The United States has issued an advisory to its nationals against travelling to Pakistan due to "terrorism and the potential for armed conflict. It asked Americans not to travel to Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, which include the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism.
It also asked people to not travel to the immediate vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.
"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," the advisory said.
Terrorists May Attack With No Warning: US Advisory
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, it said, adding that terrorists have targeted U.S. diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past.
"Local law prohibits protesting or demonstrating without a permit. Being near a protest can draw scrutiny from Pakistani security forces. U.S. 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. Internet and mobile phone service outages are common, especially during protests," it added.
"The government of Pakistan restricts the travel of U.S. government personnel working in Pakistan. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide services to U.S. citizens in the KP Province, Balochistan Province, Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir, and most areas outside of Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. Due to the risks, U.S. government personnel working in Pakistan must obtain special authorization to travel to most areas outside of Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi," the advisory added.