Jinnah Convention Center put on sale

Aftab Ahmed

The PTI government has approved Rs 1.14 billion supplementary grant for payment to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on account of the privatization of Jinnah Convention Center, Islamabad.

The previous government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had mulled over a plan of auctioning the convention center in 2014-15 in a bid to generate revenues amounting to Rs 10 billion to Rs15 billion.

The Jinnah Convention Center is located at the Kashmir Highway Islamabad and it serves as the hub to hold large exhibitions and summits by public bodies and the private sector as well.

The CDA had kicked off construction work during the second tenure of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and completed it in December 1996. Its inauguration was held in 1997 and was used to host the Organisation of the Islamic Conference OIC–Summit.

It has a covered area of 202,075 square feet and has a seating capacity of 2200. Its parking lots have a total capacity of over 600 cars and it has five committee rooms, 32 smaller conference rooms.

The CDA has rented out main hall of Jinnah Convention Center for Rs300, 000 per day to the government or private entities to hold their annual convocation ceremonies and educational exhibitions. The government also holds events to mark national days such as August 14, March 23, and September 6.

Now, an official told Newztodays.com that the PTI government has allocated Rs 1.14 billion amount to pay it to CDA for transfer of the land to the government so that the privatization could complete the transaction process of Jinnah Convention Center.

Officials said that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) owns Convention Center in Islamabad. The sponsoring agency had informed government it was essential for the federal government to the land at the government’s rate to initiate a process of privatization of Jinnah Convention Center.

The Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCoP) in its meeting held on February 13, 2019, had taken up the matter of putting the convention center on sale. Officials further said that CDA had opposed its privatization.