The United States on Monday issued a new advisory for its citizens and officials on non-essential travel to Pakistan, saying the country “continues to experience significant terrorist violence, including sectarian attacks”.
Americans continue to be targeted by indigenous and foreign terrorist group, said the advisory, the second in as many months. “Evidence suggests that some victims of terrorist activity have been targeted because they are US citizens.”
Additionally, the advisory said, “Sectarian violence remains a serious threat throughout Pakistan, and the government of Pakistan continues to enforce blasphemy laws. Religious minority communities have been victims of targeted killings and accusations of blasphemy.”
The advisory went on to list some recent terrorist attacks from 2017 — 25 killed in Kurram Valley in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA); 14 killed an attack outside Punjab assembly; 88 people killed in at a Sufi shrine in Sindh, and 25 killed at a Shia congregation in Parachinar in the FATA.