U.S. Shuts Peshawar Consulate, Transfers Services Islamabad

PESHAWAR: (Web Desk) – The U.S. State Department has announced plans to permanently close its consulate in Peshawar, which has long been America’s closest diplomatic mission to the Afghanistan border and a key hub for operations and logistics before, during, and after the 2001 invasion of the country.

Congress was formally notified of the closure this week. According to a copy of the notice obtained by The Associated Press, the move is expected to save $7.5 million annually without affecting the United States’ ability to advance its national interests in Pakistan.

The closure has been under discussion for over a year, stemming from broader downsizing efforts initiated under the Trump administration, which included cuts across federal agencies and reductions in diplomatic staffing. This decision is unrelated to the recent war in Iran, which has caused temporary suspensions of consulate operations in cities like Karachi and Peshawar amid local protests.

The Peshawar consulate currently employs 18 U.S. diplomats and officials, along with 89 local staffers. The closure will cost approximately $3 million, with $1.8 million allocated to relocating armored trailers that had served as temporary office spaces. The remainder will cover the transfer of the consulate’s motor pool, telecommunications equipment, and office furniture to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and other consulates in Karachi and Lahore.

All flight operations at Islamabad Airport remain suspended today

For decades, the Peshawar mission had served as a key staging point for overland travel into Afghanistan and as a contact hub for U.S. citizens in northwestern Pakistan and Afghan nationals seeking assistance.

The notice emphasized that consular services and other diplomatic functions will now be managed by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, located about 114 miles (184 kilometers) away, and stated: “The closure would not adversely affect the mission’s ability to advance core U.S. national interests, assist U.S. citizens, or conduct adequate oversight of foreign assistance programs because all of those functions would continue to be performed by U.S. Embassy Islamabad.”