Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Protests affecting Karachi October 28, 2016.

On October 28, 2016 at 3:00 p.m., PTI Karachi chapter will hold a rally from Insaf House Nursery to the Karachi Press Club via Shahrah-e-Faisal road. Police expect 2-3 thousand people to participate in today’s rally. Shahrah-e-Faisal is the main artery that connects the city with the airport and some major parts of the city. Traffic congestion is expected since the time of the rally coincides with peak hours for traffic flow. Police will be in place to provide security for the rally.

We recommend that U.S. citizens establish and maintain vigilant personal security practices. Even protests and demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. The American Mission to Pakistan urges U.S. citizens to avoid all areas where demonstrations and rallies are taking place, keep a low profile, and exercise extreme caution in the vicinity of any large gatherings. Take time to prepare yourself in order to maintain readiness to respond to a crisis.

*For updates on the operating status of the Consular Section, please visit our website , “like” Pakistan ACS on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter .

For Further Information:

* See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution , Worldwide Travel Alert, the active Travel Warning  for Pakistan, and Pakistan Country Specific Information.

* Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

* Contact the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, located at Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, +92 51 201 4000. (Calling within Pakistan, dial 051 201 4000.) This number also is available 24 hours a day for emergencies involving U.S. citizens in other parts of Pakistan. See the Mission Pakistan website .

* Contact the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, located at Plot No. 3-5, TPX Area, Mai Kolachi Road, Karachi, at +92 21 3527 5000. (Calling within Pakistan, dial 021 3527 5000.) This number is available 24 hours a day for emergencies involving U.S. citizens in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan. Also, see the Mission Pakistan website.

* Contact the U.S. Consulate General in Lahore, located at 50, Shahrah-e-Abdul Hameed Bin Badees, (Old Empress Road) near Shimla Hill Circle. The after-hours emergency assistance number for U.S. citizens is (92-42)3603-4000. Also, see the Mission Pakistan website .

* Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

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