Sweden on Wednesday announced that it is closing its embassy in Pakistan “indefinitely” citing security situation in Islamabad. It also said that the embassy cannot answer any query regarding its re-opening.
“Due to the current security situation in Islamabad, the Embassy of Sweden is closed for visitors,” a statement from the Swedish embassy said.
“The Migration Section is not, at the moment, able to handle requests of any kind. Also we cannot send any documents to our consulates, Gerry´s, Sweden or your home address. We understand that this will cause inconvenience however, the safety of our applicants and staff members are of highest priority,” the statement added.
Please visit our website for updates on Embassy operations and services.🌐https://t.co/yYpCPVmS73 pic.twitter.com/ppgGHTZeND
— Sweden in Pakistan (@SwedeninPK) April 11, 2023
Reports said that Pakistani students looking forward to taking admission to Swedish educational institutions will be affected the most as the new academic session starts in August and the visa processing takes 4-6 months.
The Pakistani embassy in Sweden said they hoped that the students applying for Swedish universities can apply for visas soon.
Many Pakistani students are applying for Swedish universities this year asked us about the status We hope they can apply for visa soon Education is an important aspect of our longstanding relationship and students bridge the two countries @SwedeninPK https://t.co/6JuHbPgRyy— Pakistan Embassy Sweden (@PakinSweden) April 11, 2023
“Many Pakistani students are applying for Swedish universities this year asked us about the status. We hope they can apply for visa soon. Education is an important aspect of our longstanding relationship and students bridge the two countries,” the Pakistani Embassy said in a tweet.
A report in Firstpost said that the students have written a letter to Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed in this regard.
Pakistan is engulfed in an economic crisis with the economy seeing a free fall for the last many years resulting in record rates of inflation and devalued currency.
The country is struggling to avoid a default as it recovers from destruction caused by last summer’s floods, which killed 1,739 people and caused $30 billion in damages.
The IMF has slashed the growth outlook for cash-strapped Pakistan, forecasting the country’s fragile economy will grow just 0.5 percent this year, down from 6 percent in 2022, Associated Press reported.
(With Inputs from Shailendra Wangu)
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