The Capital Development Authority (CDA) will auction five plots for five-star hotels in Islamabad to address a shortfall of more than 1,000 rooms ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
The administration requires over 4,000 rooms to accommodate guests attending the summit, scheduled for August 2027. Existing hotels in the city currently offer around 3,000 rooms for international visitors.
The plots to be auctioned include two in Sector F-5, one in Sector D-12, and one adjacent to Srinagar Highway. CDA will develop the new hotels through private investment and public-private partnerships.
Last week, the federal government confirmed its decision to buy 45 bulletproof vehicles for the summit, citing the need for the “maximum possible level of protection” given the security situation in Pakistan.
The purchase had drawn criticism after the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approved a supplementary grant of more than Rs6 billion for the vehicles last month.
The Cabinet Division described the summit, scheduled for August-September 2027, as the largest international gathering in Pakistan since the 1973 Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit.
It said the 45-vehicle figure was set after deliberation at several forums and reflects the bare minimum requirement. About 300 other vehicles, which are not bulletproof, will be rented.
