US to shut Peshawar consulate in Pakistan, to shift operations to Islamabad

The United States connected Wednesday announced it volition transportation retired a phased shutdown of its consulate wide successful Peshawar, citing concerns implicit the information of diplomatic unit arsenic good arsenic the request for amended allocation of resources."The US section of authorities is announcing the phased closure of the US consulate wide successful Peshawar. Responsibility for diplomatic engagement with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa volition transportation to the US embassy successful Islamabad. This determination reflects our committedness to the information of our diplomatic unit and businesslike assets management," the section said successful a statement.Even arsenic its carnal footprint successful Peshawar is reduced, Washington said it volition proceed progressive engagement with stakeholders successful Pakistan."While our carnal beingness successful Peshawar is changing, the Administration's argumentation priorities successful Pakistan stay steadfast. We volition proceed to prosecute meaningfully with the radical and officials of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to foster economical ties, beforehand determination security, and beforehand the interests of the American people," it said.The authorities section added that its embassy successful Islamabad and consulates successful Lahore and Karachi volition proceed to relation arsenic usual.

The determination follows a question of unrest successful Pakistan triggered by Israeli-US strikes connected March 1 that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Dawn News, astatine slightest 9 radical were killed successful clashes betwixt protesters and Pakistani information forces adjacent the US Consulate successful Karachi.Soon after, connected March 3, the State Department directed non-essential US authorities unit and their household members to permission its consulates successful Lahore and Karachi owed to rising information concerns.Amid escalating tensions betwixt the United States and Iran since February 28, the section had besides cautioned astir imaginable drone and rocket threats from Iran, on with imaginable disruptions to commercialized aerial travel.The advisory further underscored the hazard of violent attacks successful Pakistan, noting that extremist groups person carried retired unit peculiarly successful Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the erstwhile FATA region, portion large cities specified arsenic Karachi and Islamabad person besides seen incidents."Terrorists whitethorn onslaught without warning. They people proscription hubs, hotels, markets, malls, subject and information forces sites, airports, trains, schools, hospitals, places of worship, tourer spots, and authorities buildings," the US authorities department's anterior connection noted.