ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan on Thursday rejected reports of a US travel ban on Pakistani nationals as “speculative,” saying that Islamabad had received no such indication so far.
A Reuters report last week, citing sources, suggested that a new travel ban under US President Donald Trump could bar travelers from Afghanistan and Pakistan based on a government review of security and vetting risks.
Amid the speculation, Pakistani Ambassador to Turkmenistan K.K. Ahsan Wagan was detained and denied entry into the US this week. However, the Foreign Office clarified that he was traveling for personal reasons, was not eligible for diplomatic immunity and that officials were looking into the matter.
“As of now, this is all speculative and hence does not warrant a response,” Khan said in response to a question at the weekly media briefing.
“So far we have not been given any indication of such a ban on the Pakistan nation.”
He added the foreign ministry and Pakistan’s mission in Washington were in constant contact with relevant US authorities to obtain further details on the matter.
On Jan. 20, Trump issued an executive order mandating intensified security vetting for foreigners seeking admission to the US.
The order instructed US cabinet members to submit a list by March 12 of countries from which travel should be partially or fully suspended due to inadequate vetting and screening information.
The Reuters report also said the new ban could affect tens of thousands of Afghans who had been cleared for resettlement in the US as refugees or on Special Immigrant Visas, adding these people were at risk of Taliban retribution for working for the US during a 20-year war in their home country.
 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan urged the international community on Thursday to bring an end to Israel’s “genocidal campaign” against Palestinians in Gaza while calling for it to be held accountable for its “war crimes.”
Israel’s war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, and continued until an uneasy ceasefire was brokered earlier this year in January. The war completely devastated the Palestinian territory, with Israeli military attacks destroying houses, schools and hospitals, leading to more than 48,000 deaths.
Pakistan is among the countries that have raised concerns about the potential resumption of hostilities between Hamas and Israel.
“The international community must step in to end Israel’s genocidal campaign against Palestinians in Gaza,” foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said during his weekly press briefing.
“We also urge the international community to hold Israel accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Khan condemned Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid, the disruption of Gaza’s electricity supply and the ongoing assault, which has led to the tragic loss of lives, including women and children.
Calling Israel’s actions to dismantle humanitarian agencies “unacceptable,” he said preventing aid agencies from carrying out their tasks was a “manifestation of Israel’s systematic campaign to weaponize humanitarian aid and dehumanize Palestinians.”
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar attended the extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, where he reiterated his country’s support for the Palestinian cause and condemned a recent American proposal to permanently displace the residents of Gaza, stressing the need for a two-state solution for lasting peace.
Israeli officials confirmed on Sunday they had cut off Gaza’s electricity, impacting a desalination plant that provides drinking water, with Hamas denouncing it as part of Israel’s “starvation policy.”
Pakistan, which does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, has consistently called on the United Nations to enforce resolutions supporting a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Pakistan advocates for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.