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FCO update Pakistan travel advice

16th October 2009 The FCO have updated their travel advice following the recent attacks in Pakistan:

# There is a high threat from terrorism and sectarian violence throughout Pakistan. There has been a series of attacks, mainly suicide bombings targeted predominantly at the authorities but also at locations frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. Reports indicate that over 1000 civilians have died as a result of terrorist violence in Pakistan during 2009, including over 250 in May alone.

# We believe there is a heightened threat to Westerners in major cities. The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claim of responsibility for the Lahore attack (see below) also included a claim that more attacks would take place in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Multan. The Pakistani authorities are also concerned about the threat to foreigners of kidnapping. See the Terrorism & Sectarian Violence section of this advice for more details.

# We advise against all travel to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and much of North West Frontier Province, including the areas of Peshawar, Kohat, Tank, Bannu, Lakki and Dera Ismail Khan. We advise against travel to the city of Peshawar and districts south of the city.

# We advise against all travel to Northern and Western Balochistan and advise against all but essential travel to Quetta and parts of Interior Sindh to the north of Nawabshah.

# We advise against all travel to Swat, Buner, and Lower Dir, including travel on the Peshawar to Chitral road via the Lowari Pass. In these areas there are ongoing reports of military or militant activity. There are ongoing military offensives against militants in Swat, Buner, and Lower Dir, and a curfew has been imposed in parts of these districts. Large numbers of people have evacuated these areas. The risk from lawlessness and kidnapping remains severe.

# There has been a recent increase in sectarian violence in Gilgit and the authorities have introduced restrictions on public gatherings.

# We also advise against using the rail network across the whole of Pakistan see Local Travel section of this advice for more details.

# Caution should be taken when visiting central Punjab due to a high likelihood of spontaneous sectarian violence.

FCO Pakistan travel advice

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