State Department cites cost savings and operational efficiency; services to be shifted to Islamabad
The United States Department of State has decided that it will permanently close its consulate in Peshawar, the closest American diplomatic mission to the Afghan border.
The Independent reported that the Peshawar consulate has served as a primary operations and logistics hub before, during, and after the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan.
The State Department notified Congress of its intent to close the consulate, estimating annual savings of $7.5 million. According to the notification, the closure will not adversely affect the US’s ability to advance national interests in Pakistan. The decision has been under consideration for over a year and is unrelated to the ongoing Iran conflict, which has sparked protests in Pakistani cities, including Karachi, where US consulate operations have been temporarily suspended.
Read: US-Iran conflict: not just optics
The joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, launched on February 28, sparked protests across multiple cities and forced the US Consulate in Karachi to suspend its operations following an incident that left 11 people dead.
The Peshawar consulate employs 18 American diplomats and staff and 89 local personnel. The closure will cost approximately $3 million, with $1.8 million allocated to relocating armored trailers that served as temporary office space. Remaining funds will cover the transfer of the consulate’s motor pool fleet, electronic and telecommunications equipment, and office furniture to the US Embassy in Islamabad and consulates in Karachi and Lahore.
Due to its proximity to Kabul and the Afghan border, the consulate had been a key facility for overland travel into Afghanistan and for assisting American citizens in northwestern Pakistan, as well as Afghan nationals seeking US support.
Following the closure, consular services will be handled by the US Embassy in Islamabad, roughly 114 miles (184 kilometers) away.
Read More: US consulate in Peshawar suspends operations
The State Department said, “The closure would not adversely affect the mission’s ability to advance core US national interests, assist US citizens, or to conduct adequate oversight of foreign assistance programmes because all of those functions would continue to be performed by US Embassy Islamabad,” The Independent reported.
The decision reflects ongoing US efforts to streamline overseas operations and reduce costs while maintaining diplomatic and consular coverage in key regions.
Earlier this month, the US State Department directed non-essential staff and their families at its consulates in Karachi and Lahore to leave Pakistan over security concerns arising from the protests. Later, the US mission also announced a temporary suspension of operations at its Peshawar consulate.
