International

Diplomatic missions assess Pakistan security situation

ISLAMABAD: Western diplomatic missions here are assessing their security in the wake of the Marriott Hotel bombing, said diplomatic sources on Thursday.

At least 55 people, including six foreigners, were killed and more than 260 wounded in the attack. Among the foreigners who died were the Czech Ambassador to Pakistan, his Vietnamese partner, two U.S. Marines, a Danish intelligence official and an Egyptian.

Rehman Malik, who functions as the Interior Minister, said this week the attackers specifically targeted the hotel as it was an international brand name and also a symbol of Pakistan’s economy.

Mr. Malik’s later version was the entire leadership was to assemble at the hotel that evening for a dinner but were saved as it was shifted to the Prime Minister’s House at the last minute.

But it now appears that the Speaker of the National Assembly, who was the host, had only made enquiries about holding the event in the hotel, but never scheduled it there.

The U.S. Embassy has instructed its staff not to stay in any big hotel Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar.

A bomb threat at the Islamabad Airport on Thursday has only added to the sense of siege. Recently renamed after the late Benazir Bhutto, and located in Rawalpindi next to the Chaklala Military Airbase, the airport had to evacuated after receiving a call that a bomb would go off inside the building at noon. Passengers were allowed back in after personnel combed the building. Led by the U.S. and European missions, western diplomats have held discussions amongst themselves and with the Interior Ministry on security measures.

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