Islamabad - Pakistan has imposed travel curbs on United States and other diplomats, officials said on Sunday, in the latest sign of worsening ties between the troubled allies since the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
A Western diplomatic source said the US embassy received a “diplomatic note” from the Pakistani foreign ministry last month, setting travel guidelines for diplomats outside the capital Islamabad.
The restrictions came amidst Pakistani media reports that US diplomats travelling from Islamabad were turned away from the northwestern city of Peshawar in recent weeks for not having a “no objection certificate” from the Pakistani authorities.
The US embassy spokesperson Alberto Rodriguez said the embassy was working with the government to resolve the issue, but added: “We are still travelling.” He gave no details.
Pakistan's foreign ministry said that “no US-specific restrictions have been applied” on diplomatic travel, but added it was “having a constructive engagement with the US Embassy in Islamabad in this regard”.
“There are general guidelines regarding travel of Pakistan-based diplomats, designed only to ensure their safety and security, which have existed for a long time,” it added in a statement.
Pakistan is an important ally for the United States in its fight against Islamist militancy, but relations have been on downward spiral after a CIA contractor killed two Pakistanis in January. More tensions emerged after US forces killed Bin Laden in Pakistan in May without informing Islamabad beforehand.
The United States recently suspended about a third of its $2.7-billion annual defence aid to Islamabad in a show of displeasure over Pakistan's cutbacks on US trainers, limits on visas for US personnel and other bilateral irritants.
But despite the tensions, both sides have sought to prevent a breakdown in relations.
The head of Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence visited the United States earlier in July for talks with US government and intelligence officials as well as lawmakers which both sides said very well. - Reuters