Ignite’s Rs8Bn Virtual Production Studio Project Faces Bidding Controversy

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology recently reviewed the progress of Pakistan’s first-ever Virtual Production Studio (VPS) project, an 8 billion rupees initiative aimed at revolutionizing the country’s digital content creation industry. The meeting included a detailed briefing from the Ministry of IT and Ignite, the government body overseeing the project.

Officials revealed that four companies participated in the initial bidding round; however, technical evaluations disqualified three of them due to failure to meet the necessary qualifications. This left only one company as technically compliant. Despite this, concerns arose regarding the transparency of the bidding process.

Ministry officials clarified that, according to procurement regulations, the project could have been awarded to the sole qualifying bidder. However, due to a lack of disclosure of technical proposals in the first round, the board overseeing the project decided to restart the bidding process. In the second round, both financial bids and technical proposals were fully disclosed to ensure transparency.

The VPS, which will be spread over 10,000 square feet, is expected to generate $5,000 in daily revenue once operational. Ignite officials emphasized that this project would be a game-changer for Pakistan’s media industry, reducing reliance on foreign studios. Despite the controversy, Ignite confirmed that local and international bidders participated and submitted detailed plans as per requirements.

During the meeting, Senator Afanullah stated that no irregularities were found in the bidding process, stressing that delays could harm the country’s media industry. However, former IT Minister Anusha Rahman raised concerns about whether the winning bidder had sufficient experience in managing a VPS.

The committee ultimately directed Ignite to continue working on the Virtual Production Studio, reaffirming its importance for Pakistan’s digital and creative sectors. If executed successfully, the VPS could boost local content production and reduce outsourcing costs while fostering technological advancement in the media industry.