Pakistan plans theme park in town where Osama was killed

London: Pakistan's Abbottabad town, where al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed in a US commando operation, will soon have an amusement park built at a cost of around $30 million, a British daily said.

The 500-acre development will include a zoo, heritage centre, restaurants and artificial waterfalls, The Sun reported.

US special forces shot dead Osama May 2, 2011, in the town, around 50 km from Islamabad.

US special forces shot dead Osama May 2, 2011, in the town, around 50 km from Islamabad.

However, the local government has denied it was a bid to clean the town's tarnished image.

"This project has nothing to do with Osama bin Laden," Syed Aqil Shah, provincial minister for tourism and sports, was quoted as saying.

The amusement park will also have a food street, adventure and paragliding clubs, waterfalls and jogging tracks, he said.

The eight-year building project - with a budget of 19.5 million pounds ($30 million) - is due to begin this month.

Abbottabad also houses Pakistan's elite military academy. Authorities last year demolished Osama's building and compound, fearing it could become a shrine to al Qaeda followers.

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