Greece moves to revoke asylum of Pakistani community leader
Aslam, who has led the Pakistani Unity Organization since the mid-2000s, has lived in Greece for around 30 years and has been active in labor rights, anti-racism and migration advocacy. He has frequently appeared in Greek media and public demonstrations. Some of his past remarks, including comments made at an anti-racism rally about migrants defending themselves against threats, drew criticism from conservative groups.
In 2007, Greece’s Council of Appeals Court judges unanimously rejected a request by Pakistan to extradite him on human-trafficking charges.
The reported move follows a directive by Migration Minister Thanos Plevris to reassess asylum files. The Migration Ministry said it had launched procedures in the past two weeks to revoke asylum for 33 third-country nationals from countries including Syria, Pakistan, Egypt and Iraq.
Under the process, the Asylum Service has notified Aslam of the planned revocation and given him 15 working days to submit written objections before a final decision is made. He has the right to appeal if the decision is contested.
The ministry said the action forms part of a stricter migration policy pursued in recent years. Official figures show that 19 international protection statuses were revoked between 2013 and 2020, compared with 583 between 2021 and 2025. A further 47 cases have reportedly been initiated in 2026, with 196 revocations recorded in 2025 alone.
Authorities say asylum status can be withdrawn if an individual is deemed a threat to national security, poses a danger to society following a final criminal conviction, or if conditions in the country of origin have changed significantly.
