Pakistani Diplomat Refused Entry in US, Deported
NEW DELHI, Mat 11: In a major embarrassment for Pakistan, a senior diplomat – Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkmenistan, was denied entry into the United States despite having a valid visa and other necessary documents.
According to Pakistani media reports, KK Ahsan Wagan was reportedly heading to Los Angeles on a vacation when he was denied entry by US immigration officials on his arrival in Los Angeles and promptly deported.
Quoting an unnamed official in the Pakistan foreign ministry, the report said the envoy had an “immigration objection.” Mr Wagan, a seasoned diplomat, was on a personal trip to Los Angeles. The report said he had a valid US visa and other travel documents.
Immigration authorities stopped Mr Wagan after he arrived in Los Angeles with officials flagging concerns over diplomatic protocol. The US officials flagged “controversial visa references” of Mr Wagan, though there is no clarity over the specific concerns, the report said citing diplomatic sources. He was then asked to return from where he had arrived in Los Angeles.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other top officials have been briefed on the issue, according to the report. Mr Wagan is likely to be summoned to Islamabad to give an explanation over the incident. Media reports said Pakistan foreign office has confirmed Mr Wagan was on a private visit to Los Angeles and that the matter is being thoroughly investigated.
The incident, a major cause of embarrassment for Islamabad, comes to the spotlight almost a week after reports that the US administration under President Donald Trump might soon announce travel restrictions on Pakistan, potentially limiting the entry of its citizens into the United States.
Wagan, an experienced diplomat, has served in several key roles within Pakistan’s foreign services. Before becoming the envoy to Turkmenistan, he worked as the second secretary at Pakistan’s embassy in Kathmandu and later as the deputy consul general at the Los Angeles consulate.
(Manas Dasgupta)
