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U.S. Closes Karachi Consulate Because of Security Threats
Monday, August 5, 2002
(9:51 AM)
By Zarar Khan
Associated Press Writer

Islamic militants have threatened to strike against American interests in Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistan's support for the U.S.-led war against terror and its ongoing crackdown on Muslim extremists. Similar threats were also made after a Pakistani court handed down the death sentence to one of those convicted in the murder of U.S. reporter Daniel Pearl.

KARACHI, Pakistan -- AP
The United States has closed its consulate in the Pakistani city of Karachi because of security threats, U.S. officials said Monday.

"The consulate general has been closed for security reasons," said a spokeswoman at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. She would not say if the closure was permanent or give further details.

Consulate staff were sent home Monday morning and told to wait for instructions, said a consulate official in Karachi, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Karachi city police chief Asad Jahangir told The Associated Press he had not heard of any specific threats to the heavily guarded consulate building.

Karachi, a sprawling city of 14 million people, has seen extremist violence and anti-Western sentiment following last year's start of U.S. military operations in neighboring Afghanistan. The government of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has been a key supporter of the U.S. campaign.
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2002 © The Associated Press.

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