US pulls out most staff in Lahore after Qaeda threat

Aug 10, 2013 |

Age Correspondent

The US pulled out all “non-emergency” staff from its consulate in Lahore, Pakistan’s second-biggest city, citing “specific threats” by Al Qaeda amid a worldwide alert.

The US state department also reiterated a longstanding warning to American citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Pakistan as two fresh attacks were reported, one near Islamabad and the other in Quetta, as Id-ul-Fitr festivities began.
The US embassy in Islamabad and consulates in Karachi and Peshawar were closed Friday for the Id holiday but are expected to reopen Monday; but the Lahore consulate may remain closed and there is “no indication” when it will reopen.
An embassy spokeswoman said: “We received information on a threat to our consulate in Lahore. As a precautionary measure, we have undertaken a drawdown for all but emergency personnel in Lahore.”

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