WASHINGTON: A senior official of the Trump administration has confirmed that Pakistani diplomats cannot move freely in the US without seeking prior permission from relevant authorities in the State Department.
In an interview with Voice of America’s Uzbek service, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon said this restriction was placed in response to the same conditions Islamabad has imposed on US diplomats in Pakistan.
Shannon stressed that this is nothing new and such steps are routine matters.
Some media reports earlier this month suggested that Pakistani diplomats in the US were told to seek permission before they travel beyond certain limits.
Pakistani and Indian media had earlier reported that the Trump administration has notified Pakistani authorities that diplomats at the country’s US embassy and consulates will not be able to travel more than 40 kilometres (about 25 miles) from their posts without permission. The reports indicate the measures are expected to take effect in May.
However, both the US State Department and Pakistan’s embassy had denied such.
