US withdraws staff from Lahore consulate citing terror threat

The US today evacuated all non-emergency staff from its consulate in Lahore, citing a specific terror threat against the facility even as it issued a fresh travel advisory to Americans warning against visiting Pakistan.
The move comes amid a worldwide alert over al-Qaeda intercepts.
"Today, the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency US Government personnel from our Consulate General in Lahore, Pakistan.
"We are undertaking this drawdown due to concerns about credible threat information specific to the US Consulate in Lahore," a senior State Department official in Washington told PTI.
A Pakistani official of the US consulate in Lahore told PTI that the local staff would receive instructions from the officials concerned about joining the duty after Eid holidays ending on Sunday.

"We are not told about the closure of the consulate. The local staff may resume duty next week," he said.

The US diplomats in Lahore have been moved to Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Lahore police issued a terror alert in the wake of Quetta blast at a police residential compound that killed 30 policemen including senior officials yesterday.
"There has been a threat from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and its allied groups especially on forces and foreigners," a senior police official told PTI.
"We are coordinating with other agencies to thwart terrorists' plans during Eid days," he said.