In a significant development for Pakistan-Sweden relations, the Swedish government has officially resumed visa services in Islamabad, enabling Pakistani nationals to apply for Schengen visas for short-term visits to Sweden. The decision, effective July 7, was confirmed by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.
According to the Foreign Office (FO), the resumption of visa services will allow Pakistani citizens to apply for visits of up to 90 days to Sweden from within Pakistan.
“Pakistan welcomes this positive development, which reflects the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries,” said the FO spokesperson in a statement.
The announcement follows the 19th round of bilateral political consultations between Pakistan and Sweden, held last week in Stockholm. The Pakistani delegation was led by Ambassador Muhammad Ayub, Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe), while the Swedish side was represented by the Director General for Global Affairs from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden.
During the high-level consultations, both sides reviewed the full range of bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in various areas. Key focus areas included green transition, digitalisation, sustainable technologies, and information and communication technology (ICT).
Additionally, the two countries exchanged views on regional and global issues, underlining a mutual desire to expand and diversify their relationship in light of shared interests and global challenges.
The resumption of visa services is seen as a practical step toward enhancing people-to-people contact, economic engagement, and diplomatic cooperation between Pakistan and Sweden.
