Hotel was a favourite with Indians

Over the past few years,since the reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan gained momentum,the Park has been the favorite hotel for Indians staying on extended visits to Kabul. Located less than half-a-km from the Indian Embassy and right next to the only shopping mall in Kabul,it’s considered a “safe” location by the visitors.

While the small hotel,with just over 50 rooms,also gets other guests,the predominately Indian guest list means that Indian newspapers,magazines and even food are readily available. For the small Indian community in Kabul,the Park is a convenient meeting point to catch up with India-specific news.

Friday’s was not the first attack on the hotel. It has borne the brunt of several smaller attacks in the past. When we checked into the hotel in 2008,several hotel rooms were not available as they had been damaged in a bomb attack the previous year.

Our last conversation with the hotel manager on the day we checked out summed up the general impression in Kabul about Pakistan. I asked the manager why our passports were checked when we first entered the hotel. His reply was simple: “Sir,we can’t make out whether you are an Indian or a Pakistani. Entry here is restricted only for the former.”