Islamabad/Washington, DC: With protests continuing in Pakistan, the United States ordered some of its staff from the consulates in Karachi ane Lahore to leave the country on Wednesday.
The consulates general in Lahore and Karachi had already cancelled all visa appointments till March 6 due to the current security situation, as reported by NDTV.
“The Department of State ordered non-emergency US government employees and the family members of US government personnel from US Consulates Lahore and Karachi to leave Pakistan due to safety risks. There is no change to the status of Embassy Islamabad,” the US Embassy in Pakistan said in an official statement.
There could be “terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Pakistan”, the advisory warned, stating that terrorists “may strike without warning”.
“They target transportation hubs, hotels, markets, malls, military and security forces sites, airports, trains, schools, hospitals, places of worship, tourist spots, and government buildings,” it said.
The status of the US embassy in the capital, Islamabad, remains unchanged, though it has also cancelled all visa appointments till March 6.
On Sunday, hundreds had gathered outside the US consulates in Karachi and Lahore to protest the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a strike by the US and Israel last Saturday.
At least 10 people were killed after protesters attempted to enter the consulate in Karachi.
On Tuesday, Pakistani students and rights activists staged a demonstration outside the US Consulate in Lahore.
The state department also “authorized non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to leave” Saudi Arabia, Oman and Cyprus “due to safety risks”.
Khamenei’s death has plunged the Gulf region into a crisis, with Iran carrying out strikes on countries that host US military bases. The US and Israel are also carrying out attacks on targets in Iran.
