The US consulates in Lahore and Karachi are set to resume regular consular services from July 20, 2026, the US Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement on Wednesday.

The consulates will provide services to US citizens as well as process non-immigrant visa applications.

US consular services in Lahore and Karachi were suspended in March after protests turned deadly at the onset of the US-Israel war with Iran.

On March 1, 10 people were killed in Karachi when protesters clashed with law enforcement personnel near the US Consulate on Mai Kolachi Road.

Law enforcement personnel resorted to teargas shelling and baton-charge to control the situation, and US Marines were reported to have opened fire on the protestors.

Protest against the attacks on Iran also took place in Islamabad, where at least two protesters died and over 30 were injured during clashes with law enforcement personnel near the Diplomatic Enclave.

Following the protests, on March 4, the US State Department ordered non-emergency personnel from US consulates in Karachi and Lahore and their families to leave Pakistan due to security concerns.

In May, the US State Department announced the phased closure of its consulate in Peshawar, saying it would transfer operations to the embassy in Islamabad.

“The move has been under consideration for more than a year since the Trump administration began downsizing nearly all federal agencies and is not related to the Iran war,” The Independent had said at the time.

Opinion

Editorial

Kashmir unresolved
Updated 30 Sep, 2026

Kashmir unresolved

The just solution lies in India addressing the issue through a trilateral dialogue involving the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.
Water shortage
30 Sep, 2026

Water shortage

THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover...
Young hearts
30 Sep, 2026

Young hearts

THE observance may have passed, but the message of World Heart Day should not fade with it. The occasion is a useful...
Terror and politics
Updated 29 Sep, 2026

Terror and politics

There is an urgent need to tone down the rhetoric and tackle terrorism as a collective challenge for both the affected provinces and the federation.
Watching the glaciers
29 Sep, 2026

Watching the glaciers

THE latest signs from Pakistan’s mountains are worrying. Suparco says the number of unfrozen glacial lakes it...
Dangerous agenda
29 Sep, 2026

Dangerous agenda

AS the world remains fixated on the US-Iran conflict, elsewhere in the Middle East, Israel is consolidating its grip...