China, Singapore, Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden have also issued advisories, urging citizens to exercise caution
NEW DELHI – With no signs of tensions between India and Pakistan dying down, several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, have issued updated travel advisories urging caution or advising against travel to specific regions within both nations.
Other countries which issued travel advisories for their citizens to avoid troubled regions in India and Pakistan are China, Singapore, Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden, media reports said on Friday.
In its travel warning, the US advised its citizens not to travel to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It also asked citizens to avoid travel to areas in the vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control.
The State Department also issued a “Reconsider Travel” advisory for Pakistan in general.
The US embassy and consulates in Pakistan have also sounded security alert, titled ‘Military Activity and Closed Airspace’ that said, “US citizens are reminded of the ‘Do Not Travel’ advisory for areas in the vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict,” reports said.
The US embassy also advised American citizens to “depart areas of active conflict if they can safely do so, or to shelter in place”, since Pakistan’s airspace has been closed and many flights have been cancelled.
In its advisory, the UK government advised its nationals to avoid all travel within 10 kilometres of the India-Pakistan border, within 10 miles (approximately 16.09 kilometres) of the Line of Control, which serves as the de facto border in the Kashmir region, and throughout Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
“We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. British nationals should stay up to date with our travel advice and follow the advice of local authorities,” the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the UK added.
Likewise, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged its citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan.
“In view of the volatile security situation between India and Pakistan, Singaporeans are advised to defer all non-essential travel to Jammu & Kashmir in India and to Pakistan. Travellers should exercise precaution, especially at the border regions between Pakistan and India,” a ministry statement read.
Similarly, the Australian government issued an urgent travel alert for citizens intending to visit India or Pakistan.
Smarttraveller raised its advice level for India to “exercise a high degree of caution”, urging Australians to take official warnings “seriously”.
Canada has also asked its citizens not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir and areas within 10 km of India’s border with Pakistan
The Canadian advisory said there has also been artillery fire across the Line of Control, but “Tensions could increase and the situation could deteriorate rapidly.”
This week, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” a series of airstrikes targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This action was in response to the terror attack on tourists in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.
