Tazeen Akhtar
The Centaurus Group has soft launched what the CEO claims, Islamabad’s first SIX Star Hotel the other day in an event attended by few parliamentarians and many real estate developers and property dealers. Islamabad and Rawalpindi chambers of commerce were also represented in the ceremony.
Centaurus Group has constructed the building of the hotel along with the Mall. The third tower is meant for the new hotel. Now when the group secured the franchize of Mövenpick , that tower is being converted into a hotel.
Centaurus group constructed three towers during Gen Pervez Musharraf’s regime. 1 Tower is the Mall , 2 Tower consists of offices and residential apartments. Here couple of years, a sudden fire erupted that engulfed the apartment of Ambassador of Ukraine. He was saved but later he left the apartment to avoid any further accident.
Third Tower is Mövenpick now on. Similarly, the owners are three brothers. Sardar Tanvir Ilyas was the starter and the other two Sardar Yasir and Dr Rashid joined at a later stage. Recently, the family divided on the property rights issue on Centaurus and both sides not only attacked each other’s staff but got police cases registered as well.
At the soft launch, many were invited but not the real initiator of the group, the big brother Sardar Tanvir Ilyas. Few days ago, a photo of all three brothers was made public by the paid media promoting the impression that the brothers reconciled and joined hands again but the absence of the real man from this event tells the other story.
Centaurus Mall Islamabad Becomes Bone of Contention – Billionaire Brothers at Daggers Drawn to One Another – by Tazeen Akhtar
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan , as the CEO of The Centaurus Group and President of the Islamabad Developers Association, claimed in the launching event that Mövenpick Centaurus Islamabad will be the first 6-star luxury hotel in Pakistan. It is a historic milestone in redefining hospitality within our nation.
This masterpiece which was conceptualized in 2019 and brought to life by December 2024, represents the perfect fusion of Pakistani warmth with world-class sophistication and hospitality. Nestled in the heart of Islamabad, the Mövenpick Centaurus 6-star hotel is set to redefine luxury with:
. State-of-the-art rooms offering breathtaking views of Margalla Hills.
. Six exceptional fine-dining restaurants, cutting-edge meeting facilities, and a signature spa offer a refined culinary and wellness experience.
. Top notch amenities to cater to both leisure and business travelers.
. Dedicated cigar lounge and executive lounge for executive room guests.
Pakistan in the World – December 2024
Mr. Hanif Abbasi (MNA), Senator Talha Mehmood, Senator Sitara Ayaz, Mr. Zamurad Khan, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Fida Hussain, Brig. (Retd) Liaqat Ali (DHA), Usman Shauqat (President RCCI, CEO BIO Labs), members of Special Investment Facilitation Council SIFC also gathered in the event.
That all looks great and promising for Islamabad and Pakistan but factually seeing, the hotel industry is not flourishing in Islamabad. Centaurus is a big group with billions of rupees to spend on running the files but that is not enough to run a Six Star hotel in the capital city where the only two International standard hotels are not fully occupied most often.
As far as, the participation of big names from government, chambers of commerce and property dealers is concerned, every one knows most of them are protocol and concession seekers all the time. They are not the potential customers.
Islamabad or Pakistan, a tourist hub, is very good to hear and say but the realities on the ground are totally different. Islamabad, if not mostly but most often in recent months was closed like a deserted city. Political rivalries cum enmities have left this beautiful city with no attraction for the outsiders from inside the country even, let alone the international tourist will come here.
Melody Food Market Beautification Project : Substandard Work Forces the Financiers to Stop Funding – Contractors Stop Construction – Public Place Looks Deserted
Third force siding by one party and persecuting the other with civil administration and police have only one way to curb the protests and that is block the ways and impose curfew like order in the capital city as well as in twin city Rawalpindi.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan has seen success only being the youngest brother. He found everything ready to use but may be the other two brothers, especially Sardar Tanvir Ilyas understand these ground realities very well. This young man has visited Marriott and Serena and he has not seen the Iron Gates at the entrance of both the hotels. What does these gates mean?
The Ambassadors in Islamabad make jokes and say, Pakistan claims to be the hub in the region but has no trade with most of her neighbors. They are right. Who will be attracted to a city where there are no go areas and where people can hardly cross into the hotels to dine or attend events?
Finally, yes! Islamabad needs another fine hotel for international community that lives in diplomatic enclave but establishment of a third hotel is another long story of big games of the powerful and already present players in the market. Constitution 1 and Sheraton hotels buildings can be seen in this regard.
Despite all these things, Islamabadians welcome the project and wish the best for the success. At the same time, Sardar brothers are supposed to learn that Unity is strength. Honesty is the best Policy. If they can not manage the things in between them the 3 brothers, how they can run these huge businesses. Not Possible.
Mövenpick is most welcome but first lets Move the Minds as well on above mentioned disturbing points.
Pakistan in the World – October 2024
