Pakistan Foreign Office (PFO) on Friday issued an advisory restraining Pakistanis from traveling to Syria as a result of “the recent developments and evolving situation” in this country.
Syrian rebel forces captured the country’s central city Hama on Thursday, days after seizing the commercial city of Aleppo in a swift offensive against forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Led by a group calling itself Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the rebels launched their offensive a little over a week ago.
Today, that objective was confirmed by their commander, who was speaking in an interview published earlier. The rebels were, according to a war monitor, at the gates of Syria’s Homs after snatching several big cities away from governmental control. Homs would cut the powers in the capital Damascus on the Mediterranean coast, a major bastion from which the Assad family has ruled Syria for the past fifty years if the rebels take it from government control.
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“Considering the recent development and evolving situation in Syria, it is therefore advised that Pakistan nationals avoid unnecessary travel or visits to Syria until the situation improves,” read the advisory from FO.
Meanwhile, Pakistani nationals already in Syria, exercise extreme caution and keep making contact with the Embassy of Pakistan in Damascus. The details of the embassy contact numbers are here:
Phone numbers: +963 987 127 822, +963 990 138 972
Email: parepdamascus@mofa.gov.pk