• Ambassador reportedly travelling to LA for personal visit
• Immigration system flags envoy on “controversial visa references”.
• Wagan likely to be called back to Islamabad to explain his position.

ISLAMABAD: The United States denied entry to Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkmenistan K K Wagan and deported him from Los Angeles in a rare and unusual incident, The News reported this morning citing diplomatic sources. 

“Ambassador K K Wagan was deported from the US. He had an immigration objection which led to his deportation,” a senior foreign ministry official said.

Ambassador Wagan, who holds a valid US visa and all necessary travel documents, was reportedly travelling to Los Angeles for a personal visit when he was stopped by US immigration authorities upon arrival, sources had said.

The officials then forced him to return to his last port of departure, raising concerns about diplomatic protocol and the nature of the decision.

Foreign Office later confirmed on Tuesday that the officer had gone to the US on a private visit. The FO spokesperson said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was looking into the matter of the envoy’s deportation from the US and an investigation was underway.

The spokesperson also advised to avoid any speculation in this regard, saying that the matter was being thoroughly investigated.

Earlier, the sources said that the US immigration system flagged Wagan over “controversial visa references,” leading to his immediate deportation. It remains unclear what specific concerns triggered this response from American authorities.

Wagan is a seasoned diplomat with extensive experience in Pakistan’s foreign service. Over the years, he has held several key assignments, including second secretary at the Embassy of Pakistan in Kathmandu, deputy consul general at the Consulate General of Pakistan in Los Angeles, deputy head of mission/ counsellor and ambassador in Muscat, Oman, minister/ charge d’Affaires/ head of mission at the Embassy of Pakistan in Niamey, Niger, Overseas Pakistanis, Consular Affairs, and Crisis Management Unit director general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad. 

Given the seriousness of the situation, Wagan is also likely to be called back to Islamabad to explain his position, sources added.

The incident has already been communicated to Pakistan’s top diplomatic leadership. 

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Foreign Secretary Aamna Baloch were reportedly briefed on the matter, while Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry directed its Consulate in Los Angeles to investigate the case, sources had said.