ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed to make F-9 Citizen Club and G-10 Ladies Club functional despite spending huge funds on the two public projects.

The construction work on both the clubs started around 16 years ago and was partially completed a decade ago. However, both buildings are yet to be made functional properly.

The F-9 Citizen Club, which has now been renamed as Gandhara Heritage Culture and the Convention Centre, has restaurants, an indoor pool, a gym, lobby, aerobic area and a fitness centre.

The facility spreads over 22 acres with a 265,000 square feet covered area. Its construction started in 2008, but in 2010 the Supreme Court ruled that the building could not be used as a club. In 2018-19, the CDA got the remaining work completed.

Construction work on both public facilities started 16 years ago, says official

Last month, the CDA had written a letter to the interior ministry for notifying a management committee for the citizen club.

Meanwhile, the grey structure of the building of the ladies club remained abandoned for years. Construction of the ladies club was started in 2007 but abandoned in 2010 after the structure and civil work were completed. Since then, no steps have been taken to complete the work and make it functional.

“We are taking steps to make these two buildings functional soon,” said an official of CDA. He said the construction and finishing work on the F-9 Citizen Club building had been completed years ago.

“There is no issue for us to use it for club purpose,” the officer said, adding only grey structure of G-10 building was completed and the CDA will have to spend a handsome amount to complete the finishing work on around 100,000 feet covered area.

“As a first priority, we will take steps to make F-9 club functional and later will move towards the G-10 ladies club,” the officer said.

In March this year, the CDA board had decided to open membership for the F-9 Citizen Club and give the first 99 memberships through an open auction. But no progress was made afterwards except writing the letter to the ministry.

Similarly, the board in the meeting had also decided to convert the G-10 Ladies Club into Islamabad Gymkhana and its first 99 memberships were to be given through an auction. However, sources said after the board meeting and issuing of its minutes, no further step was taken by the CDA.

The board in the same meeting had appointed a member of the CDA as the administrator of the Gandhara Club/Citizen Club besides forming a four-member committee under the chairmanship of the CDA chairman to look into the issues of Islamabad gymkhana.

In October 2021, the CDA board had approved rules for the Gandhara centre and decided that a board of governors would manage it and citizens will pay for the facilities at the Convention Centre. The facility would also be used for conventions and exhibitions as well. This centre would have a museum depicting the Gandhara culture.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2023