Business tycoon Mian Mansha has lauded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s initiative to build new five-star hotels in Islamabad ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2027. However, he expressed concerns over relying on public sector partnerships for the project.
In a post on X, Mian Mansha described the hotel development plan as an “excellent and necessary step” to highlight Pakistan’s hospitality on the global stage. He questioned why the government planned to execute the project through public sector entities such as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI).
“While the government is pursuing disinvestment and privatization of SOEs, this vital hotel project is being pushed as a public sector undertaking,” Mansha noted. He emphasized that hotel development is a specialized, capital-intensive business that requires market-driven operations to succeed.
Mian Mansha warned that public sector partnerships in this sector are rarely feasible and often risk failure. He advised the government to invite private investment instead of relying on public institutions. “We should be empowering private investors who are already seeking to develop quality hotels in Islamabad, not creating new public sector competition or administrative hurdles for them,” he added.
Last week, PM Shehbaz directed the CDA to immediately begin work on luxury hotels in the federal capital to accommodate international delegates expected for SCO 2027. While laying the foundation stone of the 1.3-kilometer Shaheen Chowk Underpass, the premier emphasized that hotel development must be prioritized alongside the new Convention Centre project.
According to CDA officials, the government plans to construct luxury hotels on two CDA-owned plots in Sector G-5. The authorities are actively seeking investment partners for the project. Reports also confirmed that recent discussions between the CDA and EOBI explored potential collaboration opportunities.
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The comments by Mian Mansha underline the importance of private sector involvement in large-scale hospitality projects and highlight ongoing debates about the role of public institutions in capital-intensive developments.
