Visitors to Pakistan warned to avoid Marriott hotels
The British High Commission has ordered its staff to avoid the Marriott Hotel in the Pakistan coastal city of Karachi and nearby locations.
Staff are advised to not even transit past the hotel, which is seen as a target for extremists as an American brand that attracts a high proportion of western visitors.
The warning follows the gunning down of seven policemen who were protecting health workers issuing polio vaccinations in the Orangi Town area earlier today.
Visitors are advised to avoid areas where vaccination programmes are taking place.
British High Commission staff had already been advised to avoid the Marriott Hotel in the Pakistan capital Islamabad, where 50 people were killed and a further 250 were injured in a terror attack in 2008.
The US embassy also warned its citizens two days ago to avoid the Marriott in Islamabad, saying it was aware of a general but uncorroborated threat against the hotel.
US citizens were advised to avoid the area for the next few days to allow time to assess the situation.
Americans planning to travel to Pakistan are being advised to defer non-essential trips.
The Foreign Office in the UK warns of high levels of violence in Karachi. It said today: "The Marriott Hotel in Karachi and nearby locations on Abullah Haroon Road like the Sind Club have been placed out of bounds for British Deputy High Commission staff."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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