US Revokes Muttaqi’s Travel Exemption to Pakistan

DID Press: The US has revoked the travel exemption of Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister of Afghanistan’s caretaker government, preventing him from visiting Pakistan, reported Pakistani media outlets.

According to Pakistani media outlets, the U.S. refused to grant the required travel exemption for Muttaqi, thereby cancelling his planned visit to Islamabad.

Dawn newspaper reported that Muttaqi was scheduled to travel to Islamabad on August 4 to hold talks with Pakistani officials on bilateral relations and regional issues.

Shafaqat Ali Khan, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded to the development, saying that certain “procedural matters” were underway and will be resolved.

“No official date had been set for this visit, so it cannot be described as a cancellation or a postponement,” he added.

Pakistani diplomatic sources said that because Muttaqi is under international sanctions, any foreign trip requires the approval of the UN Security Council’s Sanctions Committee.

The United States, which plays a key role in this committee, ultimately opposed granting the exemption after repeated delays