Delhi 08 May 2025 : Canada has issued an advisory asking its citizens not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and areas within 10 km of India’s border with Pakistan, citing Indian air strikes carried out under Operation Sindoor on targets in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistani Punjab province on Wednesday.
India carried out precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure at nine sites in Pakistan and PoK in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack two weeks ago. These were the first attacks on Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, since the 1971 war.
The Canadian advisory said there has also been artillery fire across the Line of Control (LoC), referring to the de facto India-Pakistan border in J&K. “Tensions could increase and the situation could deteriorate rapidly.”
At least 12 civilians and a soldier were killed and 42 people injured in J&K’s Poonch as the Pakistan army fired artillery shells along LoC on Wednesday, triggering evacuations.
The advisory referred to air travel disruptions and said local authorities could take additional measures, such as closing the airspace.
India’s targeted strikes in Pakistan and PoK prompted the closure of 27 airports across northern India for commercial flights until Saturday. Twenty-five international flight routes were also shut.
The advisory asked Canadian citizens to “follow the instructions of local authorities, including air-raid sirens and evacuation orders” and “be vigilant and prepared to shelter in place” if they were in or near the affected areas.
“Violent clashes between militants and security forces occur regularly. Terrorist attacks against security forces have led to civilian casualties. Further attacks could take place at any time. You could find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
It advised against travel within 10 km of the border with Pakistan in Gujarat, Punjab, and Rajasthan “due to the unpredictable security situation.” The advisory asked Canadians to exercise a high degree of caution in India.
A similar Canadian advisory for Pakistan said the authorities there have temporarily closed the country’s airspace, which has resulted in air travel disruptions. It added that security forces “continue to be on high alert” in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi, including the port. “The security situation is evolving and remains unpredictable,” the advisory for Pakistan noted.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said his country will retaliate to India’s airstrikes. In a statement, his government said it has authorised Pakistan’s armed forces to “undertake corresponding actions in this regard”. Sharif said that Pakistan has “every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war”.
Pakistan’s chief military spokesman, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, told the media that Islamabad reserves the right and will respond to “this aggression at a time, place, and means of our own choice” amid calls for restraint from around the world.
Summary: Canada advises citizens to avoid traveling to Jammu and Kashmir and regions within 10 km of India’s border due to safety concerns.