Marriott 'escape' report denied

See the scale of the damage at the Marriott in Islamabad Enlarge Image

Confusion over Marriott 'escape'

The owner of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad has denied that Pakistan's top leaders had been due to dine there before Saturday's huge bomb attack.

He was responding to comments by interior ministry chief Rehman Malik.

Mr Malik said the president, prime minister and military chiefs were going to eat there but changed venue at the last minute.

A suicide bomb devastated the hotel killing at least 53 people and injuring more than 266 people.

The Marriott owner, Sadruddin Hashwani, told the BBC there never was a booking for a government dinner at the Marriott hotel on the night of the bomb attack nor any plans for a government function.

Mr Hashwani owns a string of hotels in Pakistan and is one of the country's most successful businessmen.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Malik told journalists that President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani were planning to dine at the Marriott before a late change of plan...BBC