The Trump administration has decided to impose new restrictions on Pakistani diplomats movement in the US following a fatal traffic accident in Islamabad by the United States military attaché.
According to the new code of conduct, the movement of Pakistani diplomatic staff would be limited to a 45-kilometre radius.
Pakistani diplomatic staff would need permission from the US authorities before embarking on a journey beyond 45 kilometres from the embassy and consulates. They would also need to keep their accommodation within the 45-kilometre radius of the embassy and consulates.
The new restrictions are likely to be implemented from May 1.
The development comes only days after US defence and air attaché Col Joseph Emanuel Hall ‘s reckless driving killed a motorcyclist and injured another in Islamabad.
Col Hall was booked in a criminal case after he hit the two motorcyclists at Daman-e-Koh intersection last week. Although the diplomat was not detained because of his diplomatic immunity, the police were proceeding to get his local driving licence revoked. The capital police have also sent a letter to the Ministry of Interior, asking it to include Hall’s name in the Exit Control List (ECL). Another letter was sent to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to place the US diplomat’s name on its watch-list.
Published in Daily Times, April 11th 2018.
