In recent months, political and security stability in Pakistan and areas under the control of its military have become increasingly tense and problematic.
Amid these growing challenges, the United States has decided to close its consulate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to security concerns. The U.S. State Department said the decision was made to ensure the safety of diplomats and improve the effective management of resources.
According to the ministry’s statement, diplomatic responsibilities will gradually be transferred to the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, for better security and resource management.
The U.S. State Department stated:
“We will continue our important diplomatic work in cooperation with the people and authorities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We will strengthen our economic ties there and contribute to improving security. We are committed to remaining close to and cooperative with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
Earlier reports had also suggested that the United States would completely shut down its consulate in Peshawar due to worsening insecurity. Meanwhile, political observers believe that if security incidents continue to increase in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, other countries may also be forced to take similar measures.
Former diplomat Aziz Maarij said:
“Whenever internal crises and certain issues arise, they sometimes do it deliberately. For example, once the (Baloch) rose up and unrest broke out, they used that moment to position certain things for Iran, but now everything is calm and under control. Sometimes the Pashtuns also rise up. Unfortunately, these kinds of games mostly take place in Pashtun and Baloch areas, while Sindh and Punjab remain largely untouched.”
Political analyst Idris Mohammadi Zazi said:
“Across Pakistan, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security is worsening day by day, ethnic groups are becoming divided, and the gap between the government and the people is growing. This is something Asim Munir and others must acknowledge.”
Observers say that although the U.S. described the move as part of effective resource management, the real reason is the deteriorating security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This comes as insecurity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and across Pakistan has increased dramatically over the past several years, with deadly attacks on Pakistani military personnel becoming more frequent.
Military affairs analyst Akhtar Mohammad Rasikh said:
“Pakistan presents itself to the world as a victim of terrorism, but the fundamental issue is that it has itself produced and trained terrorists. This is part of its strategy to keep the region unstable.”
It is worth mentioning that on Tuesday, a religious scholar named Maulana Mohammad Idris was shot dead by armed men in Peshawar, and later the ISIS group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Meanwhile, members of several political parties in Pakistan criticized the government and described the country’s current policies—based on financing and equipping militancy—as the main cause of the growing insecurity.
