Islamabad is finally on its way to getting its first-ever cricket stadium, as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been directed to finalize its design without further delay. The directive came from Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who expressed frustration over the slow progress during a late-night meeting at CDA headquarters on Wednesday.
Naqvi made it clear that the stadium’s design should be completed on time. The Capital development authority has hired a consultant to accelerate the process after getting directives from Naqvi.
Last year, the CDA and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) held multiple meetings to explain the construction of the stadium. A PCB delegation even visited the CDA headquarters twice, meeting with then-Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal. But the discussion had not came through any fruitful results, the project remained stuck in the pipeline for years.
The exact location of the cricket stadium is not confirmed yet. But some of the reports keep on revealing that it will likely be established near D-12 at the foothills of the Margalla Hills. The CDA had also claimed that the stadium, along with a hotel, would be constructed in this area, and this is expected to be the largest cricket stadium in Pakistan with the seating potential of more than 50,000.
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Under initial discussions between the CDA and PCB, the stadium was expected to be completed within 5 years, as per discussions among PCB and CDA. The CDA was ready to allocate 280 kanals of land on a 99-year lease, with revenue from the facility to be divided 70:30 between PCB and CDA.
This is not the first time Islamabad has come close to getting a cricket stadium. In the past, the CDA and PCB had planned to build one in Shakarparian, but the Supreme Court scrapped the project. The area, originally designated for sports facilities in Islamabad’s 1960 master plan, was later declared part of the national park, halting further construction.
Beyond the cricket stadium, several other development projects were discussed in the meeting chaired by Mr. Naqvi. These include the long-awaited extension of Margalla Road to the motorway, solutions to Faizabad’s traffic congestion, the establishment of a Safari Park, and a potential chairlift and zip line attraction.
Additionally, plans were discussed to create commercial strips along both sides of the Islamabad Expressway. However, concerns were raised about the loss of green spaces due to increasing construction activities. Some officials suggested that instead of large-scale developments, the commercial zones should be limited to rest areas, restaurants, and petrol stations.
With these projects in motion, the future of Islamabad’s infrastructure looks promising. However, for cricket fans, the real excitement lies in the long-overdue stadium, which, if completed on time, could finally help in bringing international matches to the capital city.