Pakistan on Friday announced that US diplomats serving in the country would no longer be allowed special privileges that provided them exceptional security cover. Announcing a set of “tit for tat measures” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan said that special features such as biometrically unverified mobile numbers, use of tinted glasses and several such privileges would be withdrawn with immediate effect after the US State Department imposed travel restrictions on Pakistani diplomats serving in the US territories.
“..this ministry has been informed that the new travel permission regime for Pakistani diplomats/officials in the US would be implemented from 11 May 2018. In case travel permission regime for Pakistani diplomats/officials is implemented by the State Department, Pakistan would be obliged to take reciprocal actions with effect from 11 May 2018,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a detailed announcement.
The new travel restrictions would impose a travel permission regime for the US Embassy/Consulate staff in Pakistan and will disallow scanning-free cargo service for the US officials at the airports. Terminating the special treatment for US diplomats, the Ministry said that they would no longer be allowed to use tinted glass on official vehicles, non-diplomatic number plates on official vehicles, and diplomatic number plates on rented vehicles.
That apart, Pakistan said that US diplomats who used biometrically unverified and unregistered cell phones in the country would not be allowed this privilege any more. The set of withdrawal is likely to render US diplomats and security officials vulnerable to greater surveillance from the Pakistani authorities.
