UK relaxes travel advisory for Pak, however, advises against travelling to cetain areas

UK Government has relaxed its travel visory for Pakistan, citing improving security situation in country, albeit Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has, at same time, vised against travelling in various areas of  country, including most of Balochistan. In a statement on Friday, British High Commission in Islamab said that UK h changed its travel vice to reflect improved security situation in Pakistan. This is first major update in travel visory since 2015.

Pakistan immediately welcomed decision, with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi calling move "encouraging" and one that will "furr strengn Pak-UK relations".

"Pakistan, land of peace and progress with incredible natural beauty, warmth, and hospitality. This change in travel vice is encouraging, first major update to UK's travel visory to Pakistan since 2015. This will furr strengn Pak-UK relations. Welcome to Pakistan," Qureshi tweeted.

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UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office

UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides travel vice based on objective information to help British nationals make better-informed decisions about foreign travel. new travel vice for Pakistan reduces section of Karakoram Highway where FCO vises against all travel to area between Mansehra and Chilas alone. previous travel visory covered full route from Islamab to Gilgit.

FCO no longer vises against all but essential travel to Kalesh and Bamboret valleys. It still vises against travel to most of Balochistan, including city of Quetta. For sourn coast of Balochistan, FCO vises against all but essential travel.

Like all FCO travel vice, se changes are based on security assessments, which are kept under constant review. In 2018, re were an estimated 484,000 visits by British nationals to Pakistan. re are 22 weekly direct flights to UK, BHC said in statement. FCO has furr vised against all travel to areas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, formerly known as Federally ministered Tribal Areas.

This includes districts of Charsda, Kohat, Tank, Bannu, Lakki, Dera Ismail Khan, Swat, Buner and Lower Dir in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; city of Peshawar and districts south of city, including travel on Peshawar to Chitral ro via Lowari Pass; Balochistan province including city of Quetta but excluding sourn coast of Balochistan; section of Karakoram Highway (also known as Kara Karam Highway or KKH) from Mansehra to Chilas, via Battagram, Besham City, Dasu and Sazin; and immediate vicinity of Line of Control.

Furrmore, it vises against all but essential travel to Arandu town and ro between Mirkhana and Arandu in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province; sourn coast of Balochistan, defined as area south of (and including) N10 motorway as well as section of N25 which runs from N10/N25 intersection to Balochistan/Sindh border, including port city of Gwar; areas of Sindh Province north of, and including, city of Nawabshah.

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Pak welcomes decision

In recent years, security situation in Pakistan has improved considerably following action by Pakistan government and security forces. Following a terrorist attack in Pulwama on 14 February 2019, tensions between India and Pakistan have heightened, particularly across Line of Control. Certain flight routes or airports continue to experience restrictions.

Pakistan's High Commissioner Mohamm Nafees Zakaria welcomed decision of UK government's revival of travel visory for Pakistan and said that news would help bring people of two friendly countries more closer to each or, besides boosting tourism and British investments for development of Pakistan.

In a hurriedly called press briefing at High Commission on Friday afternoon, he said: "We welcome and appreciate this decision of UK government which would help furr strengn bilateral cordial relations between two friendly countries in diverse fields, besides increasing tourism and investments in Pakistan for prosperity of country and its people."

"UK is an important country in  world and this decision would definitely put a positive impact on or countries especially in Europe and ir people would also visit Pakistan and explore venture and beauty of our country to promote tourism and also help bring investments in country," he remarked.

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Zakaria recalled that due to improved security situation in Pakistan, UK Government also allowed British Airways to resume its flights and services to Pakistan in June last year, while visit by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in October last year also reflected improved security situation in country.

He said that or international airlines have also started ir flight operations to Pakistan. He said that due to prudent economic and tourism policies and an investment-friendly environment initiated by incumbent Pakistan government, image of country has started improving.

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(with ANI inputs)

(image: AP)