The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MFA) of the Slovak Republic advises not to travel to Pakistan due to the deterioration of the security situation in the region. At the same time, he draws attention to the risk of Iran’s conflict with Israel and the United States of America spreading to the territory of Pakistan. He informs about it on the website.
- The Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges citizens not to travel to Pakistan at all.
- Slovaks in Pakistan are advised to leave the country as soon as possible.
- Iran’s military escalation with Israel and the United States is taking place in the region.
- There is a high risk of terrorism, kidnapping of foreigners and sectarian violence in Pakistan.
- Slovakia does not have a representative office in Pakistan, so help is limited.
“MZVEZ recommends citizens of the Slovak Republic to leave the country due to the ongoing military escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan and the fragile security situation between Pakistan and India, but above all the currently escalated war conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel.” said the department.
He recalled that in connection with the ongoing war conflict between Iran and Israel and the United States, the airspace was closed and commercial flights from/to several countries in the region were cancelled. “Currently, there is a high risk of the conflict spreading to other fronts, and the territory of Pakistan is not ruled out. Pakistan, which so far morally and diplomatically supports Iran in the ongoing conflict, shares a more than 900-kilometer border with Iran,” noted the ministry.
The Ministry does not recommend Slovaks to travel to Pakistan also because of the ongoing political and economic tension in the country and the high risk of terrorist attacks. “There is a high threat of terrorism and sectarian violence throughout Pakistan. There remains an increased risk of terrorist attacks, including kidnapping of foreigners, in major cities, especially Karachi (high crime), FATA, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa territories and provinces, including Peshawar,” warned.
It clarified that there are frequent attacks by separatists in Baluchistan. According to the Department of Diplomacy, attacks also threaten in places visited by foreigners, in public transport and larger transport hubs, including airports and railway transport. Similarly, the provinces of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan face regular monsoons and floods in the summer months, which can practically destroy infrastructure, including health facilities.
The department emphasized that the possibilities of providing assistance from the Ministry are limited, given that the Slovak Republic does not have a representative office in the country. Citizens who have traveled to Pakistan despite the advisory are therefore strongly advised to withdraw to safety as quickly as possible, avoid mass gatherings, follow the guidelines of local security forces and closely monitor airline announcements.
In case of emergency, citizens of the Slovak Republic can contact the International Operational Crisis Center of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic at +421 2 5978 5978 or +421 906 07 5978. “At the same time, we recommend Slovak citizens to use the voluntary registration service or the Svetobežka mobile application when traveling abroad.” added the department.
