Pakistan lands in US visa freeze: Why Trump shut the door on Asim Munir despite praise and deals

Despite Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen ties with the US and praise Trump, the Trump administration has imposed an indefinite visa processing freeze on Pakistan and 74 other countries, highlighting the transactional nature of current US immigration policy.

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For months, Pakistan’s political and military leadership worked overtime to signal loyalty to Washington and, more specifically, to Donald Trump. From flattering public remarks to quiet diplomatic outreach, Islamabad appeared convinced that proximity to power in the White House would translate into tangible rewards. Instead, it has received a blunt reminder of how transactional and unforgiving Trump-era policy can be.

As American analyst Michael Kugelman noted on X, “Pakistan is among 75 countries reportedly hit with an indefinite visa processing freeze by the Trump administration. The resurgence in Pakistan’s ties with the US apparently didn’t shield it from this. Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal are also on the list.” The timing could hardly have been more humiliating.

Pakistan is among 75 countries reportedly hit with an indefinite visa processing freeze by the Trump administration. The resurgence in Pakistan’s ties with the US apparently didn’t shield it from this. Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal are also on the list.

— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) January 14, 2026

The freeze that ignored Pakistan’s overtures

The Trump administration has paused visa processing for visitors from 75 countries starting January 21, citing a reassessment of screening procedures and concerns over applicants becoming a “public charge.” The suspension, conveyed through an internal State Department memo, applies indefinitely while consular officials are instructed to deny visas under existing law.

Pakistan’s inclusion is striking because it came on the very day its top leadership lined up for US envoy Steve Witkoff’s son to preside over what was billed as a Memorandum of Understanding, not a deal, on cryptocurrency. The optics were stark. Even as Islamabad showcased access and enthusiasm, Washington shut the door.

Praise, deals and diminishing returns

In recent months, Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have gone out of their way to praise Trump, signal alignment with his worldview, and dangle economic and strategic cooperation. The message was clear. Pakistan wanted back into Washington’s good graces.

That calculation has now fallen flat. The visa pause suggests that no amount of praise or symbolic engagement can override Trump’s domestic priorities on immigration and enforcement. As State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott put it, “The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people.”

Bangladesh joins the list

Bangladesh’s inclusion only deepens the irony. Dhaka has been edging closer to Islamabad politically, even as both countries attempt to reset their standing with Washington. That alignment has brought little benefit. Instead, both now find themselves grouped among states facing one of the broadest visa suspensions of Trump’s presidency.

For Pakistan, the episode is a lesson in misplaced faith. Courting Trump may earn photo opportunities and rhetoric, but it does not buy exemptions. For Bangladesh, the message is similar. Alignment with Pakistan and gestures toward Washington have not translated into trust.

In Trump’s America, loyalty is fleeting, deals are conditional, and even the most eager suitors can be left waiting at the visa counter.