[catswiththum]

Pakistan one of the 10 most dangerous places to live - from the U.S. Dept. of State:

So far in 2015, there have been more than 200 terror-related incidents in Pakistan. On August 16, a senior Punjab state official and 18 others were killed by a suicide bomber at his political office in Attock. A Pakistani Taliban splinter group named Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility. The same group previously used suicide bombers to attack two Christian churches in Lahore on March 15, killing 15 people and injuring another 70, and a police facility in Lahore on February 17, killing 8 people and injuring another 19.

Targeted attacks against government officials, humanitarian and non-governmental organization (NGO) employees, tribal elders, and law enforcement personnel continue throughout the country. U.S.citizens have also been targeted. On April 16, 2015, a U.S. educator was seriously injured while driving her own vehicle in Karachi after being shot by two gunmen on motorbikes. Evidence obtained by local police suggests that she was targeted, in part, because she is a U.S. citizen.

Suicide bomb attacks have occurred in major cities and other locations across the country, including universities, schools, rallies, places of worship, and major marketplaces in several Pakistani cities.

Sectarian violence occurs countrywide. On May 13, 2015, gunmen attacked a bus traveling in Karachi, killing more than 40 of the passengers. Most of the victims were members of the Ismaili Shia Muslim minority community. Members of minority communities have been victims of targeted killings and accusations of blasphemy, a crime that carries the death penalty in Pakistan. Places of worship of various faiths have frequently been targeted for attack by terrorists. U.S. government personnel are prohibited from attending services at places of worship in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar, and outside of the diplomatic enclave in Islamabad without prior approval. Foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens, on valid missionary visas have encountered increased scrutiny from local authorities since early 2011.