GUJRAT: To commemorate the 55 years of Pakistani diaspora in Norway, a busy square in Kharian town has been named as `Oslo Chowk’.

Norwegian ambassador to Pakistan Per Albert Ilsaas inaugurated on Saturday the Oslo Chowk which is located close to the bus stop where many Pakistani migrant workers embarked on their journey towards Europe in 1970.

Aneela Khan, the political secretary of Norwegian Embassy and prominent figures from Pakistani community in Norway who belong to the area, were also present at the occasion.

Earlier, a seminar to mark 55 years of Pakistanis migration to Norway was held at the Hafiz Hayat Campus of University of Gujrat. UoG Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Zahoorul Haq presided the event and Norwegian envoy was the chief guest.

Former member of Oslo parliament Khalid Mehmood, Mir Fazal Hussain, Raja Tahir Sher and others were also among the guests.

Speaking to the participants, the ambassador said that the bilateral relationship between the Kingdom of Norway and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan goes back to the foundation of Pakistan in 1947.

Norway established its first embassy in Islamabad in 1976, preceded by an honorary consulate in Karachi. Today, Norway also maintains an honorary consulate in Lahore. In 2023, the two countries marked 75 years of diplomatic relations with Pakistan.

Pakistanis were the first non-Western immigrant group making way to Norway in the 1970s.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2025

Must Read

Ukraine, Nato and the future of Europe

Ukraine, Nato and the future of Europe

The spectacle of the verbal spat between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelensky in the Oval Office was stark evidence of a tectonic shift in longstanding US foreign policy on Ukraine, Russia, Europe and Nato.

Opinion

Editorial

After the review
Updated 16 Mar, 2025

After the review

Should prepare economy for durable growth by attracting foreign private investments to boost productivity and exports.
Embracing crypto
16 Mar, 2025

Embracing crypto

IT seems a little prod was all it took for Pakistan to finally ‘embrace the future’. The Pakistan Crypto Council...
Fault lines
16 Mar, 2025

Fault lines

IT was a distressing spectacle, though a sadly predictable one. As the National Assembly took up for discussion the...
Revised solar policy
Updated 15 Mar, 2025

Revised solar policy

Criticism policy revisions misplaced as these will increase payback periods for consumers with oversized solar systems.
Toxic prejudice
15 Mar, 2025

Toxic prejudice

WITH far-right movements on the march across the world, it is no surprise that anti-Muslim bias is witnessing high...
Children in jails
15 Mar, 2025

Children in jails

PAKISTAN’S children in prison have often been treated like adult criminals. The Sindh government’s programme to...