Pakistan: Islamabad is Getting a New Convention, Exhibition and Expo Centre
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to establish the New Islamabad Convention, Exhibition & Expo Centre (ICEEC), which is planned to be the largest facility of its kind in Pakistan. The project aims to provide modern infrastructure for hosting large-scale events, addressing the capital’s increasing demand for upgraded venues.
According to the official document, Islamabad currently relies on the Jinnah Convention Centre (JCC) for civic, governmental, and commercial events. However, the existing centre is struggling to meet the requirements of a rapidly expanding city. Limited parking, outdated amenities, and evolving event formats have highlighted the need for a more advanced facility.
The CDA has earmarked a 40-acre site within Islamabad Capital Territory for the new complex, which will include 320,000 square feet of built-up area, multi-level parking for over 1,000 vehicles, hybrid event technologies, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
To begin the process, CDA has launched a National Architectural Design Competition. The competition is open to architects and design firms registered with the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP). Submissions must reflect architectural quality, innovation, contextual relevance, and sustainability.
All entries will first be reviewed by a Selection Committee formed by the Authority, with shortlisted proposals to be evaluated by a designated Jury/Committee for final recommendations.
The proposed centre will also include hospitality services in line with international standards. It is intended to serve as a landmark facility that supports Islamabad’s ambition to become a regional destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE), while also helping to decongest the JCC and reduce event-related pressure in central areas.
CDA has asked interested firms and individuals to obtain detailed competition documents and submission guidelines from the official CDA website or request them via email. The deadline for submission is October 15, 2025, and all queries are being handled by the Building & Housing Control Wing of the Authority.
Reference Link:- https://propakistani.pk/2025/09/12/islamabad-is-getting-a-new-convention-exhibition-and-expo-centre/
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
