US Embassy in Pakistan asks its citizens to remain vigilant (Representative)
Islamabad:
The United States has issued a travel advisory to American citizens traveling to Pakistan, asking them to exercise caution ahead of the general election scheduled for February 8 and warning of the possibility of poll-related violence.
The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan issued a warning on Friday, asking its citizens to be vigilant and aware of the locations of political rallies in areas they plan to visit.
The advisory stated that February 8 is election day and areas around polling stations may be crowded, and U.S. citizens who are not eligible to participate in Pakistani elections should avoid polling stations.
The mission pointed out that political parties in Pakistan are actively carrying out campaign activities, such as holding marches, rallies and speeches, which are inherent in any democratic process. However, it further said that such public gatherings have the potential to block traffic, disrupt traffic and create obstacles to free movement and safety.
The advisory also warned that in some cases political activities in Pakistan were targeted for violence. Dozens of pre-poll attacks against political parties have been reported this week in the troubled provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The U.S. mission advises U.S. citizens who are not eligible to vote in Pakistan’s elections to avoid traveling to areas around polling stations on February 8 as they may be crowded.
Internet and cellular service outages may also occur before and throughout Election Day, the report said.
It also offers advice such as avoiding large public gathering areas, using caution if you unexpectedly find yourself near large gatherings or demonstrations, and reviewing personal safety plans.
The embassy urges U.S. citizens to follow local media, keep a low profile, carry identification and cooperate with police.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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