LONDON, Jan 4: Britain on Friday downgraded a warning to its citizens about travelling to Pakistan, saying the situation had calmed since the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

“We no longer advise against all but essential travel to Pakistan, but we continue to advise against all but essential travel to Northern Sindh and Southern Punjab as well as areas where there are reports of military or militant activity,” the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said.

Northern Sindh and Southern Punjab “remain particularly unsettled”, the FCO said in its updated travel advice.

“We also advise against all but essential travel to Quetta and we advise against using bus services in the whole of Balochistan because of the unsettled security situation.

“The situation is now generally calmer and life is returning to normal in major cities,” said the FCO.

“However, political tension related to parliamentary elections could give rise to a further escalation of violence.”—AFP