Islamabad/Washington, Jan 29 (NationPress) The US State Department has advised American citizens considering travel to Pakistan to reassess their intentions due to significant security threats, as reported by local media in Pakistan on Thursday.

In its most recent advisory, the department cautioned travelers to deliberate carefully before visiting Pakistan due to concerns related to crime, civil disorder, terrorism, and the potential for kidnapping.

Pakistan has been classified under a Level 3 advisory, indicating a high level of risk where terrorist activities may occur unexpectedly. The State Department indicated that typical targets for such activities include transportation hubs, hotels, markets, shopping malls, military and security installations, airports, trains, schools, hospitals, places of worship, tourist sites, and government facilities, as reported by the prominent Pakistani daily Dawn.

Certain areas, notably parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have been categorized as Level 4: Do Not Travel zones.

The advisory strongly recommends that US citizens avoid traveling to Level 4 regions “for any reason,” highlighting that assassination and kidnapping attempts are frequent, particularly aimed at government officials and private individuals. This warning extends to US citizens of Pakistani descent, according to the newspaper.

“Do Not Travel to: Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, including the previous Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism and kidnapping risks,” added the US advisory. It also mentioned, “Violent extremist groups have executed attacks within Pakistan. Such incidents typically occur in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the former FATA, but have also transpired in major urban centers like Karachi and Islamabad.

The US State Department clarified that local laws prohibit protesting or demonstrating without proper authorization.

“Proximity to a protest can attract attention from Pakistani security forces. US citizens have faced detention for engaging in protests. Additionally, individuals could be detained for sharing content on social media perceived as critical of the Pakistani government, military, or its officials,” it stated.

Earlier this month, a spokesperson from the US State Department announced that the Trump administration is halting the processing of immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, starting January 21. This will affect applicants from specific regions including Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Balkans, and South Asia, which includes both Pakistan and Bangladesh.

In response to the announcement regarding US visa restrictions, Pakistan’s Foreign Office reportedly expressed optimism that the suspension is a temporary measure, with a potential return to normal processing in the near future. Meanwhile, the backlog of applications is anticipated to increase, leading to delays in approvals despite a historically strong demand.