Development work at National Bank stadium in full swing

KARACHI: The development and renovation work at National Bank Stadium in Karachi is in full swing as Iqbal Qasim and Nasimul Ghani enclosure and old manual scoreboard have been demolished to develop a new building.

It is worth mentioning here that this is the second time that massive development and renovation work is being carried out at National Bank Stadium during the last five years. The first was conducted during the tenure of former PCB chairman Najam Sethi.

The new building will be ground plus five story and it will be utilised for multiple purposes and according to the need of hour. New hospitality boxes, lifts, PCB offices and other important rooms and halls will be established keeping in mind the future requirements.

Excavation work at Iqbal Qasim Nasimul Ghani enclosure and the manual score board is being carried out round the clock and debris is being removing fast . Sources connected to the development work said that comprehensive planning and designing would give a new look to National Bank stadium.

Teflon, a white water-proof roof which was imported at a high cost during the tenure of former PCB chairman Najam Sethi just a few years back, is being removed from these two enclosures. No official responded when The News asked what would be done with the teflon. The teflon roof was laid by NESPAK engineers. The PCB officials appointed at National Bank stadium refused to talk, saying they just follow and implement the orders received from PCB headquarters in Lahore.

A PCB high official appointed in the PCB infrastructure department also visited the site a couple of days ago and examined the progress of development work.

It has to be mentioned that the ongoing renovation of the National Bank Stadium in Karachi has forced the Pakistan Cricket Board to move the second Test against Bangladesh to Rawalpindi. The stadium in Karachi is being renovated for next year’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan.