They are a small population consisting mainly of expatriates and transient migrants, most of whom arrived following the start of the Gulf War in Iraq in 1990.
As many as 4,000-5,000 Kurds, originating from Iraqi Kurdistan, migrated to Pakistan in the early 1990s when the Gulf War broke out in Iraq.
[1] The majority of them were secondary migrants and asylum seekers, and were registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) operating in Pakistan.
[3] Over the years, these transient migrants have been able to obtain immigration and have resettled in other countries in Europe and North America, with the help of the UNHCR.
Due to their legal status, many tend to face social challenges relating to economic constraints, finding employment, healthcare, resettlement and other services.