Matter of Diplomat’s Deportation from US under Investigation: FO
By Abdullah Momand
In response to media speculations regarding the deportation of a Pakistani diplomat from the United States, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said that the matter was “under investigation”.
Local media reported a day ago that “Ambassador K K Wagan was deported from the US” due to an immigration objection.
In a statement issued by the Foreign Office, the ministry said that the diplomat was travelling to the US on a private visit.
“The matter is being investigated by the foreign ministry,” it said.
Pakistan reached out to the State Department for clarity after reports of possible travel curbs being imposed on entry to the US.
Last week, a Reuters report had suggested that Pakistan may also be included on a list of countries whose citizens would be barred from entering the US, as part of the Trump administration’s tightening noose on illegal immigration.
Subsequent reporting in the New York Times suggested that Pakistanis may not face an outright ban on travel, but may undergo “more scrutiny” when applying for a visa.
“We are in contact with the State Department, but nothing has been shared yet,” Pakistan’s US Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Shaikh told Dawn last week.
Another report in Dawn states: In a separate statement, the Foreign Office confirmed the embarrassing incident of Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkmenistan K.K. Ahsan Wagan being refused entry into the United States and deported from Los Angeles.
“The officer had been travelling for a private visit. The matter is being investigated by the Foreign Ministry,” a statement attributed to spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said.
Although no explanation has been given by either side about the circumstances leading to Mr Wagan’s deportation, some officials at the Foreign Office speculated that it could be linked to his previous tenure in Los Angeles, where he had served as deputy consul general. – Dawn
The News adds:
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkmenistan KK Wagan was denied entry to the United States as authorities deported him from Los Angeles in a rare incident, The News reported on Tuesday citing diplomatic sources.
A senior foreign ministry official said: “Ambassador K K Wagan was deported from the US. He had an immigration objection which led to his deportation."
Ambassador Wagan, who holds a valid US visa and all necessary travel documents, was reportedly travelling to Los Angeles for a personal visit when he was stopped by US immigration authorities upon arrival, the sources said.
The officials then forced him to return to his last port of departure, raising concerns about diplomatic protocol and the nature of the decision…
Earlier, the sources said that the US immigration system flagged Wagan over “controversial visa references”, leading to his immediate deportation. It remains unclear what specific concerns triggered this response from American authorities.
Wagan is a seasoned diplomat with extensive experience in Pakistan’s foreign service. Over the years, he has held several key assignments, including second secretary at the Embassy of Pakistan in Kathmandu, deputy consul general at the Consulate General of Pakistan in Los Angeles, deputy head of mission/ counsellor and ambassador in Muscat, Oman, minister/ charge d’Affaires/ head of mission at the Embassy of Pakistan in Niamey, Niger, Overseas Pakistanis, Consular Affairs, and Crisis Management Unit director general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad.
Given the seriousness of the situation, Wagan is also likely to be called back to Islamabad to explain his position, sources added.
The incident has already been communicated to Pakistan’s top diplomatic leadership.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Foreign Secretary Aamna Baloch were reportedly briefed on the matter, while Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry directed its Consulate in Los Angeles to investigate the case, the sources further said.
