Islamabad bombing and the aftermath
Posted by Marc Shiman on March 18, 2008
There are plenty of articles running around on the bombing in the Luna Caprese Restaurant in Islamabad Pakistan. Obviously it caused a lot of consternation on the part of the guys working here, many of whom considered this a very nice place to work. We were particularly concerned about a shift in the attack patterns of terrorists who had been targeting police and military.
Since that time we learned that four FBI agents were amongst the injured; we also learned that the Lahore bombing targeted a building that had permanent FBI offices. We are resting easier, but no less cautious.
Today’s Dawn newspaper had an article that the Government in Pakistan was looking at closing some 20 restaurants and guest houses that were operating out of residential areas in Islamabad. Their reasoning is that these restaurants – frequented by foreigners – were now a hazard to other homes in the neighborhood. Reading between the lines, there are a whole bunch of things someone could take from it – excuse for a land grab, etc. etc.
Nonetheless, it makes an interesting point. Most of these restaurants have been operating outside the law for a long time. Pakistan has decided on a look-the-other-way strategy for its fledgling businesses (which is catching up to it on labor codes), but ANY business that works under these circumstances is at risk at any time for someone who gets the notion of taking action.
