USA may impose travel restrictions on Pakistani diplomats as tit for tat reaction to restrictions imposed by Pakistan on the movement of US diplomats. They weren’t allowed to enter Peshawar without a “no objection certificate” and even US Ambassador Cameron Munter was questioned at Islamabad airport while he was travelling to Karachi.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry Ms Hina Rabbani Khar maintains that there is nothing unusual in monitoring the movement of the members of corps of diplomat and “no US specific restrictions have been applied.”
There are general guidelines regarding travel of Pakistan based diplomats, designed only to ensure their safety and security, which existed for a long time. As per rules any diplomat desirous to move out of Islamabad needs to seek “no objection certificate.”
The government of Pakistan is justified in stringently implementing the rule, especially since American diplomat were found involved in espionage activities. Raymond Davis incident eroded trust between the two countries and their intelligence and military organisations while unilateral raid to assassinate Osama bin Laden at Abbottabad completely discrediting Pakistan’s defence forces.
It was tantamount to ditching Pakistan, their first line ally in the WoT. Under such circumstances, this is the least that government and security agencies of the country can do.
Pakistani diplomats serving in the USA are not involved in any illegal or espionage related activities. They move around to discharge their routine duties. Imposing restrictions on their movements on the basis of reciprocity will have negligible effects as far as their functioning is concerned.
Rather, it may serve as a blessing in disguise as they will get more time in office to concentrate on resolving core diplomatic issues. Nevertheless, such a step will further strain relations between the two countries.
ZARIN KHAN
Rawalpindi