ISLAMABAD, Apr 11 (NNI): Sweden has closed its embassy in Islamabad for an indefinite period over security risks.
According to Swedish Embassy, it will remain shut for visitors and would not be able to send any documents to its consulates, Gerry centres and on home addresses of its applicants.
The embassy extends its apology over the inconvenience but has stated that it gives priority to provide security to its visa applicants and staff. The embassy refuses to tell when the mission will resume its working in Islamabad.
Diplomatic sources said that Pakistani students who want to get admission in the Swedish educational institutions will be affected most as the new academic session in Swedish universities is starting from August and the visa process approximately takes 4-6 months.
Likewise, the Pakistani diaspora living in Sweden could not apply visit visas for their families back home. The overseas Pakistani community is trying to reach out to the Pakistan Embassy in Sweden and the Foreign Office to apprise them of their difficulties.
On the other hand, the Pakistani students have also written a letter to Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan in this regard.
According to diplomatic sources, the concerned authorities in the Foreign Office have also raised the matter with the Swedish Embassy.
In January 2023, protests were erupted against Sweden all across the Muslim world especially in Pakistan over the burning of Holy Quran near Turkey’s embassy in Stockholm by a far-right politician and anti-Islam provocateur, Rasmus Paludan, a dual Danish-Swedish national, with a reputation for carrying out similar acts.
The diplomatic sources said that Sweden has closed its embassy in Islamabad over security fears. They also said that apart from Sweden, the visa applicants are facing difficulties in getting their applications processed at missions of other European countries including Germany and Italy.
The visa applicants are being given interview appointments after several months by the embassies of these European countries, sources added. NNI
