US Embassy, consulates in Pakistan pause visa operations

• Mission posted cancellation message on X, citing security situation.
• Applicants advised to monitor official channels for further updates.
• March 1 alert reported protests near Lahore, Karachi consulates.
  

The US Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulate Generals in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6, citing the current security situation.

In a notice issued to applicants, the US mission said routine visa services would remain suspended during this period.

Officials did not provide further details about the security concerns but said affected applicants would receive guidance on rescheduling their appointments.

“Due to the current security situation, the US Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6,” the US Embassy Islamabad posted on X.

The embassy advised visa applicants to monitor official channels for updates and further instructions.

The broader suspension follows an earlier decision on Sunday, when the US Mission cancelled all US visa and American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments scheduled for March 2 at its facilities in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore.

In a security alert dated March 1, the mission said it was monitoring reports of demonstrations outside the US Consulate General in Lahore and protests near the US Consulate General in Karachi.

The alert also referenced calls for additional demonstrations at the US Embassy in Islamabad and the US Consulate General in Peshawar.

As a precautionary measure, US government personnel were directed to restrict their movements until further notice.

The mission advised US citizens to monitor local news and follow personal security precautions, including staying aware of surroundings, avoiding large crowds, and keeping their Step registration up to date. 

It may be noted here that protests erupted across Pakistan on Sunday against US and Israeli strikes that martyred Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with violent clashes outside the US Consulate in Karachi, leaving multiple dead and dozens injured.

Demonstrations were also held in major cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta, where protesters clashed with law enforcement officers, who on several occasions resorted to shelling to disperse the crowds. Authorities in Islamabad imposed Section 144 and blocked routes leading to the red zone.

In Karachi, demonstrators gathered outside the US Consulate and attempted to advance towards the premises, throwing stones, after which police used shelling and other forceful measures to disperse the crowd. The unrest resulted in at least 10 fatalities and 36 injuries.