ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has described the update in US Travel Advisory, acknowledging improvement in Pakistan’s security environment, as a step in the right direction.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui in a statement said Pakistan had made resolute efforts to enhance security throughout the country.
She said significant improvement in the security environment had led the United Nations to re-designate Islamabad as a family station for its personnel.
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The spokesperson said recently, the United Kingdom, while acknowledging the measures taken by Pakistan, had also revised its travel advisory.
She said, “With Pakistan’s liberal visa regime and conducive environment for tourism, we are confident that larger number of tourists from all over the world would be travelling to Pakistan.”
She said the improved security situation also offered opportunities for enhanced economic activity and foreign direct investment in the country.
On Jan 24, Prime Minister Imran Khan had termed the announcement by the United Kingdom to revise its travel advisory for Pakistan as a great news.
“It will address two most important economic issues facing Pakistan today: employment and our current account deficit, by bringing in tourism and investment which in turn will provide employment opportunities especially for our youth,” he had said in a tweet.
The UK had changed its travel advice for Pakistan to reflect the improved security situation in the country.
The announcement was the result of a comprehensive review of UK travel advice for Pakistan, based on a wide-ranging assessment of the country’s security situation. This was the first major update in the travel advice since 2015, read the statement issued by the British High Commission in Pakistan.
Dr Christian Turner, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, had earlier said, “Following my arrival in December 2019, I made this review of the travel advice a priority. It is great credit to the hard work of the government of Pakistan in delivering improved security over the past five years. I am delighted that British nationals will be able to see more of what Pakistan has to offer.”
