NA body informed: A Korean-funded institute project has stalled over land issues

ISLAMABAD: A Korean-funded research institute worth USD6.79 million planned for Islamabad remains stalled over unresolved land issues, despite payment of the requisite land costs and charges, a parliamentary panel was told on Wednesday.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Lt Sohail Ashraf (Retd) informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture that the authority had yet to hand over an additional 5.09 acres at Shakarparian, one of the impediments affecting the proposed projects.

Briefing the committee, chaired by Nosheen Iftikhar, Ashraf said a high-level meeting on September 24 had discussed plans to establish the National Museum of Pakistan and an integrated museum complex in the federal capital.

According to Ashraf, the meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi and co-chaired by Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khichi, had proposed bringing several cultural and historical institutions together at a single site.

The proposed complex would include the National Museum of Pakistan, a National History Museum, an Islamic Museum, museums dedicated to the Army, Navy and Air Force, and a Korean Research Centre, he said.

Ashraf told the committee that 160 acres had been identified at Malpur for the proposed complex. However, approval, allotment and transfer of possession of the land were still pending, he said.

He also informed the committee that an earlier proposal to establish the complex on 8.33 acres at Shakarparian had been abandoned because the site falls within Shakarparian National Park. The land had already been acquired by the Department of Archaeology and Museums, he added.

On the proposed museum’s development, Ashraf said the concept and preliminary plan had been shared with a consultant engaged by the CDA to design the complex.

Design work was under way, he told the committee, adding that he would personally present the proposed design to its members.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026