Independence day treat: Country’s tallest flag hoisted in Islamabad

The 215-foot flag was inspired by the National Flag Theme Park in India.

ISLAMABAD:

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has installed the country’s tallest flag at the Flag Monument Park along Islamabad Highway near Zero Point.

The 40-foot high and 60-foot wide flag was hoisted on a 215-foot and 30-ton heavy pole on the country’s 68th Independence Day on Thursday. CDA Member Environment Mustafain Kazmi said it took the authority 40 to 50 days to prepare the flag.



The CDA Engineering Wing was initially given the task, but responsibility was later handed over to the Environment Wing because of time constraints.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reportedly conceived this idea during his recent visit to India, inspired by the National Flag Theme Park in New Delhi.

Kazmi said that the Flag Monument Park will be established on 5.5 acres at a cost of Rs20 million. Work on the project will commence soon, he added.

Heavy Mechanical Complex, Taxila manufactured the flagpole.

Earlier, CDA Member Administration Amir Ali Ahmad had told The Express Tribune that the civic authority will require high quality materials to prepare a 60-foot wide and 40-feet high flag to ensure it is not damaged during severe weather conditions.

He said the flag would be mechanically hoisted and lowered, while adding that the rest of the project would be carried out after the flag was installed.

The park will have walkthrough galleries, gazebos, children’s play area, light poles, walking tracks and water channels.

It would be the second facility of its kind in the city after the Rs700 million Pakistan Monument near Shakarparian, which was developed in 2006 on the directions of former military dictator Pervez Musharraf.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2014.