ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has welcomed the recent revision of the US travel advisory, which has upgraded the country a notch up to Level 3, terming it as a step in the right direction.
Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said the revision is an acknowledgment of the improvement of the security environment in Pakistan and the effective handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by the government.
He said Pakistan will continue to work with the US Government on this issue to ensure further rationalization and improvement of travel advisory on Pakistan.
We welcome the recent revision of travel advisory by U.S. which has upgraded Pakistan to Level-3. The upward revision is an acknowledgement of the improved security environment in Pakistan and effective handling of COVID-19 pandemic.@usembislamabad @PakinUSA
— Spokesperson ???????? MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) August 7, 2021
The US State Department has revised its travel advisory for Pakistan, upgrading it from “no travel” to “avoid unnecessary travels”. The revision from level four to level three is a notable improvement.
“Pakistan’s security environment has improved since 2014 when Pakistani security forces undertook concerted counter-terrorist and counter militant operations,” the latest travel advisory noted.
“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.”
‘High-risk’ areas
The advisory warns of security threats persisting in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
“Terrorist attacks continue to happen across Pakistan, with most occurring in Balochistan and KPK, including the former FATA. Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in numerous casualties,” reads the advisory.
The advisory pointed out that “while threats still exist, terrorist attacks are rare in Islamabad.” It also cautions against travelling to areas near the Line of Control.
It says that the US government has limited ability to provide US citizens in Pakistan with emergency services due to the security environment and travel by US government personnel within Pakistan is restricted.
“Travel by US government personnel within Pakistan is restricted, and additional restrictions on movements by US government personnel outside of US diplomatic facilities may occur at any time, depending on local circumstances and security conditions, which can change suddenly,” reads the advisory.
It adds that the US Consulate General in Peshawar doesn’t provide any consular services to US citizens. The advisory urges the citizens to remain aware of their surroundings and local events within Pakistan in addition to following further instructions given on the US State Department’s official website.
COVID-19 precautions
Apart from reminding its citizens about security concerns, the State Department has also conveyed caution regarding the COVID-19 situation in Pakistan, stating that “some areas have increased risk”.
According to the travel advisory, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Pakistan that indicates a moderate level of coronavirus outbreak in the country.
“Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC’s specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers,” the advisory states.
The ease in restrictions is followed by National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf’s 10-day visit to the US where he discussed peace and security situation in Pakistan and the region.
