United States orders non-emergency consular staff and families to leave Karachi and Lahore
Change
The United States ordered non-emergency United States government employees and their family members at the consulates in Karachi and Lahore to depart Pakistan effective March 4, 2026, while maintaining embassy operations in Islamabad.
Why it matters
Local in-person non-emergency consular services in Karachi and Lahore will be reduced or interrupted, limiting routine visa, passport, and administrative assistance available in those cities. Organizations and planners must now operate with greater uncertainty about local support and contingency options.
Implications
- — Human resources and security teams at multinational companies and non-governmental organizations with personnel in Pakistan must relocate non-essential employees and dependents out of Karachi and Lahore or implement enhanced security and evacuation plans, otherwise staff will be left without routine consular support.
- — Corporate travel managers and procurement teams arranging travel to Pakistan must suspend non-essential trips to Karachi and Lahore until the security posture is revised, otherwise travelers risk lacking local consular assistance.
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Source
View on The Hindu