The Lahore US consulate is only ‘partially’ opened for local employees after more than a year has passed since was shut down over security reasons, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The consulate was shut over security threats August last year when authorities put it up on its website that it was shutting. The US authorities feared threats from several terrorist groups to US citizens working in Pakistan.
It further demanded from the Punjab government to build a security wall and new gates around the consulate building at the Shimla Pahari. Initially, it was alleged that the Punjab government was not complying with the detail of the security demands put up by the consulate. However, newly built gates and a boundary wall have been constructed. This was also confirmed by a Home department official on the condition of anonymity that all the demands have been met and now the decision is for the US authorities to open it again.
Sources on good authority revealed that the office has opened ‘partially’ only for the local employees and not for the US employees.
“It can be said that the consulate is open only when the actual heads, which are the US officials, join their seats and proper work resumes. Right now only some officials have joined office after the break and not all of them,” the sources said.
They further informed that the entire building is being renovated to make its security foolproof against any untoward incident.
“Once that is ready the building will open,” sources said.
Public Affairs Officer Rachael Chen said the consulate was shut last year over security reasons and the entire staff will move to Lahore only when the building is complete. To a question, she said, “I can’t comment on any particular correspondence between the consulate and the Punjab government but the two sides have been cooperating. The Pakistani authorities have responded to our security concerns and we appreciate their response,” she added. She said that she cannot give a timeline of when the consulate will open or comment on the detail of exact renovation plan.
