US withdraws non-essential staff from consulate in Lahore, Pakistan

The US has ordered all non-essential government personell to leave its consulate in the Pakistani city of Lahore. A senior State Department official said the move was in response to a "credible threat" to the consulate, and added that any US personell remaining in Lahore "should limit non-essential travel within the country, be aware of their surroundings whether in their residences or moving about", and added that they should "make their own contingency emergency plans". US officials say it is not clear when the consulate will re-open. A travel-warning issued by the US said: "The presence of several foreign and indigenous terrorist groups poses a potential danger to US citizens throughout Pakistan".