The first
U.S. embassy in Pakistan was established on August 15, 1947, in
Karachi, then-capital of Pakistan. When the capital was moved to
Islamabad in 1960, a new embassy was constructed there.
1979 After being
burned to the ground by
Jamaat-e-Islami extremists in 1979 following rumours of American involvement in the
Grand Mosque seizure, security at the rebuilt embassy was heightened.
Post 9/11 Security was again significantly increased in the wake of the
September 11 attacks in 2001.
2011 In 2011, the new complex began construction.
2013 On 9 August 2013, the
U.S. State Department evacuated most diplomats and all non-emergency staff from the
consulate in Lahore, and U.S. citizens were warned not to travel there due to terror concerns.
2015 In August 2015, a new embassy complex was inaugurated in the Diplomatic Enclave which would house the embassy, replacing the previous building. The complex was built at a cost of $736 million, The embassy is reported to be the second-most expensive U.S. diplomatic mission, after the
U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The embassy was designed to accommodate a staff of 2,500 people.
2025 2026 Nationwide protests erupted in Pakistan on 1 March 2026, primarily among
Shia Muslim communities, in response to the killing of
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint
US-Israeli strikes. Protestors accused the Pakistani government of siding with the US during the conflict. The protests in
Islamabad led authorities to block roads to the
Red Zone and increase security around the US Embassy. Amid calls for demonstrations, at least 3 protesters were killed near the embassy. ==Gallery==