Pak, US impose restrictions on movement of diplomats

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday imposed travel restrictions on American diplomats as similar curbs on the movement of Pakistani diplomats in the United States came into effect, reflecting the heightened tensions and lack of trust between the two sides.

A Foreign Office notification issued to the US Embassy in Islamabad on Thursday said the reciprocal measures would come into effect as soon as the US restrictions are implemented. They include travel restrictions and the removal of an exemption on the scanning of US diplomatic cargo at Pakistani airports and ports.

Rules governing interaction between foreign diplomats and Pakistani officials, already communicated to the embassy, will also take effect, said the notification, a copy of which was accessed by the local media.

The notification said the decision on the restrictions was made following the recent state department move to introduce a new travel regime for Pakistani diplomats in the US.

The notification issued by the Foreign Office also announced the withdrawal of seven facilities enjoyed by US diplomats, including the use of tinted glass on official vehicles, use of non-diplomatic number plates on official vehicles, use of biometrically unverified or unregistered cell phone SIMs, installing radio communication at residences and safe houses without no-objection certificates and diplomats overshooting visa validity periods and having multiple passports.

Current US restrictions force Pakistani diplomats to stay within 25 miles of the city they are posted in.

In a separate development, the Islamabad high court ruled on Friday that US defence attaché Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, who was involved in a road accident on April 7 that caused the death of a Pakistani man, did not have “absolute immunity”. The judge ordered the interior ministry to decide within two weeks on including Hall’s name in the Exit Control List.

Hall jumped a red light and hit a motorcycle. Both riders of the motorcycle sustained injuries and one of them, 22-year-old Ateeq Baig, died. Hall escaped arrest because of his diplomatic immunity but police registered a formal complaint. The accident exacerbated diplomatic tensions between the two sides.

On April 24, the interior ministry informed the court that Hall’s name had been included in a blacklist to restrict his movements.