Mr. Horst August, Senior Adviser of FNF, Pakistan Office survives the suicide attack outside Marriott Hotel. Mr. August as head of the project for an interim period of four months, was staying at Marriott Hotel, Islamabad situated in the Red Zone of Islamabad that was believed to be the most protected area in terms of security. After the powerful attack outside the gate of one of the finest hotels in Islamabad, the burning pieces of the truck and the explosive materials containing aluminum powder hit the top floors causing an inextinguishable fire. Later the fire engulfed the whole building.
Sensing the severity of the situation and increasing fire in the corridors, Mr. August managed to escape his hot room from the window and hurt his foot while jumping on the ground bearing several other minor injuries and burns. He was transported to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) by the ambulance already waiting at the back side of the hotel.
As soon as the blast rocked the capital, the FNF office tried to contact Mr. August on his personal and hotel phones and finding no response immediately contacted the German Embassy and searched for him in the hospitals for several hours. He was shifted to the residence of the Deputy Head of the Mission of the German Embassy along with one more German National after the first aid treatment at PIMS.
The blast is counted as the 10th suicide attack in Islamabad and 63rd of Pakistan during the current year. This unabated wave of terrorism has swallowed thousands innocent lives depriving hundreds of families of their loved ones; their sole source of income killing their only bread winners while leaving hundreds disabled for the rest of their lives. This is high time that the Pakistani Nation pressurizes the elected government to take measures for devising national and foreign policies in the favour of the people of Pakistan to ensure their very basic right- Right to Live!!!
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