Islamabad : A row with US following the imposition of travel
restrictions on American diplomats in Pakistan has been resolved, it
was reported here.
Pakistan had imposed travel restrictions on US diplomats, following
which Washington had hinted that Pakistani diplomats in the US could be
hit with similar restrictions.
Sources told Dawn that Islamabad has now given the US Embassy blanket "no-objection certificates" for their diplomats.
US planned to impose the restrictions from Aug 1. However, it has now been amicably resolved, said sources.
"Although the dispute has been resolved, some issues remain and it
could become problematic in future," a diplomat was quoted as saying.
Pakistan's foreign ministry had in June asked all diplomats to get
permission in advance to travel outside Islamabad. It also applied to
US diplomats who needed permission to travel to cities even where the
US has consulates.
US Ambassador Cameron Munter was stopped at Islamabad airport July 28 when he was to board a plane for Karachi.
"He was asked about this (no-objection) certificate, didn't have it
with him, but was allowed to board the plane and return to Islamabad
without incident," said State Department spokesman Mark Toner.
There had also been an incident last week in which US diplomats were
not allowed to travel between Islamabad and Peshawar, Toner said,
adding that this problem had been solved too. IANS
