The United States Embassy in Islamabad and its consulates in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6, citing the security situation.

In a notice to applicants, the US mission said routine visa services would remain suspended during this period and that affected individuals would receive instructions on rescheduling.

“Due to the current security situation, the US Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6,” the embassy said in a post on X, advising applicants to monitor official channels for updates.

The suspension follows a decision taken on Sunday to cancel all visa and American Citizen Services appointments scheduled for March 2 at facilities in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.

In a security alert issued on March 1, the mission said it was monitoring reports of demonstrations outside the US Consulate General in Lahore and protests near the US Consulate General in Karachi. 

It also referred to calls for demonstrations at the US Embassy in Islamabad and the US Consulate General in Peshawar.

Protests were held across Pakistan on Sunday following US and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Clashes were reported outside the US Consulate in Karachi, where police and protesters confronted each other.

Demonstrations also took place in the major cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta. Authorities in Islamabad imposed Section 144 and blocked routes leading to the red zone.


In Karachi, protesters gathered outside the US Consulate and attempted to move towards the premises. Police used tear gas and other measures to disperse the crowd. Officials said at least 10 people were killed and 36 injured in the unrest.