US issues travel advisory for Pakistan, flags terrorism, crime and kidnapping risks. Photos: X.
The United States State Department has urged its citizens to reconsider travel to Pakistan, citing security concerns, including crime, civil unrest, terrorism and the risk of kidnapping, the Dawn reported on Thursday.
According to an updated travel advisory issued on January 26, Pakistan has been placed under “Level 3: Reconsider Travel”, indicating a high risk to travellers. The Dawn reported that the advisory warns that terrorist attacks may occur without warning and that common targets include transportation hubs, hotels, markets, shopping malls, military and security installations, airports, trains, schools, hospitals, places of worship, tourist locations and government buildings.
The advisory further states that certain regions, including parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have been designated “Level 4: Do Not Travel areas”, which is the highest warning level issued by the State Department.
US citizens have been advised not to travel to Level 4 areas “for any reason”, with the department warning that assassination and kidnapping attempts are common in these regions. The warning applies to all US citizens, including those of Pakistani origin.
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The State Department also cautioned that local laws in Pakistan prohibit demonstrations without a permit, noting that “US citizens have been detained for participating” in such activities.
A Level 3 advisory signals “serious risks to safety”, urging travellers to reconsider their plans, while Level 4 discourages all travel.
In other news, in Jaranwala, district Faisalabad a minor six-year-old Christian girl named Shamaya Saleem was brutally assaulted sexually.
“Calling for swift justice, accountability of the perpetrators, and full protection for the victim and her family,” Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) condemned the heinous act.
According to the victim’s father, Saleem Masih, a daily-wage laborer, who shared details with the HRFP Team during on-ground fact-finding and a visit to the organization’s office, the incident occurred on December 10, 2025.
Shamaya had gone for tuition at the residence of her teacher named Seerat, when she was abducted by the teacher’s brother, Muhammad Uzair Dogar.
(With inputs from ANI)
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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