Pakistan–Spain relations

After the Partition of India in 1947, the Spanish city of Ceuta received a substantial influx of Sindhi Hindus from current-day Pakistan.{{Cite book|url=https://www.pluralismoyconvivencia.es/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Minor%C3%ADas-religiosas-en-Ceuta-y-en-Melilla.pdf|title=Encuentros. Diversidad religiosa en Ceuta y Melilla|first1=Rafael|last1=Briones|first2=Sol|last2=Tarrés|first3=Óscar|last3=Salguero|publisher=Editorial Pluralismo y Convivencia|isbn=978-84-9888-523-1|page=84|year=2013}}

Even though diplomatic relations between both countries were established relatively early after the birth of the state of Pakistan, they lacked in real substance for quite a while.{{Sfn|Fuentes|2012|p=133}} According to documentation from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they date from 17 September 1951.{{Sfn|Ospina|2012|p=153}}

File:Rueda de prensa de Felipe González y la primera ministra de Paquistán. Pool Moncloa. 14 de septiembre de 1994.jpeg and Felipe González during a press conference in 1994 in Madrid]]

Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto made an official visit to Spain in 1994.{{Sfn|Fuentes|2012|p=135}} During her mandate as prime minister, a Bilateral Agreement for the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments and a Memorandum of Understanding on Financial Cooperation were signed in 1995.{{Sfn|Fuentes|2012|p=135}}

Spain, particularly Catalonia, received a substantial influx of immigrants from Pakistan in the early 2000s.{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://www.cidob.org/content/download/32423/522850/file/431-440_ANEXO_RELACIONES+EXTERIORES+DE+PAKISTAN.pdf|publisher=CIDOB|chapter=Relaciones exteriores de Pakistán|title=Perfil de país: Pakistán|page=435}}

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf made an official visit to Spain in April 2007, visiting Madrid and Córdoba and meeting Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and king Juan Carlos I.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elcorreogallego.es/hemeroteca/presidente-pakistan-abandona-espana-visita-oficial-tres-dias-GDCG160413|website=El Correo Gallego|title=El presidente de Pakistán abandona España tras una visita oficial de tres días|date=28 April 2007}} Prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani made an official visit in June 2010, signing an agreement to remove double taxation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-espana-pakistan-firman-acuerdo-evitar-doble-imposicion-fiscal-permitira-intensificar-relaciones-eco-20100602154033.html|date=2 June 2010|title=España y Pakistán firman un acuerdo para evitar la doble imposición fiscal que permitirá intensificar las relaciones económicas|website=Europa Press}}

As of 2017, the volume of trade between Pakistan and Spain stood at $1.1 billion, of which approximately $700 million was in Pakistan's favour.{{cite web|url=https://www.tdap.gov.pk/word/Country-Report-Spain.pdf|title=Bilateral Trade Analysis of Spain and Pakistan|work=Trade Development Authority of Pakistan|first=Arbab Murad|last=Kasi|access-date=18 April 2020}}

{{As of|2021}} the ambassador of Pakistan to Spain was Rafat Mahdi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

In September 2021, José Manuel Albares made an official visit to Pakistan, the first one by a Spanish foreign minister, seeking to meet prime minister Imran Khan, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and the Pakistani Army's Chief of Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/rest-of-asia/video-spanish-fm-in-pakistan-to-evacuate-afghans-who-helped-spain|website=Khaleej Times|title=Video: Spanish FM in Pakistan to evacuate Afghans who helped Spain|date=10 September 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-albares-viaja-pakistan-abrir-nuevas-vias-evacuacion-colaboradores-afganos-20210910083753.html|website=Europa Press|title=Albares viaja a Pakistán para abrir nuevas vías de evacuación para los colaboradores afganos|date=10 September 2021}} He intended to somehow secure safe ways out of Afghanistan for the remaining Afghan collaborators with Spain in the wake of the Taliban takeover of the country.

• Pakistan has an embassy in Madrid and a consulate-general in Barcelona.
• Spain has an embassy in Islamabad.

File:Embajada de Pakistán, Madrid.jpg|Embassy of Pakistan in Madrid

File:Consolat de Pakistan - Av de Sarrià - BCN 02.jpg|Consulate-General of Pakistan in Barcelona

;Citations

{{reflist}}

;Bibliography

• {{Cite journal|url=https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/UNIS/article/view/40664/38986|title=España y Pakistán, dos grandes desconocidos|first=Amaya|last=Fuentes|doi=10.5209/rev_UNIS.2012.n29.40664|issue=29|year=2012|journal=UNISCI Discussion Papers|location=Madrid|publisher=Ediciones Complutense|issn=1696-2206|pages=133–145|doi-access=free}}
• {{Cite journal|url=https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/UNIS/article/view/40665/38987|title=Pakistaníes en Madrid: una inmigración inadvertida|first=Gloria Inés|last=Ospina|doi=10.5209/rev_UNIS.2012.n29.40665|issue=29|year=2012|journal=UNISCI Discussion Papers|location=Madrid|publisher=Ediciones Complutense|issn=1696-2206|pages=147–178|doi-access=free}}

{{Foreign relations of Pakistan}}

{{Foreign relations of Spain}}

{{Portal bar|Politics|Pakistan|Spain}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pakistan-Spain relations}}

Spain

Category:Bilateral relations of Spain