Karachi's US Consulate to Reopen After Months of Closure Following Deadly Protests
For thousands of Karachiites awaiting visas or consular assistance, the announcement that the US Consulate will reopen its doors is long-overdue and deeply welcome news.
🇺🇸 Consulate Reopening Follows Months of Suspension After Fatal Protests
The US Embassy in Islamabad announced that its consulates in Karachi and Lahore would resume regular operations from July 20, ending a closure that began in March following violent anti-American protests. The unrest erupted after US-Israeli strikes on Iran resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting demonstrators to breach the outer perimeter of the Karachi consulate. US Marine Security Guards opened fire during the incident, and local officials reported that at least ten protesters were killed. An embassy official issued a warning through a video message advising applicants not to pay external sources for visa appointments, directing them instead to the embassy's official website. [4]
📋 Services to Include Visa Processing and US Citizen Assistance
The US Embassy confirmed that the Karachi consulate would offer both non-immigrant visa processing and US citizen services upon its reopening on July 20, while the Lahore mission would provide US citizen services. The consulates had been shut since March 5, when the US ordered non-emergency staff to leave Lahore and Karachi citing safety risks, while also authorising departures from missions in Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and Oman. The US State Department additionally announced a phased closure of the US Consulate General in Peshawar, transferring its diplomatic responsibilities for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to the US Embassy in Islamabad. The reopening marks a significant step toward normalising diplomatic relations between the two countries. [5]
🗓️ Dawn Reports Official Confirmation of July 20 Restart Date
Dawn independently confirmed the US Embassy's announcement that consular services at both the Karachi and Lahore missions would resume from July 20. The report noted that the suspension had been in place for several months due to the security situation that developed in the aftermath of anti-American protests across Pakistan. The resumption of services is expected to clear a significant backlog of visa applications and citizen service requests that accumulated during the closure period. The news was welcomed by many Karachi residents who had faced delays in travel plans and other consular matters. [3]
Sources: [4] The Express Tribune · [5] The Express Tribune · [3] Dawn