DID Press: United States has permanently closed its consulate in Peshawar, transferring all diplomatic and consular responsibilities for Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the US Embassy in Islamabad, in a move previously attributed to security concerns and cost-saving measures.
The US government announced on Friday that the US Consulate General in Peshawar has been permanently closed, with all services and diplomatic responsibilities for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa now handled by a dedicated office at the US Embassy in Islamabad.
In a statement posted on the consulate’s official X account, US officials said the mission’s social media channels would also be discontinued, directing the public to follow the official accounts of the US Embassy in Islamabad for updates and consular information.
While the consulate’s announcement did not specify the reason for the closure, the US Department of State had previously cited security concerns as the primary factor behind the decision. The department also informed Congress that closing the mission would save approximately $7.5 million annually.
The Peshawar consulate had been the closest US diplomatic mission to Afghanistan, serving as an important point of contact for American citizens in northwestern Pakistan as well as Afghans seeking US assistance and consular services.