The US government ordered the evacuation of non-essential staff from its consulate in Lahore on Friday due to the threat of attack, with the state department also warning US citizens not to travel to Pakistan. "The department of state ordered this drawdown due to specific threats concerning the US consulate in Lahore," according to a travel warning posted on the department of state's website on Thursday.The warning noted that "several foreign and indigenous terrorist groups pose a potential danger to US citizens throughout Pakistan".The evacuation follows the closure of 17 US embassies and the evacuation of its embassy in Yemen.