Seoul urges citizens to leave parts of Pakistan’s restive province amid a surge in separatist violence….reports Asian Lite News Desk
South Korea on Monday imposed its highest-level travel warning on parts of Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province amid a surge in violence and coordinated separatist attacks in the region.
The Level 4 travel ban, the highest in South Korea’s four-tier travel advisory system, will take effect from 11 p.m., the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The ministry urged South Korean nationals planning to visit the affected areas to cancel their trips, while those currently residing there were advised to leave.
Under South Korean law, citizens who travel to or remain in areas designated under a Level 4 warning without special permission may face punishment.
Parts of Balochistan are already subject to travel restrictions imposed by Pakistani authorities, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The advisory comes amid heightened tensions in Balochistan, where separatist groups have intensified their campaign against the Pakistani state.
Last week, Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) chief Allah Nazar Baloch reiterated that his group’s ultimate objective was the establishment of a “sovereign and independent Balochistan”, describing independence as the only acceptable solution to the conflict.
In an interview cited by The Balochistan Post, Allah Nazar rejected the prospect of a political settlement based on greater autonomy, increased resource revenues or other concessions, saying negotiations with Pakistan could only take place in the presence of international powers.
“The objective of the Baloch nation is a sovereign and independent Balochistan. Now independence is the only acceptable solution,” he said.
He also accused Pakistan’s military of carrying out air strikes in several parts of Balochistan, including Gidar, Surab, Mehi, Mashkay and Wahli, claiming that restrictions on independent media had prevented wider reporting of the incidents.
The Pakistani government has long faced an insurgency in Balochistan, where separatist groups have accused authorities of political marginalisation, exploitation of natural resources and human rights abuses. Islamabad has rejected such allegations and maintains that militant groups are responsible for attacks targeting security forces and civilians.
