Germany–Pakistan relations
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Germany–Pakistan relations are the bilateral relations between the
Federal Republic of Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between ...
and the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
. The two states established diplomatic relations in the 1950s, with a focus on social, educational and economic development. Despite strong co-operation and historical ties, the two nations have experienced growing tensions, primarily due to disagreements and differing policies regarding the
War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC) * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709) *Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see al ...
, including as the post-2014 drawdown and 2021 withdrawal of United States-led coalition troops. Germany remains one of Pakistan's largest trading partners. There are approximately 124,000 Pakistanis living in Germany according to official estimates in 2019.


Country Comparison

Military Rank of Pakistan is 7th (2023) and Military Rank of Germany is 16th (2022).


History


Relations during cold war:1950s–1990s

The bilateral relationships were succeeded by historical relations in the 1940s, during the British Raj, and finally restored in the 1950s after the establishment of both the countries in the late 1940s. Both,
West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
and
East East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
Germany had tilted toward forming alliance with
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
in the 1950s. Although Pakistan's relations with
West-Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...
was relatively healthy and based on mutual cooperation; the relations with
East-Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In t ...
was deteriorated. In contrast, East-Germany maintained strong relations with East-Pakistan in the 1950s. In 1961,
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Ayub Khan paid a first state visit to
West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, meeting with German president
Heinrich Lübke Karl Heinrich Lübke (; 14 October 1894 – 6 April 1972) was a German politician, who served as president of West Germany from 1959 to 1969. He suffered from deteriorating health towards the end of his career and is known for a series of emba ...
and Chancellor
Konrad Adenauer Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer (; 5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967) was a German statesman who served as the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 to 1963. From 1946 to 1966, he was the first leader of the Christian Dem ...
. During this time, Germany partnered with Pakistan to launched industrial development program; hence becoming one of the first economic partners of Germany. In the 1960s, West Germany started a prolonged and heavy industrial programmes to aid Pakistan in its industrialization growth. West Germany idealized Pakistan as "an example of successful development policy in the developing country.". Meanwhile, Pakistani and East Germany civil society started to produce friendly impulses: In 1968 a book exhibition focused on the GDR was organised in Karachi and the Leipzig Trade fair added an office which was headed by a Pakistani. The following year was the beginning of a series of foundations of Pakistan-GDR Friendship Societies. Although, Germany retained neutrality policy during the
1971 war The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Decemb ...
of
India and Pakistan India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
; East Germany became the third country in the world, and the first country in Europe, to officially recognize Bangladesh in 1972 after it gained
independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
in 1971. This was only mildly surprising, since the GDR's government had shown unequivocal support for the Indian-backed separatists in the Awami League as the conflict played out. Later in the 1970s, Pakistan normalized its relations with East-Germany and Soviet bloc. In January 1973, the Embassy of the GDR in Pakistan opened its doors under the chargé d'affaires Walter Schmidt, who was replaced the following April by the first regular ambassador, Hans Maretzki. A few weeks before, in the beginning of April, Pakistan had opened its embassy in East Berlin; Jamshed K.A. Marker, the former ambassador in Ottawa, was its first ambassador.


Cultural Relations

Since they established diplomatic relations, Germany and Pakistan have both enjoyed extremely closed and cordial relationships. Before the re-unification of Germany, Pakistan maintained warm and cordial relationships with both
East-Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In t ...
and
West-Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...
. Germany is home to 35,081 Pakistani immigrants and around more than 1200 Germans currently reside in Pakistan, mostly residing in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar. Germany maintains a healthy diplomatic presence in the country, with an embassy in Islamabad, a consulate in
Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
and honorary-consulates in
Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...
,
Peshawar Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
, and
Quetta Quetta (; ur, ; ; ps, کوټه‎) is the tenth most populous city in Pakistan with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in south-west of the country close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is the capital of ...
. Germany also is one of the countries playing a vital and influential role in Pakistan's current political events, others being
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
, China, the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. There is an underpass in Karachi named Schön circle underpass


Archaeology

German archaeologists have been active in Pakistan for decades. Since 1979, for example, the project Rock Carvings and Inscriptions along the Karakorum Highway has been conducted with the support of the
Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities The Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (German: ''Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften''), established in 1909 in Heidelberg, Germany, is an assembly of scholars and scientists in the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. The Academ ...
. German researchers regularly travel to Gilgit-Baltistan as part of this project. For a number of years, the Federal Foreign Office has been funding cultural preservation projects in Pakistan. The main projects in recent years include the restoration of the
Lahore Fort The Lahore Fort ( ur, , lit=Royal Fort, translit=Shāhī Qilā, label= Punjabi and Urdu) is a citadel in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The fortress is located at the northern end of walled city Lahore, and spreads over an area greater than 20 ...
frescoes and a historical
Amburiq Mosque The Amburiq Masjid ( ur, مسجد امبوڑک) is a mosque located in Shigar, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. It is one of the oldest mosques in Baltistan. The mosque was built by Sayed Ali Hamdani and is among the famous landmarks ...
in Gulabpur, Baltistan. In 2010 and 2011, the Federal Foreign Office provided funding to renovate and restore traditional residential buildings in Lahore's historical Old City in cooperation with the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF). The two projects received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2010 and 2014, respectively. Since 2017, a project has been underway to restore part of the Lahore Fort frescoes – also in cooperation with the AKF. This project is scheduled to continue through 2018.


Goethe-Institut

The main institution promoting bilateral cultural relations is the Goethe-Institut in Karachi. In the building housing the Goethe-Institut, which is from the Bauhaus era and classified as an historical monument, numerous cultural events are held in addition to the language courses. Another institution active in cultural cooperation is the Goethe-Institut-affiliated Annemarie Schimmel House in Lahore, which also offers language courses and a cultural programme.


Broadcasting

There has long been close cooperation in training between German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) and the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC). Deutsche Welle has its own office in Islamabad.


Economic Relations

Pakistan was one of the first countries with which Germany began development cooperation. The German-Pakistan development partnership was launched in 1961, the year the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) was founded. With trade investment exceeding
The euro sign () is the currency sign used for the euro, the official currency of the eurozone and unilaterally adopted by Kosovo and Montenegro. The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996. It consists ...
2.3
billion Billion is a word for a large number, and it has two distinct definitions: *1,000,000,000, i.e. one thousand million, or (ten to the ninth power), as defined on the short scale. This is its only current meaning in English. * 1,000,000,000,000, i. ...
. Germany is now Pakistan's fourth largest trade partner. Germany has provided a total of around 3 billion euros to Pakistan since 1961. That makes Germany the fourth largest bilateral donor. German multinational companies based in Karachi mostly through franchise rights are: *
BASF BASF SE () is a German multinational chemical company and the largest chemical producer in the world. Its headquarters is located in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The BASF Group comprises subsidiaries and joint ventures in more than 80 countries ...
(Chemicals) * BMW (Automobile) *
Daimler AG The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufactu ...
(Automotive) *
DB Schenker DB Schenker is a division of German rail operator Deutsche Bahn that focuses on logistics. The company was acquired by Deutsche Bahn as Schenker-Stinnes in 2002. It comprises divisions for air, land, sea freight, and Contract Logistics. Histo ...
(Logistics) * DHL (Courier) *
Linde plc Linde plc is a global multinational chemical company founded in Germany and, since 2018, domiciled in Ireland and headquartered in the United Kingdom. Linde is the world's largest industrial gas company by market share and revenue. It serves ...
(Chemicals) *
Lufthansa Cargo Lufthansa Cargo AG is a German cargo airline and a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa. It operates worldwide air freight and logistics services and is headquartered at Frankfurt Airport, the main hub of Lufthansa. Besides operating dedicated ...
(Cargo airline) (Not currently flying to Pakistan) *
Merck Group The Merck Group, branded and commonly known as Merck, is a German multinational science and technology company headquartered in Darmstadt, with about 60,000 employees and present in 66 countries. The group includes around 250 companies; the ma ...
(Pharmaceutical) * Metro Cash and Carry (Wholesale) * Siemens (Conglomerate) The following bilateral agreements are in place between Germany and The following bilateral agreements were set up between Germany and Pakistan: * Air Transport Agreement * Double Taxation Agreement * Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement * Framework Agreement on Technical and Financial Cooperation (as amended by the annual agreements on financial and technical cooperation) * Agreement on Cooperation in Scientific Research and Technological Development In the 1990s, Germany and Pakistan sought a business alliance, known as the Pakistan German Business Forum. It was formed in 1997 with the humble initiatives of the German ambassador to Pakistan. Commercial trade between
Islamabad Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital ...
and
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
has also been very essential in recent years, as Germany is Pakistan's fourth largest trade partner. In 2000, Germany became one of Pakistan's most important allies surrounding the
war in North-West Pakistan The insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also known as the War in North-West Pakistan or Pakistan's war on terror, is an ongoing armed conflict involving Pakistan, and Islamist militant groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jund ...
between Pakistan and the
Taliban The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalist, militant Islamist, jihadist, and Pasht ...
. In recent years, the Germany—Pakistan trade and science relations have developed greatly with Germany investing in and trading with Pakistan. Germany is actively involved in Pakistan's socio-economic development and is an active member of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Forum. Pakistan and Germany also enjoy good economic relations. Germany is the sixth largest importer of Pakistan goods. Pakistan's main exports to Germany are textiles and leather goods, while Germany's main exports to Pakistan are machinery and chemical products. Furthermore, around 30 German companies are operating in Pakistan – not only large firms but also small and medium-sized enterprises. On August, 2014 German Ambassador in Pakistan Dr Cyrill Nunn informed Finance Minister Senator
Ishaq Dar Muhammad Ishaq Dar ( ur, ; born ) is Pakistani accountant and member of the Senate serving as the 42nd Finance Minister of Pakistan since September 28, 2022. Dar was declared a Proclaimed Offender in 2017 and 2022, respectively. After his ...
in order to foster economic energies German businessmen were launching 'Pakistan Gate' in Berlin on August 24, 2014, which would provide business contacts between the two countries. Sajjad Khan is a board member at Porsche Group AG and technology expert, a Lufthansa First Class flyer too.


China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

In November 2018, Pakistan proposed China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) partnership to Germany. Pakistan offered German companies to invest in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) of CPEC, the landmark framework of regional connectivity seen as a game-changer for the region.


Business


Pakistan German Business Forum (PGBF)

In 1997, the Pakistan German Business Forum (PGBF) was founded. Since then it has been engaged in becoming a central instrument for the promotion and expansion of bilateral economic relations between Germany and Pakistan.


Generalized System of Preferences (GSP+)

In 2014, Pakistan was included in the European Union's Generalized System of Preferences (GSP+). This gives Pakistan's export sector better access to the European market for various products, in particular textiles. Within the EU, Germany had spoken in favour of admitting Pakistan to the system.


Trade and Investment

Germany exports to Pakistan worth around 1.8 billion and imports from Pakistan 1.1 billion. It is Pakistan’s 4th largest export partner, trade amounted to $1.6 billion in 2021.


Relief Work

To mitigate the effects of the flood disaster in Pakistan in late summer 2014, the German Government provided a total of more than 6 million euros in assistance. In 2015 and 2016, the total amount of the federal budgetary allocations for humanitarian aid projects in Pakistan exceeded 11 million euros. The relief measures are implemented by German non-governmental organisations and international organisations such as the
United Nations Refugee Agency The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integratio ...
and the
World Food Programme The World Food Programme; it, Programma alimentare mondiale; es, Programa Mundial de Alimentos; ar, برنامج الأغذية العالمي, translit=barnamaj al'aghdhiat alealami; russian: Всемирная продовольствен ...
.


Energy

Germany has been supporting Pakistan in energy sector for decades. Germany has helped to build a whole generation of hydro-electric power plants by providing reduced-interest loans. Further plants are either already under construction or are in the planning stage. German commitment in Pakistan in recent years has already brought sustainable results in the development of hydropower. German expertise is widely recognised in the country. German bank
KfW The KfW, which together with its subsidiaries DEG, KfW IPEX-Bank and FuB forms the KfW Bankengruppe ("banking group"), is a German state-owned investment and development bank, based in Frankfurt. As of 2014, it is the world's largest national d ...
co-funded both Pakistan's hydropower projects
Tarbela Dam Tarbela Dam (, ) is an earth-filled dam along the Indus River in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Located mainly in the Swabi district of the province, The dam is about from the city of Swabi, northwest of Islamabad, and east of Peshawa ...
and
Ghazi-Barotha Hydropower Project Ghazi-Barotha Hydropower Project ( ur, غازى بروتھا) is a 1,450 MW run-of-the-river hydropower connected to the Indus River about west of Attock in Punjab and east of Haripur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Construction of the ...
. Together with European partners, KfW is currently involved in the construction of another two hydropower plants. Thanks to many years of solid cooperation, KfW can also influence the structures of the Pakistani energy supply system. It played an instrumental role in instigating a reorganization of the state-run energy utility
WAPDA The Pakistan Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA; ur, ) is a government-owned public utility maintaining power and water in Pakistan, although it does not manage thermal power. WAPDA includes Tarbela and Mangla dams among its resources ...
.


Pakistan-German Renewable Energy Forum (PGREF)

In November 2014, the German and Pakistan governments concluded an agreement to create a Pakistan-German Renewable Energy Forum (PGREF). The Forum is to be launched in Lahore in 2016. It will serve as a point of contact in Pakistan for the German energy sector, for associations and for non-governmental organisations. In the long term, it is to provide training and information and facilitate cooperation between partners from Germany and Pakistan.


Educational Relations

Germany is one of the most popular study destinations for young Pakistanis. Germany and Pakistan have 32 cooperation arrangements between German and Pakistan universities. Every year, hundreds of Pakistanis go to Germany and thus to the heart of Europe to study or to do their doctorate. In 2018 there are currently 4100 Pakistan students and doctoral candidates living in Germany. The academic cooperation and research exchange dates back to the 1930s, when many scientists (who opted to join Pakistan) worked with Germany. In 1960, following the start of the German—Pakistan cooperation, the world acclaimed Institute of Physics (IoP) was built at the University of Islamabad. Germany also sent its scientists to interact with Pakistan's scientists, contributing to the rise of physics in Pakistan. Germany also helped Pakistan to participate in CERN projects and supported Pakistan in numerous occasions for Pakistan's observant status in CERN. Germany also allowed hundreds of Pakistan's physicists and mathematicians to conduct their research in DESY. Ayub Khan, then-Chief Martial Law Administrator, built strategic ties with East and West Germany. in 1907, Pakistan's intellectual father
Muhammad Iqbal Sir Muhammad Iqbal ( ur, ; 9 November 187721 April 1938), was a South Asian Muslim writer, philosopher, Quote: "In Persian, ... he published six volumes of mainly long poems between 1915 and 1936, ... more or less complete works on philos ...
spent several months studying in Germany: in
Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...
, the national poet learned German and studied philosophy as well as literature. His poem "Darye Naika Ke Kinare Par" (Greeting to the Neckar) as well as a commemorative plaque in this popular German university town are reminders of his time there. "My stay in Heidelberg was like a beautiful dream", stated Iqbal.


Vocational Training

Germany is helping Pakistan to fundamentally reform its vocational training system in cooperation with the Netherlands, Norway and the EU. German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) has been commissioned by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to advise Pakistan's
National Vocational and Technical Training Commission National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) ( ur, ) is a regulatory body for technical education and vocational training in Pakistan. It was founded by its chairman Altaf M. Saleem. See also *Technical Education and Vocational ...
and vocational training agencies at provincial level on how vocational training can be better aligned with the needs of the labour market. More than 100 vocational careers advice and job centres have been established throughout the country. Uniform standards and material for examinations have been developed for nearly 60 vocational profiles in agriculture, energy and services; 87,000 young people have completed a training programme; 4,000 vocational training instructors have already been trained, with at least that many set to receive training in the near future.


Germany-Pakistan Training Initiative (GPATI)

In June 2013, 13 German multinational and Pakistani national companies on Thursday formally launched the Germany-Pakistan Training Initiative (GPATI), a new skills development project aiming at equipping young Pakistani men and women with employable skills.


NGO Cooperation

The Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the
Friedrich Naumann Foundation The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (german: Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit) (''FNF''), is a German foundation for liberal politics, related to the Free Democratic Party. Established in 1958 by Theodor Heuss, the first pres ...
, the
Heinrich Böll Foundation The Heinrich Böll Foundation (german: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung e.V., HBS) is a German, legally independent political foundation. Affiliated with the German Green Party, it was founded in 1997 when three predecessors merged. The foundation was n ...
, the Hanns Seidel Foundation and the
Konrad Adenauer Foundation The Konrad Adenauer Foundation (german: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, KAS) is a German political party foundation associated with but independent of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The foundation's headquarters are located in Sank ...
have all seconded staff to Pakistan and run their own offices there, and in some cases have done so for decades. They support projects in areas including the strengthening of democratic institutions, human rights and the advancement of women, climate change, deradicalisation, regional cooperation and the media.


Defence Relations

During the 1970s,
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Zulfikar (or Zulfiqar) Ali Bhutto ( ur, , sd, ذوالفقار علي ڀٽو; 5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979), also known as Quaid-e-Awam ("the People's Leader"), was a Pakistani barrister, politician and statesman who served as the fourt ...
took extensive initiatives to strengthen Pakistan's ties with Germany. Under Bhutto, the military academies of each country signed a strategic and military training pact. German military officials and cadets frequently visit the Pakistan military academy and Pakistanis visit Germany in return. In the 1980s, the Germany—Pakistan relations saw a military alliance and supported each other while running
clandestine operations A clandestine operation is an intelligence or military operation carried out in such a way that the operation goes unnoticed by the general population or specific enemy forces. Until the 1970s, clandestine operations were primarily political in ...
against the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
's presence in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. At a later time and as a result Lufthansa and
Pakistan International Airlines Pakistan International Airlines ( ur, ; abbreviated PIA, ur, ) is an international airline that serves as the national flag carrier of Pakistan under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation. It ...
signed a memorandum of understanding with plans to code share in future. The Pakistani Chief of Army Staff
General Raheel Sharif General Raheel Sharif (Urdu: ; born 16 June 1956), is a retired four-star army general of the Pakistan Army who served as the 9th Chief of Army Staff from 29 November 2013 to 29 November 2016. After his retirement as Pakistan's army chief, he ...
visited Germany on the invitation of his counterpart German
Inspector of the Army The Inspector of the Army (german: Inspekteur des Heeres or ''InspH'') is the title held by the commander and highest ranking officer of the German Army (unless the Inspector General is an army officer) of the modern-day German Armed Forces or ''B ...
Lieutenant General Jörg Vollmer, from 19 June to 22 June 2016. On arrival at the Ministry of Defence, a contingent of German Army presented Guard of Honor to COAS followed by wreath-laying at Ministry of Defence War Memorial. Besides holding meeting with his German counterpart, the COAS also had detailed meetings with German Minister of Defence
Ursula von der Leyen Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen (; Albrecht, born 8 October 1958) is a German politician who has been serving as the president of the European Commission since 2019. She served in the German federal government between 2005 and 2019, holding suc ...
and German Foreign Minister.


Perception on relations

In 2012, the relations had been down and cooled when Pakistan's police detained three alleged German intelligence agents near the Afghan border. All three agents were interrogated by the FIA agents before being deported from the country with " Persona non grata" after Germany loaded a protest. In March 2013, German media reported that German intelligence agencies arrested an alleged Pakistani
agent Agent may refer to: Espionage, investigation, and law *, spies or intelligence officers * Law of agency, laws involving a person authorized to act on behalf of another ** Agent of record, a person with a contractual agreement with an insuranc ...
working on obtained sensitive data information on drones; no other details were provided.


Diplomatic Relations


Pak-Germany Strategic Dialogue

In January 2011, Germany and Pakistan agreed on initiating Pak-Germany Strategic Dialogue on yearly basis to enhance defense, economy, education, energy, investment and infrastructure. Four rounds of Strategic Dialogue have taken place with last one in November 2018, at
Islamabad Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital ...
.


Embassies

* Germany: Germany has an embassy in Pakistan, specifically in
Islamabad Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital ...
and has consulates-generals in
Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
,
Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...
,
Peshawar Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
and
Quetta Quetta (; ur, ; ; ps, کوټه‎) is the tenth most populous city in Pakistan with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in south-west of the country close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is the capital of ...
; * Pakistan: Pakistan is represented through an embassy in
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
and a consulate-general in
Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...
.


See also

*
Pakistanis in Germany Pakistani-Germans refers to the community in Germany of Pakistani heritage or citizenship. History Roughly every fifth Pakistani in Germany (21%) has been living in Germany for over 15 years. Just over 25% or around every fourth Pakistani livi ...
* Germans in Pakistan *
Pakistan–European Union relations European Union–Pakistan relations are the international relations between the common foreign policy and trade relations of the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Trade In 1976, the first European Commission – Pakistan Commer ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Germany-Pakistan relations
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
Bilateral relations of Pakistan