ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday said several development oriented and recreational projects were being launched in Islamabad. Speaking at the earth-breaking ceremony of a first seven-star hotel and shopping mall, the president mentioned a series of projects being completed in the capital including a national monument at Shakarparian to be inaugurated by the end of this year and a museum putting on display artifacts of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Mohammad Iqbal. “It will be a place worth visiting,” he said.

The president also lauded the performance of the CDA for its development activities and executing new projects to facilitate the people.

Speaking on this occasion, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao said the government had undertaken several projects in the federal capital.

He said in the next three years some 1,000 five-star hotel rooms would be available in the capital to meet the increasing demand.

The minister said a number of budget hotels to cater to all segments of society would be built in the capital besides a series of recreational centres.

Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, the chief executive officer of the Saudi company constructing the hotel, said the structure of the hotel complied with all the building codes of the CDA and could easily sustain an earthquake of 9.5 magnitude.