US urges its citizens to reconsider travel to Pakistan
Pakistan
Issues travel advisory to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The United States Department of State issued a travel advisory to Pakistan, urging its citizens to reconsider travel to the country “due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.”
The Level 3 travel advisory urges American nationals to reconsider travel to Pakistan while designating a Level 4 threat for the two volatile provinces and areas near the de facto border separating the Pakistani and Indian sides of Kashmir.
“Violent extremist groups continue to plot attacks in Pakistan,” the advisory noted.
“Do not travel to Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, which include the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism,” it continued, also advising against travel to “the immediate vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.”
The advisory noted that militant groups may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist attractions, schools, hospitals, places of worship and government facilities.
It also highlighted that proscribed armed groups have targeted US diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past.
“Pakistan’s security environment remains fluid, sometimes changing with little or no notice,” the advisory said.
It warned the US government has limited ability to provide services to US citizens in KP, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir and most areas outside the major cities.
“Due to the risks, US government personnel working in Pakistan must obtain special authorization to travel to most areas outside of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi,” it added.
