Pakistan has firmly rejected reports of U.S. visa restrictions, dismissing them as baseless speculation.
During a weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan clarified that claims regarding U.S. travel bans were unfounded.
“The U.S. State Department and our Foreign Office have already refuted these claims as mere speculation,” he said.
Similarly, on Wednesday, the U.S. State Department denied reports suggesting that Washington was preparing a list to impose new visa restrictions on multiple countries, including Pakistan.
Earlier, an alleged draft list surfaced, reportedly identifying 41 countries—including Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran—categorized into three groups, each facing varying degrees of travel restrictions. According to a memo cited by Reuters, the proposed measures include a complete visa suspension for certain nations, such as Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea.
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Meanwhile, Pakistan and the United States held discussions on consular matters on Wednesday. The Foreign Office confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting to review bilateral cooperation on consular affairs.
The meeting was attended by U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker, along with senior officials from Pakistan’s foreign and interior ministries.
