United States has issued a travel advisory for its citizens to reconsider visiting Pakistan due to terrorism. On Friday the state department issued the highest-level travel alert for the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa along with the Line of Control.
The Level 4 of US travel advisory which asks citizens not to travel to the provinces of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) along with the LoC. Also the rest of the areas in Pakistan continues to stay on Level 3 of the travel alert.
The State Department advises its citizens not to travel to the India-Pakistan border as militant groups are known to operate in the area. Both India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on both sides of the border as well.
The advisory said, at regular intervals Indian and Pakistani military forces exchange gunfire and artillery fire across the LoC.
The state department’s advisory further said not to travel to KPK province, which includes the former FATA. Active terrorist groups routinely conduct attacks against civilians, government offices, security forces and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
In the past, these terrorist and insurgent groups have not discriminated between government officials and civilians. Assassination and kidnapping attempts are very common which includes even targeting of polio eradication teams, it said.
The State Department said, terrorist groups continue plotting attacks in Pakistan. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, schools, hospitals, places of worship, government facilities, military installations, airports, universities and tourist locations. Previously terrorists have targeted US diplomats and diplomatic facilities, the advisory further added.
