'Foreigners only' French restaurant draws flak in Islamabad India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

A French restaurant in Pakistan's capital Islamabad has drawn severe flak after it put up a notice saying 'foreigners only'. Islamabad police said it has also received complaints regarding such notice being put at the front window of the Cordon Rouge restaurant, which is situated close to embassies and government buildings in the city's heavily guarded diplomatic enclave. However, the owner of the food joint, Jean-Luc Hue brushed aside the accusations, saying the notice has been 'misunderstood'. Hue admitted that he fumbled with the selection of words for the notice. "This is just a misunderstanding. I only put the sign up for the month of Ramadan," The BBC quoted Hue, as saying. "Since it was not worth it for them to come after the fast breaks (at sunset), I decided to put up the sign, but some people didn't appreciate it," he added. Hue also rejected allegations that his restaurant had something of an 'anti-Pakistani' entrance policy even before Ramadan. "Yes, we were very selective with the people entering our place, but you have to be selective in the restaurant business," he clarified. He insisted that his policy has nothing to do with race or nationality, his main consideration is the way customers behave. "We have respectable diplomats who come here and they have to be comfortable. Twice I had to ask some Pakistani young people to leave because they were trying to get a little bit too friendly with the female clientele," he said. "I'm a restaurant owner, and I want to have a business.Pakistanis are more than welcome. Why would I refuse Pakistanis when I need them for my business?" Hue stressed.