Pakistan Day parade: Army given control of Pak-China centre, Arts and Craft Village

Buildings to serve as temporary barracks

ISLAMABAD: To ensure complete security around the venue for the Pakistan Day parade, the army on Wednesday temporarily took control over the Pak-China Friendship Centre and Arts and Craft Village at Shakarparian.

“Both facilities will be utilised to house army personnel and participants and performers for the parade,” said a senior CDA official.

Talking to The Express Tribune, CDA Engineering Member Shahid Sohail confirmed the development, saying that the army had sought permission to use the premises and the cabinet division had also separately directed the CDA to allow it.

However, he did not give any timeframe for when they will be vacated post-parade.

Meanwhile, motorists who commute on Shakarparian Road — which connects the 7th Avenue with Sector I-8 — have been witnessing frequent movement and presence of army personnel, who have also established makeshift security checkpoints near the recently-constructed parade ground, access to which  has been has been restricted for the general public as part of security arrangements for the parade.

The three-storey Pak-China Friendship Centre houses 60 well–furnished rooms, besides dedicated function areas, halls and auditoriums, which could be used as a lodging facility by the army.

The Arts and Craft village also has space for temporary residence, and the grounds will be utilised as parking space for floats and armed forces vehicles which will be used in the parade.

In 2007, thousands of trees were felled in the one square kilometre — along Islamabad Highway in the Margalla Hills National Park between Garden Avenue and Faizabad — to make way for Parade Avenue.

The Pakistan Day parade is due to be held after a lapse of seven years.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2015.