Greece–Pakistan relations

Greece–Pakistan relations are foreign relations between Pakistan and Greece. Pakistan's first embassy in Athens was opened in 1975. Greece established an embassy in Islamabad in 1987.

Greece–Pakistan relations
Map indicating locations of Greece and Pakistan

Greece

Pakistan

History edit

Ancient relations edit

For the ancient Greeks, “India" (Greek: Ινδία) referred to the land of the River Indus. The polity situated east of Persia and south of the Himalayas (with the exception of Serica). Although, during different periods of history, "India" referred to a much wider or much less extensive place.[1] The Greeks referred to the ancient Indians as "Indói" (Greek: Ἰνδοί, lit.'people of the Indus River'); the Indians referred to the Greeks as "Yonas (Yavanas)"[2] in reference to the Ionians.[3]

Part of today's Pakistan became part of the Indo-Greek Kingdom, founded by the successors of Alexander the Great.

Modern relations edit

 
Pakistani migrant children pose for a ceremony in Athens, Greece.

Greece supports a successful outcome of the bilateral Indo-Pakistani dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the differences between the two countries, including the dispute over Kashmir.[4]

Diaspora edit

As of 2023, there are around 60,000 Pakistanis settled in Greece.[5][6]

High level visits edit

On 7 February 2022, the Minister of Migration and Asylum, Mr. Notis Mitarachi paid an official visit to Islamabad.[7]

Migrant crisis edit

The issue of unlawful migrants, including criminals posed a serious problem that the Pakistani Federal Intelligence Agency opened offices in Greece to help track down and remove these people from within Greece.[8]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) William Smith, LLD, Ed. - India
  2. ^ The Influence of Greek Classics on Indian Culture in Ancient Era
  3. ^ YAVANAS IN THE ANCIENT INDIAN INSCRIPTIONS
  4. ^ "Greece's Bilateral Relations".
  5. ^ Pakistan's Greek Tragedy
  6. ^ Greece's Pakistani Immigrants Are Hopeful
  7. ^ "Visit of the Minister of Migration and Asylum, Mr. Notis Mitarachi, to Pakistan". ELINEPA.
  8. ^ "Illegal travels: Over half a million Pakistanis sent home in five years". 19 October 2019.

External links edit