On Thursday, January 5th, a Yemen-born British national was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in the Pakistani city of Quetta. The victim, a doctor working for the Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was seized a few meters from his home. The assailants intercepted his vehicle and detained him. Then, the kidnappers sped off in a Land Cruiser. After the abduction, Pakistani authorities closed all the exits and entries to the city in an effort to rescue the British national. However, at the time being the gunmen and the victim have not been found. No group or organisation claimed the attack yet.
This abduction is the latest in a series of kidnappings in Pakistan, a country plagued with gangs and terrorist organizations seeking for money. The city of Quetta, were the victim has kidnapped, is an extremely violent province in Pakistan, next to Afghanistan and Iran. Last year, a US citizen was kidnapped in the city of Lahore. On July 2011, two Swiss tourists were also kidnapped in Pakistan, in the southwest province of Balochistan. The risk of kidnapping is extremely high in the country. No area or city can be considered as safe.
Travellers must be aware that most western embassies urge their citizens against all travel to Pakistan. Security conditions in the country remain precarious, especially in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Swat Valley, in border areas with Afghanistan and India, in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and in the largest cities of the country, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar and Lahore. Travellers should maintain security awareness at all times and avoid public gatherings as well as street demonstrations during which violence is likely to occur. Travellers are advised to limit their movements as much as possible and to stay away from busy areas. They should avoid police and military installations as well as other government buildings, schools and mosques. Be aware that no area in Pakistan can be currently considered totally safe for travellers.
