UN, Britain to evacuate kids from Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - The United Nations and Britain Thursday ordered the children of international staff to be evacuated from Pakistan in the wake of the deadly bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.

The pullout comes despite increased security measures by Pakistani authorities after last month’s attack, in which 60 people died, and reinforces fears that Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants are destabilising the country.

The insecurity was heightened when a suicide bomber killed four people as he tried to force his way into the house of Awami National Party Chief Asfandwali Yar in Charsadda on Thursday.

“The United Nations has raised the security level... which provides for the movement of dependent children,” Fikret Akcura, the UN resident coordinator for Pakistan, told AFP.

“They can either go to a third country outside Pakistan or to their home country,” Akcura said. He did not say how many children would be affected.