ISLAMABAD: Washington has delayed imposing travel restrictions — expected to take effect from May 1 — on Pakistan envoys at its embassy and consulates in the US.
Neither Pakistan's Foreign Office or the US State Department has issued a statement on the decision, however the delay signals that both sides are making efforts to settle their differences.
Widespread reports suggest that the US has deferred the action till mid-May to assess how bilateral issues pan out.
Pakistan conveyed its reservations to Alice G. Wells, visiting principal US deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asia, last week. It said the “reciprocal” travel restrictions would be damaging to Pakistan’s image.
“Both governments have to review this very carefully because this negatively impacts long-standing relations,” former diplomat Javed Hafiz told Arab News.
He said that Pakistan and the US had mostly enjoyed good relations, but there was a downward trajectory from 2011 after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, and the situation further deteriorated after the unveiling of Trump’s South Asia policy last August.
“The basic duty and function of a diplomat is to promote relations in any area of cooperation,” Hafiz said.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that US authorities had communicated projected travel restrictions on Pakistani diplomats in the US effective from May 1, 2018.
“We have received official communication regarding certain measures that the US intends to implement with effect from 1st of May 2018,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Dr. Mohammed Faisal said during a weekly news briefing in April.
The Foreign Office response came after Tuesday’s remarks by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon that Washington’s decision was “reciprocal” but played down the move as “common in diplomacy.”
US officials have long voiced their frustration about Islamabad’s travel restrictions on serving diplomats at the US Embassy and consulates, a State Department source told Arab News.
The restrictions stem from a growing trust deficit and a number of past incidents including the US Navy SEAL raid in 2011 that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad without Pakistan’s knowledge.
