The Marriott will rise again
Thu, October 02 2008
But in the proverbial Phoenix that will rise from the ashes of Pakistan’s worst terror attack, the Marriott Hotel is already beginning the process of getting back on its feet.
In a never say die spirit, Sadruddin Hashwani, owner of the hotel that was reduced to a burnt shell after Saturday’s suicide bombing that killed 53 people, has promised that the Marriott would be ready in less than four months.
“We’ll try our level best to open the hotel on the first day of the new year,” Hashwani told IANS.
The work has already begun, with more than 100 labourers clearing the debris inside the complex. There were trolleys, lifters, pulling machines and human power toiling to rebuild the hotel virtually from scratch.
Though the building smouldered for two days, the structure has been declared safe and sound by experts.
Several workers could also be seen whitewashing the hotel structure blackened by the fire that erupted after the truck bombing Saturday.
“This is being done to make it look better while the final paint would be done once the hotel is renovated,” said one of the managers of the hotel.
Hashwani has promised jobs to all his employees and given them double salary for the month of Ramadan. He has also promised to provide jobs to the blood relatives of employees killed in the devastation.
The painted frontage of the building might lift the spirits in this capital city, which appears to have gone back 20 years when only a few people were seen in restaurants and in markets after sunset.
Markets usually crammed with Eid shoppers were deserted and restaurants filled to capacity in the evenings were empty too as several planned Iftar parties were cancelled.
With Eid likely to fall on Oct. 1 or 2 depending on the sighting of the moon, these are the days when the markets are most crowded.
“This is not for the first time that we’ll be not able to celebrate Eid properly. In 2005, there was an earthquake during Ramadan. In 1999 there was a train accident in which many were killed,” said another shopkeeper.
They are hoping that the mood will pick up in the next two to three days.
