Pakistan hails US change of travel advisory

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan noted on Saturday the recent change in the United States’ travel advisory for Pakistan due to an improvement in the security environment, according to the Foreign Office.

On the official Twitter account of the ministry’s spokesperson, the diplomat said the US had “acknowledged that ‘Pakistan’s security situation has improved’”.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aisha Farooqui called the move as a “step in the right direction”. “Pakistan’s security environment has improved since 2014 when Pakistani security forces undertook concerted counter-terrorist and counter militant operations,” stated the US travel advisory for Pakistan.

The recent travel advisory from the US cautions travellers not to go to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, along with the Line of Control (LoC), while putting the rest of the country at Level 3.

The Foreign Office acknowledged the change and said in a statement: “Pakistan has made resolute efforts to enhance security throughout the country. Significant improvement in the security environment has led the United Nations to re-designate Islamabad as a family station for its personnel.”

The official statement further said the United Kingdom also acknowledged the efforts of Pakistan and had revised its travel advisory.

The Foreign Office expressed the hope the improved security situation would also lead to opportunities for enhanced economic activity and foreign direct investment in Pakistan.—News Desk