KARACHI, July 18: The city government and a consortium of three international firms belonging to Malaysia, India and the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement for constructing the country’s tallest building at an estimated cost of around US$ 200 at a simple but impressive ceremony at a local hotel here on Tuesday.

Having a total covered area of 2.5 million square feet, the proposed 46-storeyed building named as `IT Tower and Call Centre’ will be constructed on a huge vacant plot of Gulshan-i-Iqbal adjacent to the Civic Centre by using solar panels for generating 1.2 megawatts of electricity during the daytime.

The agreement to this effect was signed by City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on behalf of the city government while Mr

Dato Goh Chye Koon, Mr Rakesh Gupta and Mr Sarfraz H. Rizvi signed it on behalf of their firms IJM Corporation Berhad Malaysia, Astra Netcom Ltd and Malpak Ltd, respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, the city nazim said that the gigantic project which was expected to be made operational in two years would bring economic revolution in the city as it would, on the one hand, make available IT infrastructure and human resources and, on the other, would help provide 40,000 jobs to the educated youths.

Mr Kamal said that the IT Tower would have wireless internet access in its campus with satellite and terrestrial links for voice data, video-conferring and connectivity with worldwide customer workstations.

The nazim said that the project would have 10,000 call centers, parking facilities for 2,100 cars on its five floors, city government offices on five floors and many other facilities as well.

He assured all-out assistance to the consortium of three companies.

Speaking on behalf of the consortium, the IJM’s deputy chief executive officer, Mr Dato Goh Chye Koon, described the project as a milestone in the city’s history and hoped that the consortium would get full support from the government and the people for making the project a great success.

Highlighting the salient features of the project, Astra Netcom’s director (operations), Mr Sahil Vachani, said that the 46-storeyed IT Tower and Call Centre which would meet its 25 per cent power requirement through solar energy would be Pakistan’s first `intelligent’ and `eco-friendly’ building consisting of most modern shopping centers, food court, a health centre, library, four mini cinema halls, a 50-room hotel, club house, swimming pool, offices and 10,000 call centers and an auditorium for 800 people.

The ceremony was largely attended by prominent citizens and senior officials of the city government.