Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Threat against Tourist Sites and Two Hotels in Lahore

We have received information that militants may be planning to target foreigners at tourist sites in Lahore, Punjab Province, and at two of the city’s hotels by early April.  The Pearl Continental and Faletti’s Hotel were identified as possible targets.

The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to vary their times and routes when traveling in Pakistan, and to avoid travel patterns to such locations that would allow other persons to predict when and where they will be.  Depending on ongoing security assessments, and as part of routine operational security measures, the U.S. Embassy occasionally places certain public areas off limits to official personnel.

We also remind all U.S. citizens to review the Worldwide Caution issued by the Department of State on September 25, 2013.

For more information on the risks of travel to Pakistan, please see the Department of State’s most recent Travel Warning.

Updated Information on Travel and Security

Updated information on travel and security in Pakistan can be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).  For further information, please consult the Travel Warning for Pakistan and the Country Specific Information for Pakistan, as well as the Worldwide Caution.  You can stay up-to-date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which also contains current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts.  Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook.

U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Pakistan are encouraged to enroll in theSmart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).  If you enroll, we can keep you up-to-date with important safety and security announcements and can also help your family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.  U.S. citizens without Internet access may enroll directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

To view emergency services to U.S. citizens in the different consular districts, please click on the links below:

Contact Information for All U.S. Mission to Pakistan Posts

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad is located at Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5; telephone (92-51) 208-0000; Consular Section telephone (92-51) 208-2700; fax (92-51) 282-2632; website; e-mail address:  ACSIslamabad@state.gov

The U.S. Consulate General Karachi, located at Plot No 3-5, TPX Area, Mai Kolachi Road, Karachi, provides services to U.S. citizens by appointment only.  Services can be scheduled by calling (92-21) 3527-5000 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Monday-Friday; fax (92-21) 3527-5885; website; e-mail:  ACSKarachi@state.gov.

The U.S. Consulate General in Lahore is located at 50 Sharah-E-Abdul Hameed Bin Badees, (Old Empress Road) near Shimla Hill Rotary.  Consular operations in Lahore have been temporarily suspended.  Please direct any inquiries to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad or the U.S. Consulate General in Karachi.