France advises its citizens in Pakistan to leave country temporarily — diplomatic source

France has advised that French citizens and companies should temporarily leave Pakistan due to serious threats on French interests in the country, said a diplomatic source on Thursday, after violent clashes in the country this week.

Thousands of Pakistani Islamists had clashed with police earlier this week in protest against the arrest of their leader ahead of rallies denouncing French cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad.

For Muslims, depictions of the Prophet are blasphemous.

The diplomatic source added on Thursday that a message had been sent overnight to French citizens and companies following a threat by a hardline Islamist group to target French interests.