Canada issues new travel advisory for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Canada has issued new travel advisory for its citizen in Pakistan, advising them to exercise a “high degree of caution” amid prevailing security situation and threat of terrorism, ARY News reported on Friday.

According to the travel advisory, Canadian nationals in Pakistan were advised to exercise a high degree of caution due to the prevailing security situation, threat of terrorism, civil unrest, sectarian violence and kidnapping.

The country advised its nationals against traveling to the area within 50 kilometres of the border with Afghanistan, within 10km of the borders with India and Iran and the areas within 10km of the Line of Control (LoC), except the official border crossings at Wagah Border and Khunjerab Pass.

The regions deemed dangerous to travel also included section of the Karakoram Highway from Mansehra to Chilas, Kashmir, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa except Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Buner and Chitral district.

Pakistan has seen an uptick in terror activities, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November.

Earlier in Dec 2023, at least 23 Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred after a group of terrorists attacked a security forces’ post in Dera Ismail Khan’s (DI Khan) Daraban area.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), six terrorists attacked the security post in the early hours of December 12.

“The attempt to enter the post was effectively thwarted which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive laden vehicle into the post, followed by a suicide bombing attack.”

“The resulting blasts led to the collapse of the building, causing multiple causalities; 23 brave soldiers embraced shahadat, while all six terrorists were effectively engaged and killed,” the ISPR said.