Chinese embassy in Pakistan closes consular department temporarily

China has declared that, owing to “technical challenges”, it would temporarily close the consular division of its embassy in Pakistan.

There was no precise information offered by the Chinese embassy on the nature of the difficulties, nor was a date provided for the reopening of the consular department.

For the general public’s information, the Chinese embassy announced the temporary shutdown of the consular division on its official website. According to the notice, the closure will stay in effect until additional directives are issued.

The letter states, “Due to technological challenges, the Consular Section of the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad will be temporarily closed from February 13, 2023 until further notice.”

Similarly, the Chinese government has recommended its people to exercise great caution in Pakistan owing to the country’s precarious security situation. The consulate section of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned its nationals on Saturday that they may be at danger of encountering excessive levels of security in the country.

People have been instructed to phone 051-8496167 if they need immediate help with passport and travel document issues. Applicants with more questions should send an email to islamabad@csm.mfa.gov.cn.

The Chinese government made the decision a day after the Pakistani government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting all Pakistani citizens and international nationals.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah chaired a meeting on counterterrorism and the security of foreign people in the country on February 12 in Gwadar. He urged authorities to take all feasible steps to secure the safety of Pakistani and foreign nationals.

He said that Chinese people working on different projects in Pakistan would have perfect protection, and any carelessness in this respect will not be accepted.