The US consulates located in Karachi and Lahore are scheduled to restart their regular consular operations beginning July 20. The US embassy in Islamabad confirmed this development on Wednesday.
Notably, the Lahore consulate will focus on providing services to US citizens, while the Karachi consulate will handle both US citizen services and non-immigrant visa processing. Individuals seeking visas or American citizen services are encouraged to visit the official US Embassy website to initiate their applications.
These consulates had suspended all visa and US citizen services in March following violent demonstrations across Pakistan. The protests were triggered globally, including in Pakistan, after the US and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran on February 28.
During the unrest in Karachi, protesters breached the outer perimeter of the US consulate compound and caused significant property damage. The incident also involved gunfire, resulting in the deaths of at least 11 people.
In response to the security threats, the US State Department ordered the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and their families from the consulates in Karachi and Lahore. The embassy emphasized that this measure was taken to ensure the safety of diplomatic staff.
Meanwhile, in May, the US Department of State announced a phased closure of its Consulate General in Peshawar. This decision was described as part of a broader commitment to safeguarding diplomatic personnel. Responsibility for diplomatic engagement in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has since been transferred to the US Embassy in Islamabad.
