LAHORE – In a dramatic development, the Punjab government has abolished the project of a new district jail and decided to revive the mega project of a sports city, renaming it as Lahore Stadium, which was dumped by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif despite the fact that former chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had inked a deal in 2004 with UAE sports icon Abdul Rehman Bukhatir, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The political rivalry cost derailment of the project worth around Rs 30 billion, which had to provide revenue of Rs 12 to 13 billion to the government in form of taxes. According to sources in the Punjab Revenue department, Shahbaz had discarded the project to bring his own friend as sponsor in place of Bukhatir. After the situation got clear, he resurrected the plan, sources said.
According to sources, with establishment of a sports city in Pakistan, Lahore had to jump in forefront of strong candidates to host international events such as the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, National Games and the SAF Games. “The project was to be the second biggest UAE investment in Lahore after a Dubai-based group announced to establish the Sheikh Zayed Entertainment Complex in the city at a cost of $1 billion,” sources added.
Another revenue department official told Pakistan Today that the transfer deed, which was in name of the home department to construct a new district jail, had been cancelled and transferred to the sports department to build the Lahore Stadium. Now, the Punjab government would construct the stadium in place of the new district jail costing Rs 1.6 billion on 446 kanals in vicinity of the Grand Trunk (GT) Road, one-kilometre away from the Ring Road and Canal near the Jallo Park at Moza Rakh Chabeel.
According to the planning and development department, a multi-purpose stadium is expected to be completed in 36 months. The seating capacity of the grand pavilion and other two pavilions on its either side would be enhanced to a maximum of 50,000. According to requirement of various departments, the proposed stadium has been planned to include the following facilities including a multi-purpose ground for the horse and cattle show, polo, football, hockey, industrial inhabitation pavilion, braveries camps and marshalling ground, adequate parking including general, VIP and buses, commercial area and shopping arcade, a hotel and joyland.
The sports department had finalised the design and estimates during tenure of Elahi in collaboration with a renowned personality of Sharjah, UAE. The board of revenue also issued notification No 5255-2004 / 4011-CSI on December 16, 2004. The new Punjab government handed over the land to the home department and the revenue department issued a notification No 4138-2009 / 3285-CS-IV in 2009.
Under the notification issued by the Punjab colonies secretary, it was cleared that ownership of the land would never change and it would remain a property of the Punjab government and could not be used for any other purpose. In case of violation, the land would be considered possession of the colonies department. The notification also said that the new district jail would be constructed within 5 years but the notification was withdrawn after one and half years.
Finally, the revenue department reissued a notification in February 2011 to construct the stadium.
