President, PM were to dine at Marriott
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Malik says eleventh hour decision to change venue saved leaders; hotel management denies
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik on Monday said the suicide blast outside the Marriott Hotel was aimed at targeting the political leadership.
The suicide blast was aimed at targeting the political leadership but the government foiled the malicious designs of the terrorists by changing the venue of the Iftar-dinner hosted by the National Assembly speaker from the Marriott Hotel to the Prime Minister House, he said while talking to journalists here.
Agencies add: Rehman Malik said the whole leadership was saved by the switch ahead of Saturdays devastating attack, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, and military top brass.
Rehman Malik, however, did not explain why the president and the prime minister decided to move the dinner from the Marriott to the PM House but said the decision was kept secret.
Perhaps, the terrorists knew that the Marriott was the venue of the dinner for all the leadership where the president, the prime minister, the speaker and the entire leadership would be present, he told reporters. At the eleventh hour, the president and the prime minister decided that the venue would be the Prime Ministers House. It saved the entire leadership, he said.
However, a spokesman for the hotel owner said it had no plans to host a dinner for the government leaders.We didnt have any reservation for such a dinner that the government official is talking about, Jamil Khawar told The Associated Press.
Reman Malik said he had been holding back the details of the dinner plans, and also insisted that the decision to change the venue had been kept secret.Malik separately told AFP that investigators were examining dramatic video footage of the attack shot by shot, second by second for clues, as well as probing who owned the vehicle.
Meanwhile, talking to VOA, Rehman Malik urged the nation to unite against anti-Pakistan forces who want to destabilise the countrys sovereignty and integrity. I clearly said that this war is being waged by our enemies. I condemn Saturdays attack and also appeal to the nation to be united against terrorism, he added.
About security situation in Islamabad, Malik said, The Islamabad administration does not allow any truck to enter the city in daytime. Whosoever planned it must have known that they can do it after 7 O clock.
No truck kept on moving on the roads freely and it entered the capital after Iftar, he added.A 600-kilogram bomb had been placed in the truck, which Rehman called a dumper, and was covered by some cotton and bricks. However, a water pump was also seen there according to the eyewitnesses and such dumpers move on Islamabad roads on routine.
To a question, he said that there may be more than one bombers.Although with the government efforts, suicide bombing has been reduced by 98 per cent by adopting positive strategies, there is need to further expedite efforts to counter such heinous attacks,
Rehman Malik said. Regarding South Waziristan, he said two of the six arrested bombers have given open confession in courts. Besides, we have 9 handlers behind the bars. All of them have links with Waziristan. We will welcome them if they lay down the arms, he said.
However, if they continue militant activities, the operation against them will continue, he said. AFP adds: The management of the Marriott Hotel on Monday denied an official statement that top Pakistani leaders were due to have dinner at the hotel but cancelled it before the devastating suicide bombing.
Interior ministry chief Rahman Malik had earlier told reporters that President and Prime Minister were to have dinner at the Marriott on Saturday, when it was bombed, but the venue was changed at the last minute.
There was no reservation from the government side, Jamil Khawar, spokesman for the hotel owner Sadruddin Hashwani, told AFP. I have checked from the management and the hotel administration. No booking had been made for an official dinner on that day, he said.
Malik said: The national assembly speaker had arranged a dinner for the entire leadership - the President, the Prime Minister and armed services chiefs at the Marriott that day.
The President and the Prime Minister changed the venue to the Prime Ministerís House and the function was not held at the Marriott. Malik added.
President, PM were to dine at Marriott