India has advised its citizens against travel to Pakistan, citing security reasons, the home (interior) ministry said on Tuesday, as ties between the two countries continue strained. Thousands of Indian pilgrims, mainly Sikhs, travel to Pakistan's Punjab province, home to some of the most revered Sikh sites including the birthplace of Guru Nanak, the 15th century founder of their faith.
"Government of India is of the view that it is not advisable for the Indian pilgrims to visit Pakistan in the prevailing situation when frequent terrorist attacks are taking place," the ministry said in a statement.
"MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) has advised Indian citizens to avoid visiting Pakistan in view of (the) deteriorating security situation there," the statement read. India had asked citizens to be careful on visits to Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks last November, in which 166 people were killed in three days of carnage. It did not issue an official advisory at the time, however.