Sweden shuts down embassy in Pakistan for 'indefinite' period; Here's why-

Islamabad, April 12: 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.

 

 

Reports suggest 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.

 

 

Responding to this, the Pakistani Embassy tweeted, "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."