CDA Halts Work on Islamabad’s Largest IT Park

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has halted work on Pakistan’s largest IT Park in Islamabad, leaving the future of the project uncertain. Despite the CDA board’s earlier decision to conduct third-party validation of financial bids, the process has come to a standstill as the Expression of Interest (EOI) for validation has not been issued. Sources added that this delay has effectively stopped the leasing process for the grey structure and land designated for the IT park. Sources told ProPakistani that even after several months since the CDA board’s decision, there has been no progress in issuing the EOI. The lack of action has resulted in the abandonment of plans to lease out the grey structure, which was initially meant to house the IT park. The project’s indefinite delay raises concerns about Islamabad’s technological and economic development, as the proposed IT park was expected to be a hub for innovation. In a later board meeting, CDA officials discussed alternative uses for the grey structure. Some board members suggested that a nursing university should be established instead of the IT park, while others recommended using the space for an educational institution. Ultimately, the board decided to drop the IT park plan entirely and consider alternative solutions for the site. The CDA had initiated the leasing process in March last year, aiming to transform the 97,000-square-foot grey structure in G-10 Markaz into a state-of-the-art IT park. Approved by the CDA board, the project was envisioned as a technological hub designed to support freelancers, startups, and software houses. The 3.3-acre site was to be leased to a tenant responsible for developing it according to international standards under a public-private partnership model. The IT park was expected to provide workspace for 5,000 to 6,000 freelancers and include research centers, conference halls, meeting rooms, and a library. The project was structured on a 15-year lease with an optional five-year extension and a minimum monthly rental of Rs. 16.58 million. However, with the CDA’s recent decision to abandon the IT park initiative, the future of this prime land and its intended contribution to Pakistan’s IT sector remains unclear.