US to Permanently Close Peshawar Consulate

The United States plans to permanently close its consulate in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, a diplomatic mission that long served as Washington’s closest outpost to the Afghan border and a key hub for operations during and after the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan.

The US Department of State informed Congress this week of its decision to shut down the facility, according to a notification obtained by Associated Press. Officials said the move would save approximately 7.5 million dollars annually while not affecting Washington’s ability to advance its national interests in Pakistan.

The consulate had historically played a strategic role in US diplomatic and logistical operations related to Afghanistan, particularly before, during and after the United States invasion of Afghanistan.

According to the report, the decision follows more than a year of internal review as the administration of Donald Trump continues efforts to scale back operations across several federal agencies.

Officials said the closure is unrelated to the ongoing conflict with Iran, which has sparked protests in several Pakistani cities, including Karachi and Peshawar. During the demonstrations, US consulates in those cities temporarily suspended operations for security reasons.