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This warden message is being issued to alert Americans of safety concerns during the upcoming Pakistan Independence Day, Tuesday, August 14. The celebration usually includes profuse use of firecrackers and fireworks on Monday evening, August 13th and all day on Tuesday, August 14th. There are also incidents of celebratory gunfire being shot in the air, creating dangerous and unpredictable results.
In observance of this national holiday, many official celebrations will take place, including the following:
- At 8:50 am all traffic will stop throughout Pakistan and the National Anthem will be played. No one should be driving at that time.
- At 4:30 am (before morning prayers) a 21 Artillery Gun salute is fired that will be heard throughout Islamabad.
- There are firework shows where the general public assembles on 1) Constitution and Jinnah Avenue in front of Parliament House, and 2) Fatima Jinnah Park in F-9 Sector starting at approximately 8 pm. These events also cause traffic jams around these areas.
- A large public gathering is planned for Liaqat Bagh in downtown Rawalpindi from approximately 11:00 am until late in the evening on August 14.
American citizens should be particularly vigilant and avoid markets and places where people gather on August 14. Celebratory gunfire may present a danger at any time during the day.
We would like to remind the American citizen community of the need to stay alert, to be aware of your surroundings, to reduce travel to minimum acceptable levels, and to act self-defensively at all times. American citizens should vary their routes and times, avoid areas where Westerners are known to congregate, and maintain a low profile. The Embassy would like to remind American citizens that threats, protests and demonstrations may occur throughout Pakistan without prior notice or warning, and on occasion have turned violent or be the target of violence. We therefore recommend that American citizens avoid all demonstrations, protests and large gatherings.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1161.html and the Pakistan Consular Information Sheet http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_992.html and Travel Warning can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada, or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, 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).
Contact information follows for all four posts in Pakistan:
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
http://islamabad.usembassy.gov
The U.S. Consulate General in Karachi, located at 8 Abdullah Haroon Road, has closed its public operations indefinitely due to security concerns. U.S. citizens requiring emergency assistance should call the consular section in Karachi. Their telephone is (92-21) 520-4200 (after hours: 92-21-520-4400; fax 92-21-568-0496, website
http://karachi.usconsulate.gov
The U.S. Consulate in Lahore is located at 50- Sharah-E-Abdul Hameed Bin Badees, (Old Empress Road) near Shimla Hill Rotary, telephone (92-42) 603-4000 or 603-4250, fax (92-42) 603-4200, website
http://lahore.usconsulate.gov
Email address: acslahore@state.gov
The U.S. Consulate in Peshawar is located at 11 Hospital Road, Cantonment, Peshawar; telephone (92-91) 526-8800; fax (92-91) 527-6712, website
http://peshawar.usconsulate.gov
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