Greece’s Asylum Appeals Committee has accepted the appeal of Javed Aslam, the long-standing president of the Pakistani Community of Greece “Unity,” restoring his international protection status after it was revoked by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum earlier this year.
The 17th Appeals Committee, composed exclusively of administrative judges, ruled in favor of Javed Aslam, overturning the Asylum Service’s decision. In a swift response, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris ordered the urgent filing of an application for annulment against the committee’s decision.
The ministry criticized the ruling as legally deficient, arguing it failed to properly address the substantiated grounds for revocation, disregarded Pakistan’s designation as a safe country, and was vague and unsubstantiated.
Officials noted that asylum approval rates for Pakistani nationals in Greece are below 1%, a key statistic reportedly overlooked in the decision.
Ministry sources described the outcome as “provocative,” warning it could create a loophole for Pakistani citizens to obtain asylum on weak grounds. Plevris reiterated that while secondary appeals bodies are judicial, the executive will exhaust all legal avenues to challenge decisions deemed clearly erroneous.
Javed Aslam, approximately 58 years old, has lived in Greece since 1996, initially arriving from Lalamusa in Punjab, Pakistan. He worked in plastics factories for low wages while learning Greek and English through night classes. In 2001, he was elected president of the Pakistani Community of Greece “Unity,” a role he has held for over two decades.
As a prominent community leader and activist, Aslam has frequently appeared in Greek media, advocating for migrant and labor rights, commenting on integration issues, anti-racism initiatives, and religious matters such as mosque construction and cultural practices, including the legalization of cousin marriage in Greece.
Aslam applied for international protection in Greece around 2019. His initial claim was rejected in 2020 but granted on appeal in 2021 on grounds of political persecution risk if returned to Pakistan. Greek courts had previously rejected extradition requests from Pakistan related to older allegations.
In early 2026, as part of a broader government push under Minister Plevris to review and revoke asylum statuses where protection needs were deemed no longer valid, the Asylum Service initiated proceedings against Aslam and dozens of others. The service concluded that the original reasons for granting him protection no longer applied and that he did not face ongoing risks justifying continued status in Greece.
This revocation was part of a wider effort: roughly 125 revocations occurred the previous year, with projections of up to 1,000 in the first half of 2026 alone, compared to just 19 between 2013–2019. Cases involving criminal records, “burdensome data,” or changed circumstances in countries of origin were prioritized.
Aslam’s case drew particular attention due to his high profile, past Interpol notices and extradition attempts from Pakistan, which Greek courts rejected, and his activist role.
Following the March 2026 revocation, Aslam appealed, leading to the July 14 decision restoring his status — at least temporarily, pending the ministry’s legal challenge.
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