Pakistan should review its Policy toward Greek Cyprus – by – Raja Liaqat Ali

Raja Liaqat Ali from Nicosia
It has been one month and a week since I left Pakistan to visit different countries of Europe including Cyprus Island. I reached Cyprus from Islamabad via Turkey, Holland, Germany and France. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also in France on official visit with Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, Minister Industries Ayaz Sadiq, SAPM Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi and others. (There will be a separate article on their visit to France as I covered the visit in Paris).

For the past few years in Cyprus, I have been staying with a young man from Pakistan who is strong voice of Greek Cyprus among his Pakistani friends. He is Mudassir Jatt who belongs to village number 28 GB from Faisalabad and lives in Aminpur Bengaluru. He came to Cyprus on a student visa seven or eight years ago. He had a plan to go to Canada from here, but the beauty and hospitality of Greek Cyprus stopped him here to live permanently. He has acquired a residence card that has paved his way to his further success.

On June 24th, I landed at Larnaca Airport in Cyprus, and Mudassir Jatt, along with his son Ibrahim and my son Umar received me with open arms, smiling as usual. There is a coffee house from where every time I come here Mudassir Jatt gets coffee (latte hot) for me without asking. Which works well to relieve my travel fatigue.

Since my elder son Umar has shifted here to Cyprus, he was also the host of his father. Two other Pakistani journalists Mr. Javed Bhagat and Mr. Zaman Mughal already arrived in Nicosia to join me in exploration the landscape and tourist sites of this jewel of the Mediterranian Sea.We celebrated Eid ul Aldha here for which Mudassir arranged specially prepared Pakistani dresses of same style from Pakistan.

From June 24th to July 3rd, we visited all the major cities, towns and historical sites of Cyprus that are of interest to any tourist. I intend to write the account of these days, God willing, first in the form of columns and then in the form of a book.

Here in Cyprus the government has changed. There is a lot of criticism in the media about the nepotism of the government, but the current president, Nikos Christodoulides, has started to crack down on illegal immigrants who are now on the run.

The police are empowered to stop any suspicious person at any place and ask for identification. If an illegal immigrant is caught working for someone, the local employer is also arrested. Therefore, the current time is very tough for all those who do not have legal justification to stay in Cyprus.

Republic of Cyprus – Guitar in the Sea – by – Raja Liaqat Ali

Cypriots are very critical of Pakistan. Turkey intervened in Cyprus in 1974 and helped the Turkish Cypriots establish their own separate administration that is now called North Cyprus. About thirty to thirty-five percent of the area is called Turkish Cyprus or Occupied Cyprus. North Cyprus has a representative office in Pakistan. Greek Cyprus has only an Honorary Consul General in the city of Karachi, Pakistan, named Kamal A. Chenoy. Pakistan has not opened its consulate in Greek Cyprus to date and the only reason for this is the expected displeasure of Turkey.

India has opened its full embassy in Nicosia and the street in which the embassy is located has been renamed Indian Street. Thousands of young boys and girls from India are working here on regular work permits and the Indian embassy stands by them in case of any problem, but four to five thousand Pakistanis who are in Cyprus live like orphans. A diplomat on the diplomatic staff from Beirut occasionally visits Cyprus, whose arrivals and departures are known only to a selected number of Pakistanis.

In this regard, I would like to draw the attention of the Foreign Office and especially Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto to the fact that in the past we angered Iran for the sake of Saudi Arabia. Afghanistan was made an enemy for the sake of America. We should not ignore the most important EU member like Cyprus for the sake of Turkey. Has Turkey damaged relations with India for our sake?

The current President of Cyprus has been the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2018 to 2022) and Government Spokesman (2014 to 2018). Born on December 6, 1973, the President assumed power on February 28, 2023.

The government of Pakistan should come forward to build good relations with the new government and the new president of Cyprus so as to end the hatred generated by the former dictator General Musharraf’s statement which he issued during his visit in North Cyprus. Gen Musharraf had said “Given the chance, he would destroy European Cyprus in two hours.”

This was highly irresponsible statement by the dictator Gen Musharraf. Pakistan is supposed to disown the statement and condemn it in strongest terms. General Musharraf’s desire was to spend his retirement in Turkish Cyprus. That is why he forgot his responsibility and all international norms while threatening Greek Cyprus from Turkish Cyprus. Pakistan should review its policy on Greek Cypriots. Turkey is our good friend and we have already done the best for Turkish Cypriots to please Turkey. Now we can build relationships on the other side as well. Turkey should not be angry with us.