U.S. suspends operations at Karachi consulate

KARACHI, Pakistan -- The United States closed its consulate in the city of Karachi after local authorities reopened a street in front that Americans deemed a security risk, a U.S. official said Monday.

The consulate was closed Monday after Pakistani authorities removed large concrete blocks and reopened the road in front of the heavily guarded building to traffic.

The U.S. State Department suspended business operations at the consulate because it did not approve of the reopening, State Department spokesman Philip Reeker told reporters in Washington.

Reeker said U.S. officials were discussing the matter with local authorities in Karachi, but the consulate would remain closed until an agreement can be reached to ensure the building's safety.

Abdullan Haroon Road is a major Karachi artery that was the site of a June 14 car-bombing outside the U.S. Consulate that killed 12 Pakistanis.

The road was closed after the blast. One direction of traffic was later reopened, but the side of the road closest to the consulate remained sealed off until Monday.

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

Karachi city police chief Asad Jahangir told The Associated Press he had not heard of any specific threats to the U.S. 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 supporter of the U.S. campaign.

Even before the June attack, which also injured 50 people, security was tight. The sidewalk in front of the U.S. Consulate has been closed off by concrete blocks, as have smaller streets near the structure. More blocks and barriers have been added since the blast.

One or two Pakistani armored troop carriers have also been parked in front, and police and paramilitary rangers stand guard.

Last month, France closed its consulate building in Karachi and moved its diplomats and staff to the more heavily guarded British consulate.

Also last month, Karachi police arrested three men accused of an attempt to kill Pakistani President Musharraf in April. The same vehicle subsequently was used in the consulate bombing, police said.