Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bhutan are part of 41 nations that might encounter a travel ban to the United States as the Donald Trump administration begins to tackle illegal immigration, based on a draft obtained by Reuters.
Officials mentioned that the restrictions would be wider than the constraints enforced in Trump’s initial term, when he prohibited entry for travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
A draft list of suggestions from security officials places Pakistan among 26 nations that may undergo a partial halt in US visa grants if the government led by Shehbaz Sharif does not act to address “deficiencies within 60 days.”
Other nations in this category are Turkmenistan, Belarus, Bhutan, and Vanuatu, which recently gained attention after fugitive and former IPL chairman Lalit Modi asserted he had obtained citizenship there.
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Earlier this week, the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan referred to the travel ban reports as “speculative.” Foreign Office representative Shafqat Ali Khan emphasized that Pakistan has not been given any formal notice of such restrictions.
“As of now, this is all speculative and hence does not warrant a response,” Khan said.
The recent tension between the US and Pakistan arises just days after the Pakistani ambassador to Turkmenistan, KK Ahsan Wagan, was refused entry into the US this week and was later deported from Los Angeles.
Although the US has not provided a particular explanation, reports indicated that Wagan was deported due to the US immigration system identifying “contentious visa references.”
According to the draft, a “red list” of 10 countries has been established, whose nationals would experience a total visa suspension. The countries are Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
The suggested limitations on an additional group of five nations – Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan – will affect tourist and student visas along with other immigration visas, albeit with certain exceptions.
On his inaugural day in office on January 20, Trump enacted an executive order mandating thorough screening of all foreigners applying to enter the US to identify potential security risks.
