US consulates in Lahore, Karachi set to resume consular services from July 20
Why This Matters
Key context: <p>The US consulates in Lahore and Karachi are set to resume regular consular services from July 20, 2026, the US Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement on Wednesday.</p> <p>The consulates will provide services to US citizens as well as process non-immigrant visa applications.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven media--tweet' data-original-src='https://x.com/usembislamabad/status/2074795709694369903?s=20'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/usembislamabad/status/2074795709694369903?s=20"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>US consular services in Lahore and Karachi were suspended in March after protests turned <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1977805">deadly</a> at the onset of the US-Israel <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1977402">war</a> with Iran.</p> <p>On March 1, <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1976965">10 people were killed</a> in Karachi when protesters clashed with law enforcement personnel near the US Consulate on Mai Kolachi Road.</p> <p>Law enforcement personnel resorted to teargas shelling and baton-charge to control the situation, and <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1977805">US Marines</a> were reported to have opened fire on the protestors.</p> <p>Protest against the attacks on Iran also took place in Islamabad, where at least two protesters died and over 30 were injured during clashes with law enforcement personnel near the Diplomatic Enclave.</p> <p>Following the protests, on March 4, the US State Department <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1978238">ordered</a> non-emergency personnel from US consulates in Karachi and Lahore and their families to leave Pakistan due to security concerns.</p> <p>In May, the US State Department announced the <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1997992">phased closure of its consulate in Peshawar</a>, saying it would transfer operations to the embassy in Islamabad.</p> <p>“The move has been under consideration for more than a year since the Trump administration began downsizing nearly all federal agencies and is not related to the Iran war,” <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="link--external" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/pakistan-peshawar-congress-karachi-islamabad-b2936765.html"><em>The Independent</em></a> had said at the time.</p> This development from dawn.com highlights ongoing changes in the sector.
The US consulates in Lahore and Karachi are set to resume regular consular services from July 20, 2026, the US Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement on Wednesday. The consulates will provide services to US citizens as well as process non-immigrant visa applications. US consular services in Lahore and Karachi were suspended in March after protests turned deadly at the onset of the US-Israel war with Iran. On March 1, 10 people were killed in Karachi when protesters clashed with law enforcement personnel near the US Consulate on Mai Kolachi Road. Law enforcement personnel resorted to teargas shelling and baton-charge to control the situation, and US Marines were reported to have opened fire on the protestors. Protest against the attacks on Iran also took place in Islamabad, where at least two protesters died and over 30 were injured during clashes with law enforcement personnel near the Diplomatic Enclave. Following the protests, on March 4, the US State Department ordered non-emergency personnel from US consulates in Karachi and Lahore and their families to leave Pakistan due to security concerns. In May, the US State Department announced the phased closure of its consulate in Peshawar, saying it would transfer operations to the embassy in Islamabad. “The move has been under consideration for more than a year since the Trump administration began downsizing nearly all federal agencies and is not related to the Iran war,” The Independent had said at the time.
Curation & Context
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