September 23, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 22, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 22: Renovation work started on Monday at the Marriott Hotel which was devastated by a powerful suicide blast that killed 53 people two days ago.

Labourers began repainting the hotel building completely gutted by the inferno that continued for more than 12 hours.

The entire building was blackened by the fire which reduced many of the hotel’s furniture and fixtures to ashes.

Trolleys, bulldozers and other heavy machinery removed the rubble from the entrance to the once spotless structure.

“We are here to clear the debris in order to provide workers with access to the restaurants inside the hotel which are needed to be renovated,” said Nazir Masih, one of scores of men shoveling the rubble at the entrance of the Marquee Hall. According to him, it may take few days to clear the halls.

“Though I have lost four of my friends in the gruesome incident, I am back on job today as this hotel job is my bread and butter,” said Nasir as he cleaned the floor of Nadia Coffee Shop.

He hoped that guest would be bustling around in the hotel very soon.

“It depends how fast we as a team complete the ongoing renovation work,” he said.

Interior of the hotel building, which used to glitter because of a huge number of fancy lights and chandeliers, was completely fragmented. Civil works officials of the hotel were also assessing the loss caused by Saturday’s massive suicide truck bombing.

The hotel owner, Sadruddin Hashwani, told a private channel that the hotel would resume operations within four months.