France’s Karachi exit: Consulate to close after five decades in Pakistan

The announcement was made by outgoing French Ambassador to Pakistan Nicolas Galey at a farewell event organised by the Board of Management of the Quaid-i-Azam House Museum in collaboration with the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations on Tuesday.

“My leaving is also coinciding with the departure of our Consul General in Karachi, Alexis Chahtahtinsky. Someone will replace me in Islamabad, but here in Karachi, the French Consulate, which opened in 1976, is closing down after 50 years of service,” he was quoted as saying by Dawn.

Galey said he had visited Karachi several times and witnessed the city’s vitality and transformation over the years.

“I have visited Karachi many times and have seen the vitality of this city. I have seen it changing and improving,” he said, while praising Consul General Alexis Chahtahtinsky for his work in Karachi.

“Even though the consulate is closing, there is still the Alliance Française, which will now serve as our flagship. There will also be the Pakistan-France Business Alliance here doing its work,” the ambassador said.

The envoy also said he was saddened to leave Pakistan after spending five years in the country.