Today, H E Ambassador Aftab Ahmad Khokher hosted a virtual “E-Kachehri” community meeting as a monthly initiative to engage with the Pakistani community residing in Austria and Slovakia. The purpose of the meeting was to listen and understand concerns of the community and to showcase the Embassy’s commitment to outreach and engagement with them.
The Ambassador opened the session by extending his wishes for the new year and expressing his heartfelt condolences for shuhada in the recent terrorist incident in Peshawar. He offered his sympathies to the families of the victims and wished a quick recovery to those injured.
The Ambassador also provided updates on the upcoming implementation of the Apostille convention, which will become effective on March 9th, 2023. He acknowledged that while efforts were being made to establish a new procedure, some countries had raised objections. The Ambassador assured the community that work was underway to address those objections and that the Embassy would make all efforts to extend full support and assistance to the community.
Community members also expressed their solidarity with the victims of the terrorist incident. They also asked questions on various consular matters, including legalization and Austrian nationality. The Ambassador provided guidance and issued necessary instructions to help resolve these issues.
The “E-Kachehri” is a monthly session organized by the mission to give the Pakistani community in Austria and Slovakia a platform to voice their concerns and receive prompt assistance. The mission also discusses the progress made on community-wide issues at each session.