US denies Visa to Pakistan's deputy chairman Senate

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan has cancelled the planned visit of its senators to the United States after the Trump administration denied visa to the country's deputy chairman Senate, an official said on Saturday.

Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, the deputy chairman Senate, and the secretary general of the country's one of the largest Islamic parties, Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI), was scheduled to leave for New York to attend a UN sponsored conference while leading a two-member Senate delegation on Feb. 10, Asad Murwat, a spokesman for the Senate told Anadolu Agency.

The move coincides with a US federal appeals court's judgment refusing to reinstate President Donald Trump's ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations, which did not include Pakistan.

Reacting to the Trump administration's decision, the Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani has cancelled a visit of Pakistani senators to Washington, Murwat said.

The US embassy, however, has issued visa to another Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi without citing reasons for denying visa to Mr. Haidri.

"No delegation, member of Congress or diplomats of the USA will be welcomed by the Senate of Pakistan, Senate's standing committees and the senators in their official capacity till this issue is resolved," a statement from the Senate said on Saturday.

The US embassy spokeswoman, Sharlina Hussain Morgan told Anadolu Agency: "We don't comment on individual visa cases."

*Reporting by Aamir Latif; Writing by Ayse Humeyra Atilgan