World News | Reconsider Travel to Pakistan Due to Terrorism and Sectarian Violence: US to Its Citizens
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. In view of the ongoing political turmoil in Pakistan, the United States on Tuesday asked its citizens to reconsider travel to the country due to terrorism and sectarian violence.
Washington, Apr 5 (PTI) In view of the ongoing political turmoil in Pakistan, the United States on Tuesday asked its citizens to reconsider travel to the country due to terrorism and sectarian violence.
The State Department in its latest travel advisory placed Pakistan on “Level 3” of travel.
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In its advisory, the United States asked its citizens not to travel to Balochistan province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism and kidnapping.
It also asked its citizens not to travel immediate vicinity of the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.
“Terrorist groups continue plotting attacks in Pakistan. A local history of terrorism and ongoing ideological aspirations of violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilians as well as local military and police targets,” it said.
“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist locations, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and government facilities. Terrorists have targeted US diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past,” said the travel advisory.
Terrorist attacks continue to happen across Pakistan, with most occurring in Balochistan and KPK, including the former FATA. Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in numerous casualties, it added.
Noting that Pakistan's security environment has improved since 2014 when Pakistani security forces undertook concerted counter-terrorism and counter militant operations, it said there are greater security resources and infrastructure in the major cities, particularly Islamabad, and security forces in these areas may be more readily able to respond to an emergency compared to other areas of the country.
“While threats still exist, terrorist attacks are rare in Islamabad. The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Pakistan due to the security environment,” it said.
Travel by US government personnel within Pakistan is restricted, and additional restrictions on movements by US government personnel outside of US diplomatic facilities may occur at any time, depending on local circumstances and security conditions, which can change suddenly.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)