Pakistan imposes ‘reciprocal’ travel restrictions on US diplomats

Pakistan has imposed multiple restrictions on US diplomatic staff in the country in response to travel restrictions imposed by Washington on Pakistani diplomatic staff in the United States. 

The tit-for-tat move by the Pakistani government shows the strained relations between the two countries. 

The United States' Vice President Mike Pence asked the Prime Minister Pakistan during the latter's private visit to the US in March that Pakistan must do more to address the continued presence of the Taliban, Haqqani Network, and other terrorist groups operating in their country.

The US has also expressed its convern over the non-release of Dr. Shakeel Afridi who spied to the CIA about the location of Osama bin Laden. Dr. Afridi’s continued imprisonment has long been a source of tension between Pakistan and the US, which says Dr. Shakeel's imprisonment shows Pakistan's reluctance against terror while Pakistani authorities said that he helped the other country which is considered as disloyalty to Pakistan.

Besides, one after the other two traffic incidents involving the death of a Pakistani by the US diplomat's alleged reckless driving has further escalated the tension between the two countries.

In a letter issued today by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Embassy of the United States says the US diplomatic cargo at Pakistani airports and ports will be strictly treated in accordance with the provisions of Article 27 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which does not provide for an exemption from scanning.

The letter says the rules governing interaction between Pakistan government officials and foreign diplomats, which were shared with the US Embassy on 27th of the last month, will be strictly implemented.

The letter further states that the US Embassy and Consulates in Pakistan will no longer avail facilities of using tainted glass on official vehicles and rented transport; non-diplomatic number plates on official vehicles; diplomatic number planes on unspecified and rented vehicles; and the facility of biometrically unverified or unregistered cell phone SIMs. 

It says the facilities of hiring or shifting of rented properties without prior no objection certificate and overshooting visa validity periods and having multiple passports will also not be available to the US diplomats forthwith.

The letter says Pakistan had undertaken every possible action to address the issue of alleged harassment, including establishing a fast-track mechanism to address any future complaints.

The letter further says the US Embassy was apprised of the mechanism on 27th of the last month, and no incident has since been reported under the new mechanism.

It says that despite that the Foreign Affairs Ministry was informed that the new travel permission regime is going to be implemented for Pakistani diplomats and officials in the United States from today.