pakistanis in Russia are a fairly small community; in 2004, there were up to 2,000 expatriates, with almost all belonging to the Pashtun ethnic group. Pakistani presence in Russia dates back to the 17th century, when Astrakhan, a trading-port in the delta of the Volga River by the Caspian Sea, was incorporated into Moscow state. By then, The then traders from undivided India had reached as far as Isfahan in Persia, Kizlyar in the North Caucasus and Astrakhan in Russia. The first People were from Sindh and Multan arrived in Russian Astrakhan in 1615. In 1624, a special trading post for Indian merchants was erected in Astrakhan along with separate posts for Armenian and Persian merchants. Many of them were dealers in Astrakhan textiles, jewelry and medicines. There are records of Indian men marrying Tartars women. A significant number of individuals are international students undergoing medicine in various universities and colleges. Most Pakistanis are concentrated around large cities, including the capital Moscow. The community has established a Pakistani mosque in St. Petersburg Polytechnic. There is also a Pakistan Study Centre which operates in the Russian State Library, founded by the embassy and local community. Moreover, University of Punjab has signed an agreement with Moscow State University in 2010.