US announces phased closure of Peshawar consulate

Dubai: The United States has announced the phased closure of its consulate in Peshawar, with diplomatic responsibilities for Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province set to shift to the US Embassy in Islamabad, according to statements from the State Department reported by Dawn and Geo News.

The State Department said the decision reflected Washington’s “commitment to ensuring the safety of diplomatic personnel and efficient resource management”.

“Responsibility for diplomatic engagement with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will transfer to the US Embassy in Islamabad,” the department said in a statement.

Despite the closure, Washington stressed that its broader policy priorities in Pakistan remained unchanged.

“While our physical presence in Peshawar is changing, the administration’s policy priorities in Pakistan remain steadfast,” the statement said.

The US said it would continue engaging with officials and communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to strengthen economic ties, promote regional security and advance bilateral interests.

“We will continue to engage meaningfully with the people and officials of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to foster economic ties, promote regional security, and advance the interests of the American people,” the statement added.

The State Department also said the US Mission to Pakistan would continue operating through its remaining diplomatic posts in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.

Annual savings

“The department, through the US Mission to Pakistan, remains dedicated to advancing the US-Pakistan relationship through our remaining diplomatic posts in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore,” it said.

According to an earlier report by The Independent cited by Dawn, the closure proposal had been under consideration for more than a year as part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to reduce the size of federal agencies and overseas operations.

The report said the State Department had informed Congress of its intent to close the consulate, estimating annual savings of around $7.5 million without significantly affecting US interests in Pakistan.

The Independent report also said the move was “not related to the Iran war”.

However, regional tensions have sharply affected US diplomatic operations in Pakistan in recent months.

Following the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran launched on February 28, protests erupted in several Pakistani cities.

In March, the US Consulate in Karachi temporarily suspended operations after protesters breached the compound’s outer wall following reports of the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during strikes on Iran.