Aamir Shouket, Embassy of Pakistan

Published: 26.06.2024

Aamir Shouket misses the vibrant lifestyle of his homeland and wants to bring it closer to the Swiss. The Ambassador of Pakistan promotes his region, which is home to five of the world's highest peaks, as a new destination to be discovered.

Article published in the infoletter June 2024.

Aamir Shouket ...

... came to Bern in September 2021 and has been serving as Pakistan's Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein ever since. He is also accredited to the Holy See (Vatican).

... held the post of Director General (Europe) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan before being posted to Switzerland.

... likes to spend his free time reading, listening to music and playing golf.

10 questions to Aamir Shouket

What does a regular day look like for you?

As ambassador, I am responsible for maintaining and improving political, economic, trade, cultural and defence relations between our two countries. I am also concurrently accredited (as non-resident ambassador) to Liechtenstein and the Holy See. My responsibility also includes to serve the Pakistani diaspora living in Switzerland and to provide them with the best consular services.

A typical day at the office starts at 09:00 reading news from Switzerland, Pakistan and all over the world. After that, I check the mail we have received at the embassy. During a normal working day I have one or two meetings on average.

Which projects are you most excited about right now?

We are currently working very closely with the Swiss tourism agency Globetrotter, which will be offering travel packages for Pakistan from this summer. At the moment, Globetrotter is preparing to send a delegation of Swiss journalists to visit northern Pakistan at the end of June. We hope that this initiative will open the doors for Swiss tourists to visit Pakistan, especially the northern areas where we have five of the highest peaks in the world.

What are the biggest challenges and benefits of living in Bern?

The biggest challenge, as far as I can tell, is the cost of living. The prices for almost everything are very high, which makes it very difficult to plan a good budget. On the other hand, Bern is one of the cleanest and healthiest cities I have ever lived in. It offers many opportunities to indulge in health-promoting activities. The city also has very well organised traffic and you never encounter traffic jams or traffic obstructions on the roads.

Is there something you miss about your home country?

What I miss most about my home country is the vibrant lifestyle (yes, the noise!), with shops and restaurants staying open late into the night. I also miss the street food in my home country.

“What I miss most about my home country is the vibrant lifestyle.”

Is there anything you would change about Bern?

If I had the opportunity, I would like to extend shop closing times to 22:00 and allow shops and markets to open on Sundays as well.

Tell us about your favourite place in Bern?

My favourite place in Bern is the historic city centre, because it is the most unique centre of any city in the world. I love the cobbled streets and especially the way the city has preserved its original architecture over a long period of time.

What do you already know you will miss when you leave Bern?

I already know that I will miss the serenity, tranquillity and enchanting beauty of Bern. I am sure that I won't find such an atmosphere and city feeling anywhere else in the world.

What is still on your “to-do list”?

I have always wanted to do the "Aareschwumm", which unfortunately I haven't managed to do yet. But it is on my bucket list.

“I am a big time cheese lover. And my favourite is Emmentaler.”

Any advice to newcomers in Bern?

I would say do not feel dejected when you arrive in Bern. At first you would think it is a boring city, but believe me, it is not. You will fall in love with it once you start living here.