Pakistan Travel Warning
Issued by US Department of State
Mar 04, 2002
This Travel Warning has been revised to note the brutal murder of a kidnapped American journalist. It also addresses certain travel restrictions imposed by the Government of Pakistan. Despite the apparent lessening in public sympathy and support for Al-Qaida, the situation requires that Americans in Pakistan remain vigilant. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for Pakistan dated January 30, 2002.
The Department of State reaffirms its warning to U.S. citizens to evaluate carefully the implications for their security and safety before deciding to travel to Pakistan. An American journalist was kidnapped and brutally murdered in Karachi in early 2002. The Department has reports that American citizens generally have been targeted for kidnapping or other terrorist actions. U.S. forces are engaged in military action in neighboring Afghanistan, against the remnants of the former Taliban regime and the terrorist Al-Qaida network.
The Government of Pakistan continues to give full support to the international campaign against terrorism. While public sympathy for the Taliban and Al-Qaida has apparently been lessened, it still exists to some degree. In addition, the presence of indigenous sectarian and militant groups in Pakistan requires that all Americans in or traveling through Pakistan take appropriate security measures. Events in the Middle East also increase the possibility of violence.
American citizens should also be aware that there are many areas of Pakistan which are restricted by the Government of Pakistan and require non-Pakistanis to obtain official permission before they may travel to them. This includes the tribal areas of Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province, areas along the Line of Control, the Pakistan-India border and near other sensitive areas and facilities. Travelers need to determine beforehand whether the areas they intend to visit have any Pakistan government restrictions on them. If so, then the appropriate authorities must be contacted and approval obtained before travel in undertaken.
Americans who reside in or visit Pakistan should exercise maximum caution and take prudent measures. They should avoid crowds and demonstrations. The Consulates in Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi are open for American citizen services but not visa services. The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad is open for all services, including visa services. However, from time to time, the missions in Pakistan may temporarily close or suspend public services as necessary to review their security posture.
U.S. citizens in Pakistan are strongly urged to register and obtain updated security information at the American Embassy in Islamabad, the U.S. Consulate General in Karachi, the U.S. Consulate in Lahore, or the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar at the following addresses:
The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad is located at Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, telephone (92-51) 2080-0000; consular section telephone (92-51) 2080-2700, fax (92-51) 282-2632.
The U.S. Consulate General in Karachi is located at 8 Abdullah Haroon Road, telephone (92-21) 568-5170 (after hours: 92-21-568-1606), fax (92-21) 568-0496.
The U.S. Consulate in Lahore is located on 50-Empress Road near Shimla Road or Sharah-E-Abdul Hamid Bin Badees, (Old Empress Road), telephone (92-42) 636-5530 during regular working hours, fax (92-42) 636-5177.
The U.S. Consulate in Peshawar is located at 11 Hospital Road, Cantonment, Peshawar, telephone (92-91) 279-801 through 803, fax (92-91) 276-712.
For further general information regarding travel to Pakistan, U.S. citizens should consult the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet for Pakistan, available via the Internet at http://travel.state.gov.
