U.S. suspends Peshawar consulate operations, redirects services to Islamabad

Effective March 2, the U.S. Consulate General in Peshawar has temporarily suspended operations," the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said, redirecting all routine and emergency consular services for American citizens to the embassy in Islamabad. The suspension follows widespread disruptions around U.S. diplomatic facilities amid protests and related road blockages that have hampered movement and raised security concerns.

The embassy said that "due to continued disruptions and traffic diversions around the U.S. Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore, both have canceled all appointments for U.S. visas and American Citizen Services on Tuesday, March 3." It also cautioned that "the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore continue to limit movements for all U.S. government personnel throughout the country." The mission advised U.S. citizens to "monitor local news, observe good personal security practices, including being aware of your surroundings, avoiding large crowds, and ensuring your STEP registration is up to date."

Operational impacts are immediate. With Peshawar closed, consular casework from the northwest will be handled out of Islamabad, where the embassy said it will "continue to provide all routine or emergency consular services for U.S. citizens." Karachi and Lahore have canceled in-person appointments, a move that will likely create backlog and travel disruption for hundreds of visa applicants and American residents who depend on in-person services for passports, notarial work and emergency assistance. The embassy provided contact numbers and emails for assistance: U.S. Embassy Islamabad +(92) (51) 201 4000, ACSIslamabad@state.gov; U.S. Consulate General Karachi +(92) (21) 3527 5000, ACSKarachi@state.gov; U.S. Consulate General Lahore +(92) (42) 3603 4000, ACSLahore@state.gov. The State Department consular lines in the United States are +(1) 888-407-4747 or +(1) 202-501-4444.

Security reporting across Pakistani and regional outlets tied the disruptions to large demonstrations and clashes. IndiaToday reported that "protests spread across Pakistan on Sunday after the United States and Israel confirmed the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with over 35 people reported dead and dozens injured nationwide." That casualty figure and the alleged linkage to Khamenei’s death appear in IndiaToday’s coverage and have not been confirmed by the U.S. Embassy; journalists and officials note those claims should be treated as reported by that outlet.

For U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, immediate consequences include canceled appointments, longer waits for visa interviews and constrained access to emergency services in Peshawar. Commercial implications may follow: restricted consular operations can delay business travel, expatriate rotations and investor movement at a time when firms depend on predictable visa processing for project staffing. Travel advisories and movement restrictions for U.S. personnel also signal heightened risk that could deter some short-term visits by diplomats and private-sector representatives.

The embassy urged Americans in Pakistan to avoid large gatherings, keep a low profile and maintain STEP registration for updates. Journalists and affected applicants are advised to confirm appointment statuses via embassy channels and to note a discrepancy in reporting: while the embassy lists cancellations for March 3 and Peshawar suspension effective March 2, some outlets earlier reported appointment cancellations as occurring on March 2. The embassy remains the authoritative source for operational status and updates.