Honorary Consulate General of Pakistan in Finland
We are pleased to help you with any questions related to Pakistan so please don’t hesitate to contact us whether you need information about business opportunities, education, travel, tourism or culture.
Please note: visas to travel to Pakistan are applied online, with all issues related to Pakistani passports or legalization of Pakistani documents for Finland, please scroll down for further details as those are not processed by the staff of Honorary Consulate but Embassy of Pakistan in Stockholm, Sweden is there to help you with these issues.
Pakistan has been represented by a Honorary Consul in Finland since 1950. President of Pakistan, H.E. Mamnoon Hussain appointed Mr. Wille Eerola as the Honorary Consul General of Pakistan to Finland on 11th February 2016 based on his continuous work for Pakistan since early 2000s. Honorary Consul General, Mr. Wille Eerola, fifth Honorary Consul of Pakistan in Finland, has worked closely with various businesses and industries as well as academia in Pakistan over the last two decades. He is also the acting Chairman of Finland Pakistan Business Council (FPBC), a trade promotion organisation established already in 1985, one of the oldest still operating Pakistan related business councils in the world and active player in both countries.
With a population of 200 million people Pakistan is the 6th biggest country in the world. Despite the long history and huge population by any standards, Pakistan remains quite unknown for most of the foreigners, also among most of the Finns. The image of Pakistan has suffered strongly during the global war agains terrorism and the country, and the Pakistanis, has been mostly reported in all-negative way across the international media channels.
There are certainly still challenges in security and economy in Pakistan but simultaneously we are talking about a strongly developing nation with a growing, consuming middle-class. There is that other side of Pakistan, which we would encourage Finnish people and companies to browse too!
Diplomatic relations were established between Pakistan and Finland already on 12th January 1951 and over the decades it has been mostly about economical cooperation and trade. Nowadays Pakistan offers plenty of business opportunities to Finnish companies and especially in cleantech (energy, water), education, mining, healthcare, agriculture and food production. Please click to Finland Pakistan Business Council’s website for more information about doing business in Pakistan.
Pakistan is a major player in many industries and country also enjoys huge reserves, even by global standards: just for an example, Pakistan has the 2nd biggest salt reserves, 3rd biggest copper reserves and 5th biggest gold reserves in the world.
Furthermore, Pakistan is one of the world’s biggest producers of milk, cotton and wheat. And just to share one interesting fact with you: companies in one Pakistani city called Sialkot produce half of the footballs manufactured in the world, total over 60 million footballs! One of those many football and sport accessory manufactures located in Sialkot made it really big for the 2014 World Cup when they replaced a Chinese manufacturer and provided the official Bracuza balls!
Pakistan is the 33rd largest nation by total area; Pakistan has a 1,046 km (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and land borders of 6,774 km in total: 2,430 km with Afghanistan, 523 km with China, 2,912 km with India and 909 km with Iran.
Pakistan is divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain, and the Balochistan Plateau. The northern highlands contain the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Pamir mountain ranges, which contain some of the world’s highest peaks, including five of the fourteen so-called eight-thousanders (mountain peaks over 8,000 metres), which attract adventurers and mountaineers from all over the world, notably K2 and Nanga Parbat, all known in Finland through the adventures of world-known Finnish mountaineer Veikka Gustafsson.
Pakistan has several Provinces: Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkwa (KP) and Gilgit-Baltistan. Islamabad is the Federal Capital.
Pakistan has been independent since 14th August 1947 but the country’s rich history takes us back with thousands of years. Some of the earliest ancient human civilisations in South Asia originated from areas encompassing present-day Pakistan. The earliest known inhabitants in the region were Soanian during the Lower Paleolithic, of whom stone tools have been found in the Soan Valley of Punjab.
The Indus region, which covers most of present day Pakistan, was the site of several successive ancient cultures including the Neolithic Mehrgarh and the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilisation (2,800–1,800 BC) at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Please read more about Pakistan here.
In Finland, around three thousands citizens of Pakistan are living permanently in Finland.
Honorary Consul General and Consulate Office is active within various sectors and fields, building bridges between two nations, people and companies – here you will see just a few examples over the years.
Please follow us in Facebook for current updates!
Finland Pakistan Business Summit 2023 was held in Islamabad and Karachi in March 2023. Energy talks were held in both cities, in Islamabad with Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former Prime Minister of Pakistan as one of the panelists.
First students from joint-diploma program on Hospitality Management by TAI, Turku Vocational Institute and NUTECH in Pakistan were graduated on Nov 18, 2022. Ms. Marleena Tuuri from TAI and Ambassador of Finland to Pakistan, H.E. Hannu Ripatti joined the event.
HCG Wille Eerola lead a Finnish energy delegation to meet with Prime Minister of Pakistan and key Cabinet Ministers 13 Sept 2022. Representatives of Wärtsilä, Valmet, Biovoima joined the 2 days talks held in Islamabad.
HCG Wille Eerola met with with Mr. Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan in Islamabad on June 10, 2022 for discussions on expanding Finland-Pakistan cooperation on sustainable energy and education.
HCG Wille Eerola met with Hasaan Khawar, Special Advisor of Chief Minister of Punjab, for Finland-Pakistan cooperation in the fields of skill training and education in the Province of Punjab, in January 2022.
HCG Wille Eerola met with Mr. Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Minister of State, Chairman of BOI, Ms. Ayla Majjid, Planitive and WEF, and Mr. Syed Zaheer Mehdi, VP of Engro, in Islamabad, Nov 2021.
HCG Wille Eerola met with Mr. Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Chief Minister of Balochistan, in Quetta, in November 2021.
MoU signed for teachers training between Finnish Global Education Solutions and Iqra University in August 2021, opening a Finnish school in the future.
Mr. Wille Eerola lead a delegation on healthcare and education from Turku University of Applied Sciences and University of Turku to Shifa International Hospitals, Islamabad in January 2020.
Hon. Consul General, Mr. Wille Eerola hosted a panel discussion on “How to increase exports from Pakistan” at Finland Pakistan Business Summit in Karachi, 15 March 2023.
Finnish education delegation with University of Turku and FGES joined Ambassador of Finland H.E. Hannu Ripatty and HCG Wille Eerola for a campus visit at Iqra University in Karachi, Pakistan.
Ms. Ulla-Maija Rantapuska from Finnfund and Mr. Ali Jameel from TPL Corporation joined HCG Wille Eerola to meet with Prime Minister Mr. Shehbaz Sharif. Finnfund made their first ever quity investment to TPL Insurance in June 2022.
HCG Wille Eerola witnessed signing of MoUs for large Finland-Pakistan cooperation on teachers training and skills and vocationall training with Government of Balochistan.
HCG Wille Eerola visited the head office of SEED Ventures, the meeting was hosted by Ms. Shaista Ayesha, CEO of SEED, in Karachi, Pakistan, January 2022.
HCG Wille Eerola visited the MagnifiScience Center of Dawood Foundation in Karachi, hosted by Ms. Hiba Zubairi and Mr. Christops S. Sprung, with Mr. Anwar Rammal and Mr. Amin Rammal.
Meeting at BOI Balochistan, CEO Mr Saeed Ahmed Sarparah and Mr. Roshan Ali Shaikh, Secretary Science and IT, with Mr. Antti Kaskinen from FGES and Mr. Shahriyar Niazi Khan from ICC.
TAI from Finland and NAVTTC establishes “Pak-Finland School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts” in Lahore, HCG Wille Eerola joined the virtual ceremony, May 2021.
HCG Wille Eerola gave a speech about entrepeneurship at IBA, Institute of Business Administration, in Karachi, Pakistan in February 2020.
TAI, Turku Vocational Institute and THF, The Hunar Foundation signed a extensive MoU on joint-diploma skills and vocational training programs at FPBS 2023 in Karachi, wittnessed by H.E. Hannu Ripatti, Ambassador of Finland to Pakistan and HCG Mr. Wille Eerola
HCG Wille Eerola hosted Ambassador of Pakistan to Finland, H.E. Zahoor Ahmed to Turku, Finland to meet with the leading educationists from University of Turku, University of Applied Sciences and Turku Vocational Institute on 7 Nov. 2022
HCG Wille Eerola and Mr. Hassan Raza, Co-Chair of Finland Pakistan Business Council, Mr. Antti Kaskinen, CEO of Finnish Global Education Solutions met with Mr. Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister of Education in Sept 2022.
HCG Wille Eerola opened a Edtech education roundtable hosted by Aga Khan Examination Board in Karachi, Pakistan, in January 2022.
HCG Wille Eerola planted a tree at the original Iqra University Campus in Karachi, a place where the first ever Finnish school in Pakistan will start in fall 2022.
HCG Wille Eerola joined a group photo with Mr. Hunaid Lakhani, Founder of Iqra University and Dr. Muhammad Ali, Iqra Balohistan in Karachi, November 2021.
HCG Wille Eerola joined the first ever virtual event on cooperation between Pakistani, Finnish and Swedish IT companies, hosted by the Embassy of Pakistan in February 2021.
HCG Wille Eerola joined Mr. Usman Dar, Special Assistant of Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, to inaugurate hi-tech skill training programs at NUTECH, Islamabad, in February 2020.
All female Finland-Pakistan panel discussion on education, social impact and women empowerment at the Finland Pakistan Business Summit in Islsmabad, 13 March 2023.
HCG Wille Eerola hosted H.E. Zahoor Ahmed, Ambassador of Pakistan to meet with the representatives of Turku School of Economics, in Finland, Nov 7,2022.
HCG Wille Eerola joined other members of the board of Consular Corps for a meeting with Mr. Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland in August 2021.
HCG Wille Eerola led a Finnish education delegation to meet with the management of Sindh Education Foundation in Karachi, in June 2022.
HCG Wille Eerola joined Mr. Hunaid Lakhani for a tour at the school of IUSS, Iqra University School System in Karachi, November 2021.
Signing ceremony between Iqra University and Finnish Global Education Solutions for a Finnish school signed by Ms. Sidra Qamar and Mr. Antti Kaskinen, wittnessed by HCG Wille Eerola.
MoU on collaboration and development of Vocational and Technical Training signed between Finland and Pakistan, NAVTTC and TAI in January 2021.
MoU on skill training was signed between NUTECH, Shifa International Hospitals, Turku Vocational Institute from Finland, and Finland Pakistan Business Council in March 2020.
HCG Wille Eerola hosting Eng. Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister of Trade and Commerce of Pakistan to Nordic Pakistan Business Summit 2016 in Islamabad.
Mr. Wille Eerola joined H.E. Azam Khan Swati, Minister of Technology of Pakistan for the Official Inauguration Ceremony of CIIT Comsat University’s Library in Pakistan in 2011.
Pakistan has been represented by Honorary Consuls in Finland since 1950. The current Consul Mr. Wille Eerola is the fifth Hon. Consul and second Hon. Consul General of Pakistan in Finland during the last 7 decades.
2016 –
Mr. Wille Eerola, Honorary Consul General
1982 – 2014
Mr. Heikki Timonen, Honorary Consul General 1990-2014, Honorary Consul 1982-1989
1969 – 1979
Mr. Aarne Roiha, Honorary Consul
1962 – 1967
Mr. Cyril Henrik William Reincke, Honorary Consul
1950 – 1960
Mr. Karl Ragnar Öller, first Honorary Consul, Exequatur dated on May 4, 1950
We are pleased to help you with any questions or inquiries concerning Pakistan.
When you are looking for help with your business and business opportunities in Pakistan or with Pakistani companies, you can also contact the Finland-Pakistan Business Council (FPBC). FPBC organises regularly Pakistan related business events in Finland and Pakistan, please follow them for updates.
All visas to travel to Pakistan are applied online through NADRA’s website, please read more here.
NOTE: All attestations, certificates and other official documents are handled at the Embassy of Pakistan in Stockholm only, please read more.
Passports Applications
Please note that all issues related to Pakistani passports are processed through the Embassy of Pakistan in Stockholm. Please read the instructions here!
Legalisation of Pakistani documents for Finland, please read the announcement here.
Corporate and business travelers: please contact us for advise.
Please note: Pakistanis traveling and students heading to Finland: Embassy of Finland has been reopened in Islamabad on after 10 years but the Embassy is not operational on consular issues yet, please contact them for any inquiries.
Honorary Consulate General of Pakistan in Helsinki
All meetings by appointment only! Please contact us by email or phone to schedule an appointment. Please also notice that we are not handling visas or legalisation of any Pakistani documents and in those cases you should contact the Embassy of Pakistan in Stockholm, Sweden.
For all courier or mail deliveries please contact us prior the delivery for instructions and details.
Honorary Consul General visits regularly also other cities for meetings so please contact us or follow our social media channels. Or if you wish to us to visit your city please contact us for arrangements.
We would prefer you to contact us by email: consul(at)honoraryconsulatepakistan.fi
In any urgent cases please call HCG directly: +358405316720 (also WhatsApp)
Embassy of Pakistan, Stockholm, Sweden
Karlavägen 65,1st Floor.
114 49 Stockholm, Sweden
Tel. +46-8-20 33 00
Please check also:
Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
BUSINESS SUMMITS
We have had a great pleasure to co-host several Business Summits including two Finland-Pakistan Business Summits. two Nordic-Pakistan Business Summits and Europe Pakistan Business Summit over the last years. The latest edition of Finland Pakistan Business Summit took place in Islamabad and Karachi in March 2023, and the next will be in Karachi on 13 February 2024 – please click here for more details.
These events are produced in cooperation with Finland Pakistan Business Council, established back in 1985 and one of the oldest still operating Pakistan related business council in the world.
We are continuously working for new events promoting Pakistan and business opportunities in Pakistan so please stay tuned!
EDUCATION
There are plenty of opportunities for education export from Finland to Pakistan, as well as cooperation in various education development projects, and we are pleased to support such bi-lateral development in education, studying and research.
In picture above, signing of MoU between University of Turku, Finland and IBA, Institute of Business Administration at Finland Pakistan Business Summit in Karachi, March 2023.
There are plenty of education related projects goin on Finland-Pakistan level, supported by the Hon. Consulate General, please click to news for more.
We have had such a great pleasure to closely support the birth of new teachers training institute in Karachi, Pakistan. Durbeen, a Pakistani NGO, started their new teachers training program in fall 2019. Read more here.
CULTURE, SOCIAL IMPACT
The office of Honorary Consulate General is continuously supporting projects in culture, social impact, entrepeneurship and women empowerment. In the picture above, the all female participants at Finland Pakistan Business Summit in Islamabad after the All-Female Finland-Pakistan panel discussion held in Islamabad on 13 March, 2023.
Back in in August 2017 we had an unique opportunity to see how culture and education link together when famous Pakistani musician and humanitarian Shehzad Roy visited Finland with his educationist wife Salma Alam to meet with the leading education experts of Finland. In picture this real game-changer-couple with Mr. Jari Lavonen, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Education of University of Helsinki. Read more here ja Shehzad Roy’s interview in Finnish newspaper Kaleva (23 Aug 2017)
Wille Eerola
Hon. Consul General