SRINAGAR: In the wake of the Red Fort blast in Delhi, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a fresh travel advisory cautioning its citizens against travelling to several parts of India, including the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the India-Pakistan border areas.
According to the advisory, the FCDO has advised against all travel within 10 kilometres of the India-Pakistan border, citing heightened security concerns. It also noted that the Wagah-Attari border crossing remains closed for tourists.
In a significant update, the advisory specifically mentions that British nationals are advised against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir, including popular tourist destinations such as Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Srinagar city, as well as the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway.
However, the FCDO has made two exceptions: travel by air to and from Jammu city and movement within the city of Jammu have been deemed permissible.
The advisory follows heightened security alerts across India after the November 10 Red Fort explosion, which claimed several lives and injured many others.
The move has drawn attention in diplomatic and tourism circles, as the Kashmir Valley has been witnessing a gradual tourism revival after the Pahalgam attack. Local stakeholders have expressed hope that the advisory will be reviewed once the situation stabilises. [KNT]
