The Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed on Thursday the reports of a possible prohibition of travel from the United States on Pakistani citizens as “speculative”, saying that Islamabad had not received an official indication of such measures.
The spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, Shafqat Ali Khan, addressed the problem during a weekly media conference after a Reuters The report last week suggested that the United States, under President Donald Trump, could impose new travel restrictions on Pakistan and Afghanistan after a government review of security and research risks.
“From now on, all this is speculative and, therefore, does not guarantee an answer,” Khan said. “Until now, we have not given any indication of such a prohibition of the Nation of Pakistan.”
The statement came amid reports that the Pakistani ambassador to Turkmenistan Kk Ahsan Wagan was denied entry into the United States this week. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that Wagan was traveling for personal reasons and was not eligible for diplomatic immunity. The officials were investigating the incident.
Shafqat Ali Khan added that Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his mission in Washington were in regular contact with US authorities to gather more details.
On January 20, President Trump issued an executive order that demanded a stricter security investigation for foreigners seeking to enter the United States.
The order required that American cabinet officials would present a list for March 12 of the countries that are considered to have inappropriate detection measures, which could lead to partial or complete travel suspensions.
He Reuters The report also noted that potential restrictions could affect tens of thousands of Afghans who had been approved for their resettlement in the United States, including those of special immigrants visas that face Taliban remuneration risks due to their work for the United States during the two decades war in Afghanistan.
