This country has its own ‘Burj Khalifa’; not China, US, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the name will SHOCK you, the country is…

Did you know that Pakistan, India’s cash-strapped neighbor, has its own ‘Burj Khalifa’. The structure we are taking about is the Bahria Icon Tower, a skyscraper complex in Clifton, a seaside municipality in Karachi city.

Bahria Icon Tower: The Burj Khalifa, the iconic residential apartment building in the heart of Downtown Dubai, is the world’s tallest building, standing at an imposing 2,722 feet (829.9) tall, from base to the tip of its famous spire. The towering skyscraper, which is over half a mile in length, is considered a symbol of unparalleled opulence for its ultra-luxurious apartments, that are among the priciest in the world.

But did you know that Pakistan, India’s cash-strapped neighbor, whose economy is in meltdown mode, has its own ‘Burj Khalifa’? Let us find out more;

Pakistan’s ‘Burj Khalifa’

The structure we are taking about is the Bahria Icon Tower, a skyscraper complex in Clifton, a seaside municipality in Karachi city. The complex includes a 62-storey tower, which stands at an impressive 980 feet (300 meters) tall, making it the tallest building in Pakistan, one of the highest in entire South Asia.

Owned and developed by the Bahria Town Group, Bahria Icon Tower was built over a span of nearly seven years, with construction starting in 2009, and culminating in March 2016. The towering skyscraper was built at a cost of around $162.5 million (roughly Rs 1390 crore).

Based on a four acre plot in Karachi’s posh Clifton neighborhood, the tower complex also incudes the 42-storey Bahria Hotel Tower, a 200-foot (61 meters) skyscraper, that lies adjacent to its larger sibling.

The Bahria Icon Tower is located adjacent to Karachi’s famous Bagh Ibne Qasim park, and shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi- an 8th-century mystic regarded as the city’s patron saint.

Inside Bahria Icon Tower

According to details, the Bahria Icon Tower has 62 floors above ground, and 7 below ground. Corporate offices are located on 10 floors, while there are as many as 40 floors of lavish, uber-luxurious apartments, which are among the most expensive in Pakistan.

The structure boasts a total area of 24,008,902 square feet, and features a double-decker high-speed elevator, a shopping mall, and terrace restaurant– the highest located terraced restaurant in Pakistan.

Notably, while structure is open for commercial use, the work on its various features has slowed down, and remains incomplete due to allegations of corruption against Bahria Group owner Malik Riaz.

The skyscraper will be serviced by 16 high-speed elevators, and also feature a car parking able to accommodate 1,700 vehicles, as per reports.