Despite complaints of 'harassment' by U.S., surveillance of foreigners continues in Pak

Peshawar -  Law enforcers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are continuing with their surveillance of all the foreigners travelling to the troubled areas without prior permission, despite concern by  officials of foreign countries over security checks on their diplomats.
 
On the directives of the federal government, the provincial government has imposed a ban on the entry of all foreigners, including diplomats, to sensitive areas such as Malakand and Kohat  divisions as well as towns located on the Durand Line, reports The News.

"The authorities are to continue with the policy and allow only those diplomats or foreigners who have obtained prior permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to visit specific areas.

Those not having the 'no objection certificate' should be returned respectfully to Islamabad," a source said.

The U.S. State Department had recently expressed concern over stopping of its diplomats by the security forces in Peshawar and other areas of the country, terming it harassment of their  officials.

The report said the official Pakistani obstructionism and harassment has increased to the point where it is significantly impairing mission operations and programme implementation. The  document, which was issued after a February fact-finding tour of the U.S. diplomatic missions in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore, has made 32 formal recommendations for

improving the security and working conditions of the embassy staff.

Pakistan has been divided into open and prohibited areas for foreign diplomats and their families. The diplomats are only allowed to move into the prohibited areas after obtaining  permission from the concerned authorities through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.