ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member of the National AssemblyShireen Mazari demanded bringing the number of US diplomats in Pakistanequal to that of Pakistani officials in the United States.
“Only as many Americans should be allowed here as the number of Pakistanidiplomats deployed in the United States,” Mazari said, while speaking onthe floor of the House.
She noted that a large number of US nationals had been working withdifferent NGOs and United States Agency for International Development(USAID) in Pakistan, and called for their expulsion from the country.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Aizaz Chaudhry confirmed that,from today, Pakistani diplomatic staff and their families would needpermission at least five days in advance, if they needed to travel outsideof the imposed 25-mile radius in the US.
Pakistan responded in kind to the travel restrictions with the ForeignOffice unveiling a set of changes in the government’s dealing with USdiplomats in the country.
Starting today, the Foreign Office said, American diplomats will also haveto take prior permission for travelling — something which was earlier doneonly in special cases. It said the US diplomats would not be afforded theluxury of ‘fast-track’ luggage clearance at airports, would not be allowedto have more than one passport, and would stay in the country, strictly, asper their visa dates.
The Foreign Office further said the diplomats will not be allowed to usetinted glass on their vehicles, which was allowed as a protection measure,and diplomatic license plates on unauthorised vehicles.