Britain issues travel advisory to citizens travelling to Kashmir over Amarnath terror alert

London [UK], Aug 3 (ANI): The United Kingdom on Saturday updated the travel advisory for its citizens visiting Jammu and Kashmir, a day after the Indian government asked tourists and Amarnath Yatra pilgrims to immediately curtail their stay after a series of intelligence inputs were received by security agencies over multiple terror attacks.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), in a statement, advised its citizens "against all travel to the immediate vicinity of the border with Pakistan, other than at Wagah, Jammu and Kashmir, except for travel within the city of Jammu, travel by air to the city of Jammu, and travel within the region of Ladakh."
"The tourist destinations of Pahalgam, Gulmarg, and Sonamarg fall within the areas to which the FCO advise against all travel," the statement read.
On August 2, the Indian Army had said that Pakistan terrorists are plotting to carry out an attack on the ongoing Amarnath Yatra and that the security forces even recovered a Pakistan Ordnance Factory anti-personnel mine from a terror cache.
Keeping security threats in view, the Jammu and Kashmir government advised all Amarnath Yatris and tourists to curtail their stay in the Valley "immediately".
The advisory stated that the British High Commission in New Delhi is monitoring the situation.
"If you're in Jammu and Kashmir, you should remain vigilant, follow the advice of local authorities and keep up to date with developments, including via this travel advice," it said.
The Jammu and Kashmir state government in a security advisory had said, "Keeping in view the latest intelligence inputs of terror threats, with specific targeting of the Amarnath Yatra, and given the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir Valley, in the interest of safety and security of the tourists and Amarnath Yatris, it is advised that they may curtail their stay in the valley immediately and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible."
However, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that the state government's advisory to Amarnath pilgrims and other tourists to curtail their visit "immediately" in view of the security situation in the state, has created chaos and confusion among the people.
Mufti said that she had never seen such a panic in the Valley. (ANI)