DFA tells Pinoys to be vigilant, take precautions amid India-Pakistan conflict

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday advised Filipinos to take security precautions amid escalating conflict between India and Pakistan.

No Filipino casualty was reported, the DFA said, citing a report from its embassy in Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad.

“The DFA advises the Filipino community in the affected areas to take sensible precautions and continue to be vigilant,” Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza said, adding Manila is closely monitoring the situation after the two neighboring states launched counter-attacks at the disputed border of Kashmir.

There are 3,151 Filipinos in Pakistan, with around 30 mostly married to locals living 20 kilometers away from the conflict zone, and 3,350 in India, according to DFA data.

India fired missiles into several Pakistani locations early Wednesday, killing at least 26 people, following last month’s massacre of Indian tourists at the Indian-controlled side of Kashmir.

Pakistan, which denied backing the killings, called the attack an act of war and vowed to retaliate.
“We call for a peaceful resolution to the current issues,” Daza said.

In a separate advisory, the Philippine Embassy in Pakistan advised all Filipinos to avoid the areas of Bhimber City, Azad Kashmir, the Sialkot Line of Control and anywhere within five miles of the India-Pakistan border.

The embassy urged Filipinos to avoid non-essential travel to the said areas and public gathering sites.

They were also told to remain indoors, monitor official announcements from local authorities and maintain contact with their employers, the embassy and community coordinators. —LDF, GMA Integrated News