Sweden closes its embassy in Pakistan for 'security reasons'

New delhi date. 13 April 2023, Thursday

Sweden has closed its embassy in Islamabad indefinitely. An official statement issued by the Swedish embassy said it had taken the decision due to the 'current situation' in Pakistan. Sweden said that the security of its own people is more important to it. In a statement, the embassy said, 'The Migration Department is not able to handle any applications at the moment. Also, we cannot send any documents to our consulate, Gary, Sweden or your home address. We understand that this may inconvenience you. But the safety of our applicants and staff members is the highest priority.'

The embassy further said, 'At this time we are unable to answer any questions regarding the reopening of the embassy. If you have any questions about anything please contact the Immigration Agency. Thank you for your patience.' Reacting to the Swedish embassy's move, the Pakistani embassy in Sweden tweeted, 'Many Pakistani students applying to Swedish universities this year are asking us about the situation. We hope they will be able to apply for visas soon. Education is an important aspect of our long-standing relationship and students act as a bridge between the two countries.'

According to information, Pakistani tourists are unable to call their families in Sweden and the embassy in Islamabad has been closed. Diplomatic sources said it usually takes 4 to 6 months to issue a Swedish visa. According to Pakistani media reports, the Swedish Embassy has also been contacted by the concerned Foreign Office officials on this issue. Foreign Ministry Secretary Asad Majeed Khan has been informed of the situation by visiting Pakistanis and students. Meanwhile, sources at the Swedish embassy said they could not comment on the reopening of the embassy at this time.

Why is Sweden a security threat?

This year some extremists in Sweden burned a copy of the holy book of the Muslim religion, the Koran. Because of this, there was a huge protest against Sweden in many parts of the world. Pakistan also expressed anger after a copy of the Quran was burnt in Sweden. A spokesperson of Pakistan's Ministry of External Affairs said that this incident is very sad and shameful. He said that insulting the Holy Quran has hurt the religious sentiments of one and a half billion Muslims. Hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims does not come under freedom of expression. There were also protests against Sweden in Pakistan. Along with this, the political situation of Pakistan is also not stable now. This is the reason why Sweden has closed its embassy.