US Asks Its Citizens Not To Visit Kashmir

Washington: The United States issued a travel advisory for its citizens visiting India due to increased risk of ‘terrorism’ in Jammu and Kashmir and the prevailing tension in the country, an official statement said.
“The US issues Level 2 travel alert for India — “exercise increased caution,” warning Americans to not visit most of Jammu and Kashmir due to “terrorism and civil unrest” and not go within 10 km of the border with #Pakistan “due to the potential for armed conflict,” White House bureau chief Steve Herman tweeted on Saturday along with the advisory.
“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and government facilities,” the advisory said.
It further said, “India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on both sides of the border. The only official India-Pakistan border crossing point for persons who are not citizens of India or Pakistan is in the state of Punjab between Atari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan. The border crossing is usually open, but confirm the current status of the border crossing prior to commencing travel. A Pakistani visa is required to enter Pakistan. Only US citizens residing in India may apply for a Pakistani visa in India. Otherwise, apply for a Pakistani visa in your country of residence before travelling to India.”
The advisory comes in the wake of rising tension between India-Pakistan after a terror attack which claimed the lives of around 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The responsibility of the attack was claimed by Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed(JeM). (TNN)