More terrorism in Pakistan, but my family is safe
What horrible news to wake up to: an email from my brother & sister in law, telling us there has been another attack. (I don’t have the TV on yet, don’t need that in the morning, but now I am forced to watch.) All of my family in Islamabad is safe and well, thank all the gods. Yet again, the house sustained damage, although not as bad as it did in the Danish Embassy bombing in June. That one took out every window in the house, this time only a few windows were cracked.
This breaks my heart.
We spent a bit of time at the Marriott whilst we were there; we went to visit as tourists, had stuff done at the spa, and the disco was opened for a private party for us after the Shadi. (I didn’t go to that one though as I am just too old and was too tired and had completely lost my voice by that point and needed sleep. You try talking to 450+ guests for five days of a wedding celebration!) We didn’t stay there though as there had been an attack there previously. The Marriott is frequented by foreigners, and is foreign (US) owned; we stayed at the Serena, the other five star hotel in Islamabad, owned by the Aga Khan and more progressive and community-based in it’s employment policies. It is less likely a target and their security is top-notch (along with everything else, this is one of the finest hotels I’ve ever been to.)
Now I just need to find out how my friends are-hopefully none of them were anywhere near there. I think one in particular may have been close-her beauty salon is near there if I am not mistaken, but she’s probably okay, inshallah. I think R & T would have said something. And I hope E. was at home and not out on the town with other US embassy staff (again, inshallah).
See? The crap continues under Zardari too. It isn’t the President or the PM; it’s the small fanatical elements within Pakistan that pulls this shite, same as it is worldwide. The Taliban (whom they suspect at this time, but they may be wrong; Al Queda took responsibility for the Danish Embassy, so who knows) will continue this campaign of terror no matter who is in office, unless they get their way of Sharia law. The majority of the Pakistani population does not want this.
And at Ramadan too, shame on them. Allah is probably not impressed. What a difference from a year ago. I was there at the end of Ramadan, and for Eid al Fitr, which is such a joyful & bright holiday. Sure Bhutto’s motorcade was bombed in Karachi the night she officially re-entered the country from her nearly decade long exile which was just a few days after Eid, but frankly, that was sort of expected. Bhutto knew she was a target, and likely knew she’d be assassinated (as you recall the arseholes succeeded last December), and that’s really terrible-assassination is not the answer to problems; it always makes more trouble. Today’s bombing is just another rotten incident piled on so many. It must end. My prayers and thoughts today are with Pakistan, I hope you fine folks will join me.
This breaks my heart.
We spent a bit of time at the Marriott whilst we were there; we went to visit as tourists, had stuff done at the spa, and the disco was opened for a private party for us after the Shadi. (I didn’t go to that one though as I am just too old and was too tired and had completely lost my voice by that point and needed sleep. You try talking to 450+ guests for five days of a wedding celebration!) We didn’t stay there though as there had been an attack there previously. The Marriott is frequented by foreigners, and is foreign (US) owned; we stayed at the Serena, the other five star hotel in Islamabad, owned by the Aga Khan and more progressive and community-based in it’s employment policies. It is less likely a target and their security is top-notch (along with everything else, this is one of the finest hotels I’ve ever been to.)
Now I just need to find out how my friends are-hopefully none of them were anywhere near there. I think one in particular may have been close-her beauty salon is near there if I am not mistaken, but she’s probably okay, inshallah. I think R & T would have said something. And I hope E. was at home and not out on the town with other US embassy staff (again, inshallah).
See? The crap continues under Zardari too. It isn’t the President or the PM; it’s the small fanatical elements within Pakistan that pulls this shite, same as it is worldwide. The Taliban (whom they suspect at this time, but they may be wrong; Al Queda took responsibility for the Danish Embassy, so who knows) will continue this campaign of terror no matter who is in office, unless they get their way of Sharia law. The majority of the Pakistani population does not want this.
And at Ramadan too, shame on them. Allah is probably not impressed. What a difference from a year ago. I was there at the end of Ramadan, and for Eid al Fitr, which is such a joyful & bright holiday. Sure Bhutto’s motorcade was bombed in Karachi the night she officially re-entered the country from her nearly decade long exile which was just a few days after Eid, but frankly, that was sort of expected. Bhutto knew she was a target, and likely knew she’d be assassinated (as you recall the arseholes succeeded last December), and that’s really terrible-assassination is not the answer to problems; it always makes more trouble. Today’s bombing is just another rotten incident piled on so many. It must end. My prayers and thoughts today are with Pakistan, I hope you fine folks will join me.