Ceremony in Karachi honours outgoing French diplomats

A farewell ceremony was organised on Wednesday in honour of outgoing French Ambassador to Pakistan Nicolas Galle and Consul General in Karachi Alexis Chatahtinsky on the completion of their diplomatic responsibilities.

The ceremony took place after it was announced that the Consulate General of France in Karachi would be permanently closed after decades of operation.

The ceremony was attended by the diplomatic community, business figures, academicians, intellectuals, and prominent figures from different walks of life.

Addressing the ceremony, organised in collaboration with the Board of Management of the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum and the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations (KCFR), KCFR Chairman Ikram Sehgal appreciated the services of the two French diplomats in Pakistan and said that the relations between Pakistan and France were not limited to the government level only but also covered various fields including trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and public relations.

Sehgal noted that the two diplomats had played an important role in enhancing ties with the business and academic community of Pakistan and bringing the people of both countries closer to each other.

He said that although diplomatic responsibilities ended at one stage, the relations and friendships established during this period remained for a long time.

Sehgal expressed the hope that the two French diplomats would continue to play the role of goodwill ambassadors between Pakistan and France in the future.

French Ambassador Galle described his stay in Pakistan as full of pleasant memories and expressed gratitude for the hospitality and love of the Pakistani people, adding that meetings with Pakistani leaders, officials, businessmen, academicians and civil society provided him with an opportunity to understand Pakistan’s culture, people and capabilities closely.

Stressing the need to further strengthen bilateral relations between Pakistan and France, Galle said that cooperation in various fields, including education, trade, investment, health and development cooperation, continued during his tenure and that the relations between the two countries were expected to expand further in the future.

Chatahtinsky also described his stay in the city as memorable and appreciated the love and warmth of the people of Karachi. He said that during his stay in Karachi, he gained many memorable experiences and lasting friendships.

Chatahtinsky also mentioned the links with the Pakistan-France Business Alliance, the business community and cultural institutions and said that through these links, efforts were being made to promote cooperation and mutual relations between the business and cultural circles of the two countries.

At the end of the ceremony, good wishes were expressed to the two diplomats and prayers were offered for their success in their future responsibilities. The ceremony was a reflection of the long-standing friendly relations and the promotion of diplomatic, cultural and public relations between Pakistan and France.

The farewell ceremony was attended by the Japanese Consul General Hattori Masaru, the German deputy head of mission, the Bangladeshi Deputy High Commissioner Saqib Sadaqat and the vice consul of Qatar, in addition to business and social figures of the city.

On July 15, Chahtahtinsky had announced the closure of the French diplomatic mission in Karachi, saying the decision had been taken by the French government solely for budgetary reasons.

Read: France announces closure of Karachi diplomatic mission

“We shall continue deepening our relationship with Pakistan, primarily through our Embassy in Islamabad, while the French presence in Karachi will remain, relying on three pillars: the new Honorary Consul General, who shall perform consular duties and remain in touch with the provincial governments; the Pakistan France Business Alliance (PFBA), which will continue actively promoting business and trade; and Alliance Française, the French Cultural Centre, which will continue to play its full role in promoting the French language and culture in this vibrant city,” Chahtahtinsky said while addressing a ceremony held to mark French National Day, also known as Bastille Day.

He said the decision was part of an effort to make the French presence “thinner and leaner”, not only in Pakistan but across other countries as well.