US suspends visa service in Pakistan

[Naveed Yaseen]

WASHINGTON: The United States has suspended consular services, such as issuing visas, in Pakistan in response to a worsening security situation there, the State Department said on Thursday. “I think we are taking the steps in response to the security environment in Pakistan,” State Department spokesman Robert Wood said.

A State Department official said that there had been “a number of threats” against American interests in the country but did not elaborate. “There’s a lot of chatter going on and we’re obviously very worried about it,” he said. Wood said there was no connection between the suspension of US consular services on Thursday and an incident on Thursday in which the Pentagon said US helicopters in Afghanistan were fired on from a Pakistani military checkpoint along the border.

“We just had the attack on the Marriott hotel ... it’s of great concern,” Wood told reporters. “Therefore we have to look at our security posture and take those measures that we think are necessary.”

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