US limits official visits to Karachi hotels after threat report
(Reuters) -The United States has temporarily limited visits by government personnel to high-end hotels in Karachi, Pakistan, after receiving a report of a threat, the State Department said on Friday.
"The U.S. Consulate General Karachi received a report of a threat directed at high-end hotels in Karachi," the department said in a security alert.
"The U.S. Consulate General in Karachi has temporarily limited visits by official U.S. government personnel to these hotels."
The State Department said it sometimes declares areas in foreign countries such as tourist attractions, hotels, markets, shopping malls and restaurants off-limits to official U.S. government personnel in response to such threats.
The security alert urges people to avoid the areas and crowds, keep a low profile and to stay alert in places frequented by tourists and citizens of Western countries.
The State Department currently has a travel advisory in place for Pakistan that advises U.S. citizens to reconsider traveling there due to the risk of terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.
In a similar move, Britain's foreign ministry on Friday also advised against all but essential travel to parts of Pakistan.
(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya and Ryan Patrick Jones in Toronto; Additional reporting by Nilutpal Timsina; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
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