US Issues warning for Serena Hotel and Golf Club in Pakistan’s Peshawar

A Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) official, speaking anonymously to The Media Line, revealed that the alert was prompted by intelligence gathered during a recent operation by CTD Punjab.

By ARSHAD MEHMOOD/THE MEDIA LINE NOVEMBER 28, 2024 22:50

Police officers stand at the entrance of the district Judicial Complex in Islamabad, Pakistan November 28, 2023. (photo credit: REUTERS/FAYAZ AZIZ)

The United States has issued a security advisory warning its citizens and diplomatic staff in Pakistan to avoid the Serena Hotel and surrounding areas in Peshawar until December 16, 2024. The advisory, published on Thursday on the US Embassy’s website, is based on intelligence received by the US Mission in Pakistan. The warning extends to the Peshawar Golf Club, located on Khyber Road, which is in close proximity to sensitive installations.

A Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) official, speaking anonymously to The Media Line, revealed that the alert was prompted by intelligence gathered during a recent operation by CTD Punjab. Several individuals associated with a terror network were arrested, raising concerns about potential threats. Details about the nature of the threat remain undisclosed.

The advisory underscores ongoing security risks in the region. The Serena Hotel, formerly the Pearl Continental, has a history of being targeted. In a 2009 terrorist attack, a truck bomb killed 11 people, including two foreigners, and injured 50 others. The hotel’s location, flanked by the Peshawar Corps Commander House and the Golf Club, makes it particularly vulnerable.

Past attacks at the Serena Hotel

Such incidents are not isolated to Peshawar. In 2021, a bomb in the parking lot of the Serena Hotel in Quetta, Balochistan, killed five people and injured 13. The US and UK have also previously warned citizens to avoid Serena Hotels in other regions, including Kabul.

Pakistani pro Islamic protesters shout anti American slogans during a rally by the Islamic Party Jamt Ulma Islami (JUI) in front of the Serena hotel in Quetta October 2, 2001. (credit: REUTERS/JERRY LAMPEN)

Rising violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, often attributed to the deteriorating situation in neighboring Afghanistan, has made the region a hotspot for extremist activity. The resurgence of groups emboldened by the Taliban’s return has led to increased attacks on civilians and law enforcement, highlighting the fragile security environment.

Neither Pakistan’s provincial nor federal governments have commented on the latest alert from the US Embassy.