UK foreign office adds Pakistan to its list of countries “too dangerous to travel”

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom has recently added Pakistan to its list of countries that it states are “too dangerous” for UK citizens to travel, reported Geo News.

In their latest report, the FCDO alerted that the organisation has updated the list and added eight more countries.

According to the latest FCDO alert, the total number of banned destinations is 24, Geo News reported.

The FCDO’s alert covers a range of concerns that pose a threat to visitor safety, including crime, war, terrorism, disease, weather conditions and natural disasters, Geo News reported, citing the Manchester Evening News.

Moreover, the newly added countries are those involved in conflicts, including Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Iran, Sudan, Lebanon, Belarus, and the Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, the blacklisted countries include, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Chad, Haiti, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

Additionally, the Foreign Office has also issued a red list, according to Geo News.

The countries included in the red list represent those regions where travel should be avoided “unless absolutely essential.”

“If you’re planning to travel somewhere from the UK, remember not to visit the blacklisted countries or countries on the red list,” it added.

In 2023, Pakistan witnessed 1,524 violence-related fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations, including nearly 1,000 fatalities among civilians and security forces personnel, reported Dawn.

Moreover, overall fatalities, including those of outlaws, marked a record six-year high, exceeding the 2018 level and the highest since 2017.

Reportedly, the country saw a surge in violence for the third consecutive year with an uptick recorded each year beginning from 2021.