French embassy call to leave Pakistan has been refused

The French community in Pakistan called its nationals and companies to leave Pakistan. In response, most of them decided to stay put.

On Thursday, the French embassy in Islamabad; wrote an email for its nationals and companies to leave Pakistan temporarily because of “serious threats”.

In Islamabad, Jean-Michel Quarantotti, who has taught French at the American school for three years. He was first alerted to the embassy advisory by a student. “I won’t hide from you that at first, I felt a little bit of fear, panic”.

“It’s not my first foreign country; I did a lot before arriving in Pakistan but I was really shocked. I didn’t expect to go through this.”

His first thought was to pack up and leave, but after discussing the situation with colleagues he said reason took over from emotion.

“The Pakistanis around me advised me to stay,” he said. “They told me that they would protect me.”

“It was very touching to see the solidarity around me, from people who told me: ‘We are here for you, do not worry, we will defend you.”

The French embassy announcement came after the violent protests orchestrated by  Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). After the arrest in Lahore of leader Saad Rizvi, who had called for a march on the capital to demand the expulsion of the French ambassador.

Four policemen were also killed in this protest.

Many of the French people contacted by AFP questioned the timing of the embassy’s message. As the Pakistani government had just announced the ban on the TLP and seemed to have the situation under control.