ISLAMABAD – In a letter addressed to the Embassy of the United States ofAmerica, Pakistan Foreign Office said the decision to impose restrictionson US diplomts had been taken in the aftermath of the recent StateDepartment decision to introduce a new travel regime for Pakistanidiplomats and their dependents. Pakistan will impose restrictions w.e.f May11, the FO said.

The measures listed in the document are:

. Introducing a similar travel permission for US embassy/consulate staff inPakistan.

. Treating US diplomatic cargo at Pakistani airports and ports strictly inaccordance with the provisions of Article 27 of the Vienna Convention onDiplomatic Relations (which does not provide an exemption from scanning).

. Implementing strictly the rules (already shared with the embassy on 27April 2018) governing interaction between Pakistan government officials andforeign diplomats.

– Use of tinted glass on official vehicles and rented transport. – Use of non-diplomatic number plates on official vehicles. – Use of diplomatic number plates on unspecified/rented vehicles. – Use of biometrically unverified/unregistered cell phone SIMs. – Hiring or shifting of rented properties without prior NOC. – Installing radio communication at residences and safe houses without prior NOC. – Overshooting visa validity periods and having multiple passports.

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon saidearlier in April that ‘reciprocal’ travel restrictions will be imposed onPakistani diplomats in the US. In an exclusive interview with Voice ofAmerica’s Uzbek Service, Shannon said: “Our diplomats are under travelrestrictions. They can travel further [than 40 kilometres], but they haveto notify the government of Pakistan. It’s very common in diplomacy”.