Pakistan's ambassador to Turkmenistan was denied entry to the United States and deported from Los Angeles despite holding a valid visa and all legal travel documents in a rare diplomatic incident. KK Ahsan Wagan was heading to Los Angeles on a vacation when US immigration authorities stopped him at the airport, according to a report in The News.

The report quoted sources as saying that the envoy was deported as the US immigration system detected "controversial visa references". However, the US has not provided the specific concerns that led to the envoy's deportation.

"Ambassador KK Wagan was deported from the US. He had an immigration objection which led to his deportation," a Pakistani Foreign Ministry official said.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and secretary Amina Baloch were informed of the incident. The Pakistani Foreign Affairs Ministry has instructed its consulate in Los Angeles to investigate the matter.

The report said Wagan was likely to be called back to Islamabad to explain the situation.

Wagan, a seasoned diplomat, has held several key posts in Pakistan's foreign service. Before being elevated as the envoy to Turkmenistan, Wagan served as the second secretary at the Pakistani embassy in Kathmandu. He was also the deputy consul general at the Pakistani consulate in Los Angeles.

Pakistani media quoted sources as saying that the incident was not linked to any diplomatic policy or ongoing issue related to the two nations. Sources said administrative complaints from Wagan's tenure in the US might have been behind the decision tp deny him entry.

Last week, Reuters reported that the Donald Trump administration would soon announce a new travel ban on Pakistan that could restrict entry for its nationals into the United States.

Source: India Today