The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has invited construction firms to submit bids for the expansion, upgradation and modernisation of the existing Jinnah Convention Centre ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad in 2027.
The civic authority has fixed October 9 as the deadline for firms to submit their proposals for pre-qualification.
The development comes after the CDA dropped its plan to construct the New Islamabad Convention, Exhibition and Expo Centre (NICEEC) near Malpur due to time constraints. The authority is now focusing on expanding and upgrading the existing Jinnah Convention Centre to accommodate the requirements of the upcoming international summit.
According to CDA officials, the proposed development will include an additional NICEEC facility connected to the existing Jinnah Convention Centre, along with improvements to the current building.
The CDA had earlier planned to construct the NICEEC near the Bhara Kahu Bypass in the Malpur area, around three kilometres from the existing convention centre. The project was intended to provide a multifunctional venue for conventions, exhibitions, expos, trade fairs and cultural events, besides hosting the SCO summit.
The bidding process for the Malpur project had reached the financial stage, with a China Construction Third Engineering Bureau-led joint venture submitting the lowest bid of Rs37 billion. The original project estimate was substantially lower, while subsequent design changes, including the incorporation of steel components, increased the projected cost.
However, the project could not be initiated within the required timeframe. According to officials, the contractor later declined to undertake the project, stating that it would require at least 12 to 14 months for completion. The CDA subsequently shelved the Malpur plan and decided to concentrate on the existing Jinnah Convention Centre.
Officials have stressed the need for the expansion and renovation work to begin without delay, given the approaching SCO summit. They said the project would have to be completed well before the international gathering to ensure adequate time for testing and final preparations.
The estimated cost of the new development is still being finalised. Sources indicated that the project could cost around Rs12 billion, although the final figure has not yet been approved.
The original PC-I for NICEEC, approved in November last year, was estimated at around Rs19 billion, including allocations for the main project, contingency services and related works. The project was initially designed as a concrete-based structure but was later modified to incorporate steel components, contributing to a significant increase in the cost.
With the Malpur project shelved, the CDA is now seeking to expand and modernise the Jinnah Convention Centre so that it can meet the infrastructure and venue requirements of the 2027 SCO summit.
