Bahria Town (Private) Limited ( ur, ) is an
Islamabad
Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...
-based privately owned
real-estate development
Real estate development, or property development, is a business process, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of developed land or parcels to others. R ...
company which owns, develops and manages properties across Pakistan.
It established its first
gated community
A gated community (or walled community) is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences ...
exclusively developed for the elites in Islamabad but it also accommodate middle-class income families. Its second gated community opened in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
, which is influenced by
Greco-Roman
The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
culture and is built in southern Lahore. In 2015, it launched the Bahria Town Karachi, the largest of its gated communities, while Bahria Enclave Islamabad (launched in 2013) is the smallest of them.
Most of these communities are large towns in their own right, its oldest community in Southern Islamabad spans over . The under-construction Bahria Town Karachi spans over and it is the largest privately owned residential community in the country. Combined, its projects have the capacity to house over a million people.
The companies subsidiary's include the
Mall of Lahore
The Mall of Lahore ( ur, , ''Lahor Khareedari Markaz''), is a shopping mall, located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is t ...
and the under-construction Mall of Islamabad, a chain of cinemas under the brand of Cine Gold, a chain of
supermarket
A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. This kind of store is larger and has a wider selection than earli ...
s under the banner of Green Valley Hypermarket and
skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
s including the
Bahria Icon Tower
Bahria Icon Tower is a recently on-hold skyscraper complex in the seaside municipality of Clifton in Karachi, Pakistan. The complex includes a 62-storey tower, which at , is the tallest building in Pakistan and among the tallest buildings in S ...
, which is the tallest in Pakistan. The group also is the developer of
Grand Jamia Mosque, Lahore
Grand Jamia Mosque Lahore ( ur, ) is a mosque located in Bahria Town, Lahore, Pakistan. With a capacity of 70,000 worshippers, it is the third largest mosque in Pakistan and the fourteenth largest mosque in the world.
Designed by Nayyar Ali Dad ...
, which is the seventh largest in the world and is constructing the
third largest mosque in Karachi. The under-construction
Rafi Cricket Stadium
Rafi Cricket Stadium is a cricket stadium located in Bahria Town Karachi, Pakistan. It is the largest cricket stadium in Pakistan. Designed by Gerkan, Marg and Partners, it has an ICC-certified design. The complex is consist of a cricket academ ...
, when completed, will also be the largest in the country. In November 2016, Bahria entered into a contract with
Hyatt
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational hospitality company headquartered in the Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacat ...
to develop four properties across Pakistan, including two golf resorts, worth combined $600 million. The properties would be owned by Bahria.
ACE International Academy is also a project of Bahria Town.
Bahria projects usually house
upper middle and
high income
A high-income economy is defined by the World Bank as a nation with a gross national income per capita of US$12,696 or more in 2020, calculated using the Atlas method. While the term "high-income" is often used interchangeably with "First World" a ...
Pakistanis, these communities have private security, ability to restrict access to non-residents and are energy independent from the national grid. Bahria gated communities are home to private schools including those operated by the company, private hospitals, hotels, and commercial avenues.
Bahria has been featured by international news agencies.
Communities
Bahria Town Islamabad
Rudn EnclaveThe original project, the gated community has over 100,000 people and has series of projects. It is divided into various phases and smaller projects. Unlike other housing societies in Pakistan, Bahria produces its own electricity and sells it to its resident through the Bahria Town Electric Supply Company. Bahria Town projects in Islamabad and Lahore were running respectively 12 and 9 megawatts of generation units of their own. Bahria Town also has constructed 3 grid stations with its own resources and also provides underground lines to its residents. Along with
DHA DHA, Dha and dha may refer to:
Chemicals
* Docosahexaenoic acid, a 22:6 omega-3 fatty acid
* Dehydroandrosterone, an endogenous androgenic steroid
* Dehydroascorbic acid, an oxidized form of ascorbic acid
* Dehydroacetic acid, a pyrone derivati ...
, It houses
Top 1% of 200 million Pakistani
Elite
In political and sociological theory, the elite (french: élite, from la, eligere, to select or to sort out) are a small group of powerful people who hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, political power, or skill in a group. D ...
, thus there is no
load shedding
Demand response is a change in the power consumption of an electric utility customer to better match the demand for power with the supply. Until the 21st century decrease in the cost of pumped storage and batteries electric energy could not be ...
in Bahria Town projects.
Bahria Enclave
Bahria Enclave is a housing scheme launched by Bahria Town in July 2011. It is located approximately 8 km (15 minutes) drive from
Chak Shahzad, the Park Road & the Kuri Road with access from
Srinagar Highway
The Srinagar Highway ( ur, ; previously known as the Kashmir Highway) is a major east-west highway in Islamabad, Capital Territory, Pakistan. The highway provides quick access through Islamabad and connects the Islamabad International Airport ...
, Lehtrar Road, and
Islamabad Highway
The Islamabad Expressway ( ur, ), sometimes Islamabad Highway) is a major north-south expressway in Islamabad, Capital Territory, Pakistan. The expressway provides quick access between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, connecting the national capital wi ...
. On January 31, 2012,
Capital Development Authority A Capital Development Authority is a special sort of entity found in various countries that is concerned with the municipal development of the capital city or capital territory of that country. Examples include:
*Capital Development Authority (Isla ...
approved the plan for development of Jinnah Avenue in Zone-IV. The construction project of four-lane road would link main Kuri Road to Kuri Model Village and was awarded to Bahria Town.
Bahria Town Lahore
![Grand Jamia Masjid Bahria Town Lahore](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Grand_Jamia_Masjid_Bahria_Town_Lahore.jpg)
It is a flagship gated community in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
. The community is home to the
Grand Jamia Mosque, Lahore
Grand Jamia Mosque Lahore ( ur, ) is a mosque located in Bahria Town, Lahore, Pakistan. With a capacity of 70,000 worshippers, it is the third largest mosque in Pakistan and the fourteenth largest mosque in the world.
Designed by Nayyar Ali Dad ...
which is the seventh largest mosque in the world which has a total capacity of 70,000 people.
Bahria Town Karachi
Bahria Town Peshawar
Bahria Town Peshawar ( ur, , ps, بحریه ټاون پښور) is a currently constructed privately owned
gated community
A gated community (or walled community) is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences ...
of
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
.
It was originally going to be launched in January 2020,
The location of Bahria Town Peshawar is to be located at ''Charsadda Road Peshawar'' near the
M-2 Expressway. Bahria Town will be acquiring 100,000
kanals of land.
Bahria Town's CEO
Malik Riaz
Malik Riaz Hussain (Urdu, pa, ; born February 8, 1954) is a Pakistani business tycoon who is the founder of Bahria Town, the largest privately held real estate development company in Pakistan and in Asia.
Riaz started his career as a clerk w ...
said the purpose for building a Bahria Town in Peshawar is to be provide better homes for the residents of Peshawar and is to be the first one in the region. On his
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, he said "it was time to deliver yet again" and asked the residents of Peshawar to "get ready".
* Gated Community
* Security and CCTV Surveillance
* Extensive and carpeted road structure
* Basic amenities (water, gas, electricity, sewerage system etc.)
* Educational Institutes
* Commercial Areas
* New
Grand Jamia Masjid
* Theme Park
* Parks
* etc.
Shopping malls
Skyscrapers
Hospitality
On November 14, 2016,
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational hospitality company headquartered in the Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacat ...
and Bahria Town Group entered into agreement in
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area.
...
to develop four properties in Pakistan worth over $600 million. All properties are under-construction as of 2016.
Recognition and awards
After success at national level, Bahria has been featured by international magazines and news agencies, referred to as the prosperous face of Pakistan. According to ''
Emirates 24/7
Emirates 24/7, stylised as Emirates 24, 7, is a Dubai Media Incorporated news website and television news programme, respectively. The televised news programme, Emirates 24/7, is a 30-minute segment broadcast weekly on Dubai Media Inc.'s televisio ...
,'' Bahria Town is "where Pakistan's new middle class takes refuge from the
Taliban
The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...
attacks and endless power cuts that plague the rest of the country".
''
GlobalPost
''GlobalPost'' is an online US digital journalism company that focuses on international news founded on January 12, 2009, by Philip S. Balboni and Charles M. Sennott. Its stated mission is "to redefine international news for the digital age." ...
'' claimed that in 2013, Bahria houses some 100,000 people in total.
''
Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
'' calls it as Pakistan's "Gateway to Paradise".
On October 6, 2011, ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' refereed Bahria as "functioning state within a non-functioning one".
Regardless of that Bahria has been subject to controversies, it is referred to as a symbol of inequality, blamed for illegal encroachment of forests and unholy alliance with military.
Controversies
Bahria has been subject to controversies, it is referred to as a symbol of inequality and blamed for illegal encroachment of forests.
To begin with, the name 'Bahria' itself has been controversial and in 2018 a senior court in Pakistan ruled against the use of this name by the private owners of the project.
Ayesha Siddiqa
Ayesha Siddiqa
( ur, ), (born April 7, 1966), is a Pakistani political scientist, a political commentator and an author who serves as a research associate at the SOAS South Asia Institute. She previously served as the inaugural Pakistan Fellow ...
, a civilian military analyst and author of
''Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan's Military Economy'', alleges that those links have allowed him to acquire land, in some cases returning a percentage to senior officers as developed plots.
Chief Executive of Bahria Town, Ali Riaz Malik, has submitted his statement regarding Arsalan Iftikhar (son of
Chief Justice of Pakistan
}
The Chief Justice of Pakistan (Urdu: ) (Initialism, initials as CJP) is head of the court system of Pakistan (the Judiciary of Pakistan, judicature branch of Government of Pakistan, government) and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Paki ...
Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ( ur, ; born 12 December 1948) is a Pakistani jurist who served as the 20th Chief Justice of Pakistan over three non-consecutive terms from 29 June 2005 to 11 December 2013.
Chaudhry began practice as an advocate ...
)
suo moto
In law, ''sua sponte'' (Latin: "of his, her, its or their own accord") or ''suo motu'' ("on its own motion") describes an act of authority taken without formal prompting from another party. The term is usually applied to actions by a judge taken wi ...
case in the
Supreme Court of Pakistan
The Supreme Court of Pakistan ( ur, ; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Established in accordance to thePart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it has ultimate a ...
that Bahria Town was not behind any allegations against Arsalan and that the court's proceedings were not aimed at investigating the affairs of Bahria Town. The written reply also said that if any statement were made against Bahria Town or against its administration, then the organisation would have the right to respond to it.
In April 2016, Malik Riaz Hussain's son, Ahmed Ali Riaz Malik, was
named in the
Panama Papers
The Panama Papers ( es, Papeles de Panamá) are 11.5 million leaked documents (or 2.6 terabytes of data) that were published beginning on April 3, 2016. The papers detail financial and attorney–client information for more than 214,488 ...
.
Dispute with Nayatel and CCP fine
In August 2016, a complaint from a resident of Bahria Town was forwarded to the
Competition Commission of Pakistan
Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indivi ...
(CCP) which revealed that Bahria Town was deliberately preventing other fixed-line service providers from expanding into Bahria Town, and thus giving PTCL the majority of the market share in the housing society, it was also in violation of the Competition Act (2010) by abusing its dominant position and entering into a prohibited agreement.
Six months later, CCP imposed a fine on Bahria Town of 2 million
PKR for deliberately not issuing a NOC (No-Objection Certificate) to
Nayatel in Phases 1 to 6.
Bahria Town has been directed to work with
Nayatel to lay down its
fiber optic cable
A fiber-optic cable, also known as an optical-fiber cable, is an assembly similar to an electrical cable, but containing one or more optical fibers that are used to carry light. The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with ...
network in Phases 1 to 6.
See also
*
Developments in Islamabad
Islamabad is located in the Pothohar Plateau in the northern part of Pakistan, within the Islamabad Capital Territory. Islamabad is a well-organized city divided into different sectors and zones. It was ranked as a Gamma world city in 2008. The ci ...
References
External links
Official website
{{Bahria Town Group
Real estate companies of Pakistan
Construction and civil engineering companies of Pakistan
Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1997
Real estate companies established in 1997
Pakistani companies established in 1997