ISLAMABAD: Cinepax project in Capital hits snags

[CMY]

By FAREHIA REHMAN submitted 13 hours 18 minutes ago
ISLAMABAD - Owing to legal issues, work on the Federal Capital's first-ever mega entertainment complex project could not start even after the passage of eight months.

"Now we are in process of clarifying some legal issues that I don't want to mention here; we had taken some initiatives regarding this project with CDA; however' still there are so many issues that have to be discussed", Chief Operating Officer of Cinepax, Danny Sidwa, told TheNation here on Tuesday.

He said that delay in construction does not mean that we are not considering this project.

"Presently we are busy in some other projects; we would start its construction in near future after completion of our ongoing projects", he added.

"It take time to process things, so far even design of the project has not been finalised".

In October 2007, Cinepax, a private multiplex cinema company announced the construction of Islamabad's first entertainment complex in co-ordination with the Capital development Authority (CDA). The Capital Development Authority allocated land for the project. And the company was supposed to build the complex spreading over three acres in 18 months to two years at a cost of $10 million.

Entertainment Complex is the CDA and Cinepax joint venture, however, when a senior official in CAD Project Management Unit (PMU) was contacted for comments he parried the questions.

Targeting the larger cities of Pakistan, Cinepax is the first dedicated Multiplex Cinema Company in Pakistan, with the country's first nationally branded Multiplex chain in Jinnah Park Rawalpindi. With multiple cinemas in each location Cinepax is committed to screening premium content in a family-friendly environment. The company had taken the initiative to establish entertainment complex in Capital. And its official was of the view that the entertainment complex would be the first of its kind in Pakistan, to cater all the aspects of a modern shopping mall, with dedicated area for multiplex cinemas, food court and health club to go along with it.

There was a time when residents of Capital were crazy to watch movies on big screens and every weekend it used to be a treat for families to go to cinemas. But, unfortunately now they have been deprived of this facility. Construction of entertainment complex was good news for the Capital citizens as it was a new concept for the Pakistani market that would provide all amusements under one roof.


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