US travel advisory for Pakistan: Full list of areas Americans are asked to avoid
The US has advised Americans to avoid travelling to certain areas in Pakistan, citing armed conflict, terorrism, among others
United States, on Friday, issued a ‘Level 3’ travel advisory, asking Americans to “reconsider travel” to specific areas of Pakistan, including Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa among other provinces.
The US Embassy in Islamabad also posted the travel advisory on its X handle.
What is a ‘Level 3’ travel advisory?
A Level 3 travel advisory means “Reconsider Travel.” It is issued when authorities warn that travelling to a particular country or region could pose serious safety risks.
In the case of Pakistan, the US issued a ‘Level 3’ advisory to reconsider visiting certain areas of the nation due to multiple security concerns, including terrorism, crime, kidnapping, among others as mentioned in the release.
Although the consulate mentioned that there were no changes to the advisory level or risk indicators, the “advisory summary was updated to reflect changes to US mission operations.”
US travel advisory: Full list of areas to avoid
The US has advised Americans to not travel to:
– Balochistan Province due to terrorism,
– Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism and kidnapping.
– The immediate vicinity of the Line of Controldue to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.
US' updated travel alert comes amid the ongoing Israel-US-Iran conflict and the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
On Saturday, 28 February, US-Israel jointly launched an attack on Iran, which also killed the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. On Sunday, at least 10 protesters were killed in clashes with police as they tried to storm the gates of the US Consulate in Pakistan’s main port city of Karachi, mentioned a report by Bloomberg.
US-Israel-Iran conflict
On Friday, US President Donald Trump encouraged Iranian Kurdish forces to go on the offensive, while describing Mojtaba Khamenei's leadership as "unacceptable". He told Reuters he must be personally involved in choosing Iran's next leader.
"We want to be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future, so we don't have to go back every five years and do this again and again. We want somebody that's going to be great for the people, great for the country," Trump was quoted as saying.
The ongoing conflict in West Asia has reportedly killed more than 1,000 people, including at least six US service members, and caused damage and instability throughout Gulf cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi among other key hubs.
About the Author
Sudeshna Ghoshal is a Content Producer for Livemint, where she decodes international affairs, US politics, besides covering general news. With nearly two years in the newsroom, she has covered a plethora of topics ranging from developments around trade deals, elections, nuances in geopolitical shifts to fine prints of Union Budgets. A fellow of the US Consulate General’s Business Communication cohort, she has also reported on airline launches, and national affairs. As a person who thinks out of the box, she aims to blend her creativity with how stories are told.<br><br> Born and raised in Kolkata, Sudeshna’s academic journey has taken her across multiple cities in India, and she is now based out of Delhi. She studied English Literature and holds a postgraduate diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She also has a keen interest in foreign languages and cultures of different nations.<br><br> When the news cycle slows down, you will find her experimenting with either music or food, or dabbling with paints. She posts at sudeshna02_ and can also be reached out on LinkedIn.