https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/blog
On Thursday, the Foreign Office rejected claims of a possible US travel ban on Pakistani citizens as “speculative,” stating that Islamabad had not received any official notice regarding such actions.
During a weekly media briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan responded to a Reuters article from the previous week, which indicated that the US, under President Donald Trump, might impose new travel restrictions on Pakistan and Afghanistan after a review of security and vetting concerns.
“This is purely speculative at this point and does not require a response,” Khan stated. “We have not received any indication of a ban affecting Pakistani nationals.”
This statement followed reports that Pakistani Ambassador to Turkmenistan, KK Ahsan Wagan, was denied entry into the US this week. The Foreign Office clarified that Wagan was traveling for personal reasons and did not qualify for diplomatic immunity. An investigation into the matter is ongoing.
Khan also mentioned that Pakistan’s foreign ministry and its embassy in Washington are in constant communication with US officials to obtain more information. On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order that called for stricter security vetting for foreigners wishing to enter the US.
The order required US cabinet members to provide a list by March 12 of countries considered to have insufficient screening processes, which could result in partial or complete travel bans.
The Reuters report further highlighted that these potential restrictions could affect tens of thousands of Afghans approved for resettlement in the US, including those holding Special Immigrant Visas who are at risk of Taliban retaliation for their assistance to the US during the two-decade conflict in Afghanistan.
