Pakistan’s security agencies and the Foreign Ministry have opposed the setting up of an American consulate in Balochistan over security concerns, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. As per reports, US Ambassador Cameron Munter was making efforts for setting up a consulate in Balochistan. Munter visited Quetta on Thursday and said Balochistan was extremely important to the US.
The US has long been willing to open a consulate in Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, but the move has been opposed by Pakistani security agencies and the Foreign Ministry. The Foreign Ministry has sent its report to the Interior Ministry about its reservations and concerns over the US consulate in Balochistan and security agencies were also not giving the required clearance despite fresh moves by the incumbent US ambassador. American media reported on several occasions that the proposed consulate was likely to have a sizable CIA presence.
Apart from espionage worries, the security agencies had also expressed security concerns about the presence of an American diplomatic facility in Balochistan.