A 7-star hotel in Islamabad?

Posted on September 1, 2006
Filed Under >Bilal Zuberi, Economy & Development
71 Comments
Total Views: 53649

Bilal Zuberi

I just read this in the news. Daily Times has reported the inauguration of The Centaurus, Pakistan’s first seven-star hotel project, in Islamabad.

I am left wondering what are these people thinking? Can Pakistan afford, and sustain, a 7-star hotel? Do we really need one? And what is a 7-star hotel, after all? We can barely maintain a decent 2 or 3 star hotel in our major cities. Are we now competing with Dubai for architectural grandiosity? And whoever came up with the name should probably look for a job in Hollywood…

ISLAMABAD: The Centaurus, Pakistan’s first seven-star hotel project, was inaugurated on Thursday. The $350 million complex is planned to have a 37-storey deluxe hotel, with two 21-storey residential towers, a 25-storey corporate office complex, and a 5-storey shopping mall. The complex will have a parking lot that would accommodate over 2,000 vehicles. The project will be completed in three years… The Pak Gulf Construction Private Limited company (PGCL) and Messrs Atkins engineering company – the constructors of Dubai’s renowned Burj Al Arab – are executing the project. Saudi Arabian Al-Tamimi Group and the Sardar Group of Companies are making the investment….

President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday said it was “the right time to invest in Pakistan� because of the country’s positive economic policies of de-regulation, liberalisation and privatisation coupled with a liberal foreign exchange regimen. “We have opened all sectors of the economy for investment and the scourge of red-tapism and bureaucratic delays are being done away with,� said the president at the foundation-laying ceremony of The Centaurus.

71 responses to “A 7-star hotel in Islamabad?”

  1. Ahmed says:

    * We need it bad and we had it ! :p
    All we need is to appreciate such incredible advancements !
    May this mega project have a lucrative end !

  2. usman says:

    This is a wonderful Idea. I think it wiill increase Pakistan’s foreign reserve and also increase the tourist rate in Pakistan.I think we should always think +ive.

  3. Ali says:

    This is a very shamefull for all of our Leaders and politicians and for us also..
    A common man is dying because of the rising prices of Rice,Sugar.floor and other common utilties..and These people are wanted to have 7 and 5 stars hotels in their town..
    This is totally embaricing..

  4. Deewana Aik says:

    Any further progress on this project?

  5. Haris Qureshi says:

    We dont need a seven star hotel. I really feel shame for those people who go and sit in those telephonic Addresses (khitab) from politicians who ran away and some of them not even have a pakistani citizenship and still a integeral part of pakistani politics.

    The only thing I can see coming good out by Building a seven star hotel is that will create jobs and that will some how uplift the living standard of common people.

    thanks

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