US raises travel advisory for Pakistan to level 3
The US Department of State has warned its citizen of travelling to Pakistan due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.
Pakistan Travel Advisory level 3 issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs has asked US travellers to reconsider travel to Pakistan. The specific areas mentioned in the advisory include Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) — including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the immediate vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control.
"Violent extremist groups continue to plot attacks in Pakistan. Terrorist attacks are frequent in Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KP), which include the former FATA. Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in numerous casualties, and small-scale attacks are frequent. Terrorism and ongoing violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilian, as well as local military and police targets. Terrorists 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," read the advisory.
The US Department of State has also advised its citizens to stay away from unlawful protest demonstrations during their travel to Pakistan, adding, "Local law prohibits protesting or demonstrating without a permit. Being near a protest can draw scrutiny from Pakistani security forces. US citizens have been detained for participating in protests and for posting content on social media perceived as critical of the Pakistani government, military, or officials."
Pakistan's security environment remains fluid, sometimes changing with little or no notice. 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, the advisory mentioned.
It further stated the government of Pakistan restricts the travel of US government personnel working in Pakistan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
13 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PM Pakistan condemns unprovoked Israeli attack on Iran
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday strongly condemned what he described as an 'unprovoked' Israeli attack on Iran, warning that the incident could further destabilise an already volatile region. In a statement posted on X, Sharif said: 'I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, today's unprovoked attack on Iran by Israel. This grave and highly irresponsible act is deeply alarming and risks further de-stabilising an already volatile region.' He expressed sympathy for the Iranian people over reported casualties and called on the international community, including the United Nations, to act swiftly to prevent any further escalation that could threaten regional or global peace. In a separate move, the prime minister instructed authorities to ensure the safety and secure return of Pakistani pilgrims currently in Iran. A Crisis Management Cell has been established at Pakistan's Foreign Office, and the country's embassy in Iran has been placed on high alert. 'Steps must be taken to ensure the safety of the pilgrims,' Sharif said. 'All possible resources should be utilised to ensure their safe return.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
16 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PM condemns unprovoked Israeli attack on Iran
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday strongly condemned what he described as an 'unprovoked' Israeli attack on Iran, warning that the incident could further destabilise an already volatile region. In a statement posted on X, Sharif said: 'I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, today's unprovoked attack on Iran by Israel. This grave and highly irresponsible act is deeply alarming and risks further de-stabilising an already volatile region.' He expressed sympathy for the Iranian people over reported casualties and called on the international community, including the United Nations, to act swiftly to prevent any further escalation that could threaten regional or global peace. In a separate move, the prime minister instructed authorities to ensure the safety and secure return of Pakistani pilgrims currently in Iran. A Crisis Management Cell has been established at Pakistan's Foreign Office, and the country's embassy in Iran has been placed on high alert. 'Steps must be taken to ensure the safety of the pilgrims,' Sharif said. 'All possible resources should be utilised to ensure their safe return.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
16 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Debate opens in Senate amid fierce criticism
The budget debate in the Senate commenced with a blistering criticism from Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz, who blasted the government's economic policy, calling the budget "controversial by birth" and a reflection of incompetence and unprofessionalism. "This is the fourth budget of this installed regime, and it has broken all previous records of misgovernance," Faraz said, accusing the government of fabricating data and manipulating figures. "The numbers in this budget seem compromised ... it's a statistical deception. In the past, budget figures were never questioned, but this time doubts are widespread," he added. Faraz went on to say the current budget had "shattered the foundations" of Pakistan's already fragile economy. Referring to the controversial February 8 elections, he alleged that just as the government had manipulated numbers, it was playing the same game with the budget. He lamented that in Punjab, farmers were forced to dump wheat on the roads, calling it a failure of the state to protect agriculture. "They've destroyed the agriculture sector and stifled industry. How can growth happen when even Letters of Credit (LCs) aren't being opened?" he said. "There is no coherent policy for industrial development, only discouragement." "This is an IMF-dictated, anti-people budget. We've heard the 'South Asian Tiger' fantasy before. It's time to stop selling old fables," said Faraz, while lambasting the planning minister for "insultingly linking PTI with India". "PTI is not an anti-state party," he said. "How can a country progress when people can't even access the internet?" He denounced the government as a product of "Form-47 legitimacy", saying true representatives would never have presented such a budget. Shibli Faraz said that 61 million people fell below the poverty line post-2022 and that unemployment had surged by 14 million. He noted the lack of foreign direct investment and even remarked that "the Afghan currency is now stronger than the Pakistani rupee". He slammed the imposition of taxes on stationery and questioned the government's understanding of public priorities, citing the number of out-of-school children and deteriorating public services. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb briefed the Senate Finance Committee on the budget, pushing back against the opposition's accusations. He revealed that India's director at the IMF Board had tried to delay Pakistan's recent funding approval, but "despite Indian objections, $700 million was approved". Aurangzeb asserted that Pakistan had met World Bank benchmarks and that the IFC had approved additional financing. "We expect policy rates to enter single digits this fiscal year," he added, saying fiscal and structural reforms, particularly in SOEs and energy, were showing results. He acknowledged that privatisation targets had not been met this year but expressed optimism for the next fiscal. "We have tried to reduce the burden on the salaried class and cut transaction taxes in the construction sector," Aurangzeb said. "On agricultural tax, the IMF has agreed to our stance following the prime minister's directive."
