Across Asia: Pakistan

Targeted hotel to reopen

Pakistan will see the re-opening of the luxury Marriott Hotel in the capital Islamabad on Sunday, three months after it was ripped apart by a truck bomb that killed 60 people and wounded another 260. The attack reduced the hotel to a charred shell on September 20.

Peter Alex, the chief operating officer of the Hashoo group which owns the hotel, says "new concepts of security and safety" have been used in the extensive renovation work to ensure guests can check in without fear. Alex said 60 rooms would be available from Sunday for the Marriott's "soft re-opening", with the entire hotel due to be open for business by March.