ISLAMABAD – The US State Department has revised its travel advisory saying the security situation in Pakistan has improved over the years.
In the latest advisory, the status of the South Asian country has been changed from level four to level three.
Earlier, the US officials citing terrorist violence, and sectarian attacks advised Americans to avoid all non-essential travel to Pakistan.
In its latest advisory, it stated that “Pakistan’s security environment has improved since 2014 when Pakistani security forces undertook concerted counter terrorist and counter militant operations. There are greater security resources and infrastructure in 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.”
Owing to unusual incidents in country’s federal capital the advisory mentioned that ‘threats still exist, terrorist attacks are rare in Islamabad’. The advisory further urged nationals not to travel to Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and FATA, to avoid terror attacks and kidnapping.
Furthermore, it also recommended against traveling to Line of Control due to potential armed conflict.
US government had limited ability to provide emergency services in Pakistan due to the security environment, it said.
Meanwhile, the recent development comes days after the visit of Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf and Director General ISI Faiz Hameed to US.
Will not accept ‘forcible takeover’ in Afghanistan, says Pakistan
During the meetings, US officials urged Pakistan’s cooperation in preventing a Taliban takeover in war raged Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Pakistan, indicating a moderate level of the novel virus. “Your risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with a US-authorised vaccine,” it further said.
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