Islamabad: The CDA has deferred final approval for two major infrastructure initiatives in the federal capital, including a state of the art cricket stadium and the New Islamabad Convention, Exhibition and Expo Centre (NICEEC). Financial bids for the proposed cricket stadium planned near Sector D 12 in Zone III were opened on July 19, 2026, with a joint venture of Habib ZKB EA submitting the lowest bid at PKR 8.9 billion.

The scope of work encompasses PKR 5.8 billion for a three tier stadium structure alongside PKR 3.1 billion for external access works, including three kilometres of dual three lane carriageways. Progress on the project has slowed while the CDA awaits a consultant's report on the price reasonability and land use compliance within Zone III, where standard construction is prohibited but sports and recreational developments are conditionally permitted.

Concurrently, financial bids for the NICEEC project intended to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in 2027 were opened on August 4, 2026. A joint venture led by China Construction Third Engineering Bureau submitted the lowest bid at PKR 37 billion, significantly exceeding the original PC I estimate of PKR 16 billion. The cost escalation follows major structural alterations that replaced reinforced cement concrete (RCC) with imported steel fabrication and an elevated steel dome.

While the bidding consortium subsequently submitted a revised offer of PKR 34 billion, internal CDA estimates suggest tax and import duty exemptions from the federal government could reduce overall construction costs to approximately PKR 25 billion. Senior officials confirmed that the CDA management has opted to initiate a third party evaluation of all financial bids before deciding whether to formally award the contracts.