In recent guidelines by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the United Kingdom warned its citizens to avoid visiting Pakistan, citing the risk of terrorism as one of its key factors. In its new update, the FCDO said, “Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Pakistan. Theres a high threat of terrorism, kidnap and sectarian violence throughout the country, including the major cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi.” The British govt has issued updated travel guidelines for its citizens visiting #Pakistan, citing the risk of terrorism as one of the key factors. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has provided these instructions for British residents & travellers in the country. pic.twitter.com/6dSIaLslEj— Sabha Alam (@Alam_Sabha) July 11, 2023FCDOs travel advisories are mainly for British residents and travellers in the country. “Foreigners, in particular Westerners, may be directly targeted. You should try to avoid all crowds and public events including political gatherings and religious events throughout Pakistan, and take appropriate security precautions,” it added.Places not to visit in Pakistan: FCDOThe guidelines also cited the names of some places including districts of Baujar, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, North Waziristan and South Waziristan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistani that its citizens highly advised not to visit them. Apart from below districts, several others are on the list like Charsadda, Kohat, Tank, Bannu, Lakki, Dera Ismail Khan, Swat, Buner and Lower Dir in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the city and district of Peshawar, to travel on the N45 road, from the north of the Mardan ring-road to the edge of the district of Chitral and Balochistan province, excluding the southern coast of Balochistan. The FCDOs guidelines advised against all but essential travel to “Arandu town and the road between Mirkhani and Arandu in KP the southern coast of Balochistan, defined as the area south of (and including) the N10 motorway as well as the section of the N25 which runs from N10/N25 intersection to the Balochistan/Sindh border, including the port city of Gwadar and areas of Sindh Province north of, and including, the city of Nawabshah.” Further, the travel advisory also mentioned the regular political rallies and protests that frequently happen in Pakistan, which may have an anti-western dimension and could turn violent.Urging British nationals to move to a safer place if, in proximity to a protest site, the advisory stated, “Avoid demonstrations, large crowds of people and political events. Be alert to local news and, where possible, social media and follow the advice of local authorities and your tour company.”Avoid going to areas with high population and inadequate security According to the travel guidelines, areas with high population and inadequate security such as markets, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, hiking trails, airports, infrastructure projects, public transport, schools, and educational institutions, are prone to terrorist activities and attacks. It added that maintaining constant vigilance in these areas and limiting exposure to higher-risk locations is crucial for British citizens.Moreover, it cautioned its citizens about Pakistans extreme weather conditions and its vulnerability to natural disasters and asked its citizens to ensure precautions.“You should avoid unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight and take precautionary measures… You should monitor the local and international weather updates from the Pakistan Meteorological Department, follow the advice of local authorities and your tour company before travelling,” the advisory added.
