BAHAWALPUR: Construction of the new building of Bahawalpur Arts Council is expected to complete soon after six years, after delays due to paucity of funds.

The construction of the building was planned in 2020 with an estimated cost of Rs352m, which was later revised twice with Rs379m and Rs457m in 2022 and 2025, respectively.

Bahawalpur Director Public Relations Dr Nasir Hameed told Dawn that the building had two floors in addition to its basement and ground floor.

The basement has a hall with a capacity of 500 persons with a green room and make-up rooms while the ground floor had a rehearsal room along with classrooms for the trainees.

Besides, the first and second floors will have a conference room, sound control room and machine room. A lift facility has also been provided in the building.

The tile work at ground, first , second floors and basement has been completed after which the finishing work to be taken in hand, completing it within few months.

According to officials of the government building department, efforts were on to complete the building to hand it over to information and culture department so that the arts council could be shifted from Rashadia Hall at an earliest.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2026