ISLAMABAD: Islamabad has imposed travel restrictions and stripped certain privileges from US diplomats and staff in retaliation for sanctions imposed by Washington on Pakistan’s envoys, the Foreign Office confirmed on Thursday.
Spokesman Dr. Mohammed Faisal told a weekly press briefing: “The restrictions will be implemented on 11 May and these will be on a reciprocal basis.”
From Friday, Pakistani envoys will be restricted from traveling more than 40 kilometers (25 miles) as the measures become implemented.
US had delayed its decision earlier to impose the limits in the hope of resolving the issue.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry informed the US embassy through a formal notice on Thursday that “in case the travel permission regime for Pakistani diplomats/officials is implemented by the State Department, Pakistan would be obliged to take reciprocal actions,” which would take effect on May 11. A copy of the notice has been obtained by Arab News.
The US said it was imposing travel restrictions as a retaliatory measure for restrictions imposed on US diplomats, which Pakistan has continually denied imposing.
In future, diplomatic cargo of US officials will be subject to scanning at all entry ports “strictly in accordance with the provision of article 27 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.”
This copy obtained by Arab News shows a formal notice that was sent by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry to the US embassy on May 10, 2018.
Privileges that Pakistan has now revoked from US diplomats and staff include: Permission to use tinted glass on embassy or rented vehicles, use of non-diplomatic registration plates, diplomatic registration plates on rental or unspecified cars, use of anonymous cellphone SIMs without biometric verification, renting or moving to a property without prior warning and approval, installing radio communication devices without clearance, and overstaying the visa duration and using multiple passports.
A US embassy spokesperson declined to comment when questioned by Arab News on the matter.
“In my opinion, this is not the right decision. Both countries have to come close to each other,” said outgoing Pakistani Ambassador to the US, Aizaz Chaudhry speaking to Voice of America’s Urdu service on Thursday. “Measures like these do not help us to that end.”
Chaudhry explained without going into specific details that there may be other reasons behind the drastic steps taken by the estranged allies.
Relations soured with Washington’s unveiling of its South Asia and Afghan policy last August. Since then differences over bilateral interests has torn the fabric a once strong partnership.
“The basic duty and function of a diplomat is to promote relations, may it be any area of cooperation, and for that the diplomat has to travel all over,” career diplomat Javed Hafiz told Arab News. “Both governments have to review this very carefully because this negatively impacts long-standing relations.”
Pakistan said that it has taken “every possible action” to address harassment and other complaints lodged by the embassy. It has also said that no travel controls on US Embassy officials’ movement within the country had been imposed except prohibited, restricted, or sensitive areas taking security and safety of the diplomats in consideration.
However, Dr. Faisal stressed that “negotiations are ongoing between the two sides” to find a diplomatic solution to the matter.
Attachments: Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry’s formal notice, which was sent to the US embassy on Thursday.
