US removes travel restrictions on Pak diplomats

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has announced to remove travel restrictions placed on Pakistani diplomats based in the United States over a year ago.

The State Department confirmed to The News here on Wednesday the travel controls are being removed from the Pakistani diplomatic personnel assigned to the Pakistan's Embassy in Washington DC and their dependents.

To a question, the department said: "The government of Pakistan has reciprocated with a similar measure in relation to our diplomatic personnel assigned to our Embassy and Consulates in Pakistan.” "Both sides are committed to a renewed effort to remove impediments on our respective diplomatic missions in line with international norms," the response said.

The announcement has come just weeks after Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the US, where he had lengthy meetings with President Donald Trump and other high-level officials and discussed issues of mutual concern.

Both countries had imposed movement limitations in May last year. Pakistani diplomats were asked not to travel outside of a 25-mile radius around the city without approval. The decision taken back then was a new low in relations between the two countries.