Thousands of European settlers arrived in the Indian subcontinent as administrators, soldiers, officials, civilians, missionaries, and traders.

They arrived as part of the Jewish exodus to British India following the outbreak of World War II in Europe.

However, by the late 1960s, most of these Jews, along with the local Jewish population, experienced an exodus following the independence of Pakistan and consequently left the country for neighbouring India or Israel and the Western world.

[23] They have established family businesses and built large houses in the town, including those who have moved back to Pakistan post-retirement.

[26] Private schools in Kharian supported by the embassy provide Norwegian-language classes to the children of Norwegian citizens, making assimilation easier when the expatriates return to Norway.

[20][25] According to Statistics Norway, one-in-three Pakistani-Norwegian youth spend at least a year or more in Pakistan, gaining key exposure to their cultural roots.

[26][27] The Norwegian community maintains a keen interest in politics back home and observes the country's national events.

[29][30] Some Italians are notable in the region's history as empire mercenaries, such as Paolo Avitabile and Jean-Baptiste Ventura who served in Punjab and the Frontier under Ranjit Singh.

However, it did possess colonies in India (most notably Goa), and made a series of incursions along Pakistan's present southern coastline.

In 1568, the Portuguese led by admiral Fernão Mendes Pinto attacked Debal (near Thatta) when they encountered Ottoman traders' ships anchored at the port.

[38][39][40] Colonial-era buildings, infrastructure, laws, institutions, governance, and culture left by the British exist throughout Pakistan as a legacy of the empire.

[48][49][50][51] Irish expatriates also work as medical volunteers or have occupied key positions representing international organisations such as the United Nations.

[45][52] Notable Irish-Pakistanis include Sister John Berchmans Conway who became a teacher,[53] and Jennifer Musa who married into the Qazi family and entered politics – earning the title "Queen of Balochistan.