ISLAMABAD: The launch of work on the Port Qasim Cricket Ground and Academy Project in Karachi has been facing excessive delays which may deprive the mega city of a sporting facility in future, Dawn has learnt.

The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) in January this year floated tenders for the construction of a cricket stadium and academy at the PQA Housing Complex but the process for the same is yet to be completed.

“The bidding process [for the project] has consumed such a long time. Had it not been the case, the entire project could have been completed [by now]. We floated [the] tenders in January and still the project yet to begin,” a PQA official said, adding that further delays would result in cost escalation.

“I don’t know why this project is facing inordinate delays. Prolonged delays like this create doubts. If the work is carried out with dedication this project could be completed in a few months.

“We have taken eight months [only] in the bidding process, what to talk of completing the project on fast track,” he said.

However, PQA secretary Shahnawaz Mangrio speaking to Dawn dispelled the impression that the said project in the country’s largest city had faced excessive delays, claiming that the authority was taking time in order to complete all the necessary procedures.

“We will construct a state-of-the-art cricket stadium,” Shahnawaz vowed.

Meanwhile, PQA’s documents showed that initially five firms submitted their bids for the project on Jan 20.

Later, the bids were technically evaluated as a result of which two firms were declared non-responsive. In May, the bids submitted by the remaining three firms were opened. Out of them, M/s Glamour Construction turned out to be the lowest bidder which submitted a bid worth Rs52 million.

The Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) estimated that the cost of this project was Rs60 million. After opening the financial bids, the PQA was supposed to issue work orders for early start of the project, but, sources said, the orders for the same had not been issued yet, which raises questions.

A PQA official said that the matter of the stalled project was likely to be shared with the board of authority through a presentation after which the project would start.

“The PQA has already taken several months in the technical evaluation process of [the bidding] companies. Everything [regarding the tendering process] has been done. I don’t know the reasons behind the delay in the issuance of the order to start the work [on the project],” he stated.

Some PQA officials requested the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry to look into the matter to avoid any further delay in starting the project. “Karachi is already facing a significant dearth of proper sports facilities. Therefore, this project should be started on priority basis,” said one of the employees.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2026