US deports a disconcerted Pakistan Ambassador KK Ahsan Wagan

In an embarrassing turn of events, Pakistan’s ambassador to Turkmenistan was denied entry to the United States and later deported from Los Angeles despite holding a valid visa and the required documents in what is being referred to as a “rare diplomatic incident”.

KK Ahsan Wagan, is a senior diplomat, who has held several important posts in Pakistan’s foreign service. Wagan initially served as the second secretary at the Pakistani embassy in Kathmandu, prior to being promoted as the envoy to Turkmenistan. He was also served as the deputy consul general at the Pakistani consulate in Los Angeles.

The incident transpired when US immigration authorities stopped Wagan at the Los Angeles International Airport, reported by The News. He was supposedly in LA for a vacation as reported by new outlets.

According to the report by The News, several sources were mentioned who stated that the envoy was deported as the US immigration system detected “controversial visa references”. However, the US has not provided the specific concerns that led to the envoy’s deportation.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Secretary Amina Baloch were notified about the incident. The Pakistani Foreign Affairs Ministry has instructed its consulate in Los Angeles to investigate the matter.

The report in The News has also stated that Wagan may be expected to be recalled back to Islamabad to explain the situation.

Other Pakistani media outlets have also mentioned that Wagan’s deportation may be linked to the administrative complaints from his tenure in the US and may not reflect on any diplomatic policy or ongoing issue related to the two countries. This incident also comes to light when there are speculations of the US possibly placing Pakistan under the “Orange Category” in the upcoming US travel restrictions list. This was reported by The New York Times. While Pakistani citizens will not face a complete travel ban, they may encounter stricter scrutiny when applying for US visas.

The report also indicated  that specific types of visas for Pakistani nationals could be restricted, with only business-related travel being allowed under the new category. Other countries expected to be placed under complete travel ban are Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon, while Libya, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are also at risk of being included in the restricted list.

“We are in contact with the State Department, but nothing has been shared yet,” stated Pakistan’s US Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Shaikh in regard to the NYT report. He further added that the rumours regarding a new travel ban emerged last week when reports in major US and UK newspapers stated that a draft proposal calls for a “red list” of countries whose citizens could be barred from entering the US. Additionally, he claimed that there was no certainty to what was mentioned in the news reports as nothing was declared officially. However, Wagan’s recent deportation has surely set a ripple effect across Pakistan.

Additionally, some Pakistani students studying in the US have reportedly been asked to not return home because their institutions are not sure whether they would be allowed back into the country.

According to reports, the US State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs is finalising its first draft of these restrictions, with input from security experts from various departments and intelligence agencies. Additional input from regional bureaus at the State Department and US embassies globally will also provide input in regards.

The Pakistan news outlet Dawn reported that a spokesperson from US state department confirmed that a comprehensive review of its visa programmes was in process which would swiftly come into effect. These efforts are part of an ongoing initiative to tighten border security and address illegal immigration in US.

“The Department is undertaking a full review of all visa programs as directed under this Executive Order and executing on administration priorities,” the spokesperson said, referencing President Trump’s Executive Order 1416.

“All visa applicants undergo comprehensive vetting against a wide array of classified and unclassified information held by US government agencies to verify their identity and identify any potential threats to US national security,” the spokesperson stated.

Hence the deportation of Ambassador Wagan could raise several concerns and red flags for Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office has responded to reports that its ambassador to Turkmenistan, K K Wagan, was denied entry into the United States while also confirming that the diplomat was on a private visit when he was stopped by US immigration authorities.

“The Pakistani diplomat was travelling for personal reasons, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking into the issue,” stated a spokesperson from Pakistan’s foreign ministry.

Another senior Foreign Ministry official in Islamabad also confirmed Wagan’s deportation, stating that the issue arose due to an “immigration objection.” Diplomatic sources suggest that the US immigration system flagged his entry over “controversial visa references,” but specific details remain unclear.

It is also vital to mention that Pakistan has ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025, with the number of deaths in terrorist attacks rising by 45 per cent over the past year to 1,081.

The Global Terrorism Index 2025 published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) provides a comprehensive summary of the key trends and patterns in terrorism over the last 17 years.

This is also the fifth consecutive year in which an increase in terrorism-related deaths has been recorded in Pakistan. This trend is mirrored by a rise in the number of terror attacks, which more than doubled from 517 in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024. This is the first year that attacks have exceeded 1,000 since the inception of the Index.

Also since the Gaza conflict, there is an intensified instability in the Middle East which is fuelling hate crimes in the West. Several jihadist groups and terror groups view the US as “evil” and have taken shots at berating the US and the west as an enemy to their racialized or Islamist ideologies. US support to Israel as well has not been received well by the jihadist elements. Hence it is expected for US to take the necessary pre-emptive measures to tackle security threats.