The Consulate General of France in Karachi is set to close permanently after 50 years of diplomatic and consular service, outgoing French Ambassador to Pakistan Nicolas Galey announced at a farewell event on Tuesday.
The gathering, organized by the Board of Management of the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum in collaboration with the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations, also marked the departure of French Consul General Alexis Chahtahtinsky.
Galey, who has spent nearly five years in Pakistan, said the Karachi consulate, established in 1976, would close while France would continue its engagement through the Alliance Française and the Pakistan-France Business Alliance.
Chahtahtinsky is scheduled to leave Pakistan on September 1 after four years in Karachi. Recalling his first visit to Pakistan in 1983, he said the country and Karachi held a special place in his heart.
He described Karachi as Pakistan’s economic hub and gateway, highlighting its importance for business and social life.
Speakers also praised Pakistan’s diplomatic role and France’s longstanding defence cooperation with the country.
Vice Chairman of the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations Ikram Sehgal expressed disappointment over the closure, arguing that growing economic and geopolitical opportunities made Karachi an important location for French engagement.
