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 city is home to Faisal Mosque, the largest mosque in South Asia and the sixth largest mosque as per area in the world.
Islamabad has seen large-scale development and infrastructure projects since 2003. The most prominent under-construction projects are
This page provides information on completed projects, under-construction developments, newly proposed and future projects.

Completed developments

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus is a BRT system that serves the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in Pakistan. It uses dedicated bus lanes for all of its route covering 24 bus stations. It was inaugurated on 4 June 2015 by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif becoming the second fully functional BRT service in Pakistan after the BRTS in Lahore.

Islamabad Highway

Islamabad Highway, also known as Islamabad Expressway or Faisal Avenue, is one of the main highways of Islamabad, Pakistan that connects it to Rawalpindi. It stretches from Faisal Mosque to Rawat linking to GT Road with a length of about 28 kilometers. Its width varies from three lanes to five lanes. It has three interchanges, at Jinnah Avenue crossing, Zero Point Interchange and Faizabad Interchange.

Jinnah-Faisal Avenue Interchange

Jinnah-Faisal Avenue Interchange is a combined development of flyovers, underpasses, and roads. The interchange was opened in March 2009. The interchange is located close to The Cantaurus, a seven-star hotel which is currently under construction. The underpass of this interchange was opened in October 2008. The Interchange was built on the Faisal Avenue at the point where it bisects the Jinnah Avenue. The road runs from Zero Point up to the Faisal Mosque and is among the busiest ones in town.

Zero Point Interchange

The Zero Point Interchange is the cluster of flyovers and roads adjacent to Zero Point on one side and Islamabad Highway on the other side. It was built by Maqbool Associates at a cost of Pak.Rs 2.33 billion. The construction work was started in 2007 and was completed in December 2010. The zero point interchange was constructed in two phases. Phase 1 included the three major loops of the interchange. In Phase 2, two more loops which will connect Khayaban-e-Suhrawardy and Shakarparian were constructed.

Islamabad Stock Exchange Towers

The ISE Towers are a recently completed office building in Islamabad and are currently its tallest structure.

Telecom Tower

is a 113-meter-high office building built in 2009 in the Blue Area of Islamabad. It was built by Pakistan Telecommunication Trust. The building consists of 24 floors plus four basement levels and includes a parking facility for 400 cars.

Islamabad International Airport

The New Islamabad International Airport was recently completed. The airport built in the capital city of Islamabad is intended to replace the existing Islamabad International Airport. This new airport is located in Fateh Jang, which is 30 km south-west of the city. The construction of the airport project began in April 2007, after a decade-long postponement. It was opened on May 1st 2018.

The Centaurus

is a mixed-use residential, commercial, and business purpose complex located in Blue Area of Islamabad. The complex is designed by WS Atkins PLC, whose portfolio includes the Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, and the Bahrain World Trade Center in Bahrain. It is a project of the Pak Gulf Construction Ltd in Islamabad.

World Trade Center

The World Trade Center, Islamabad project was launched in March 2007 and located in the heart of Phase-II of Defence Housing Authority, Islamabad. It is facing the G.T. Road and is situated in the midst of a 330 kanal long commercial strip which will be completely developed by AL Ghurair Giga Pakistan Limited. The World Trade Center, Islamabad is approximately 13 kilometers from the central business district.

Developments under construction

Margalla Avenue

Margalla Avenue aka Khayaban-e-Margalla would run along the foothills of Margalla Hills and will connect Sector B-17 to Sector E-11. This road would also allow an easy approach to the New Islamabad International Airport.
It will be a 16-kilometre, four-lane road which is 48 feet wide each side with a 20-foot median running in between. The project would be completed at an estimated cost of Rs1.8 billion.
Once completed, it will facilitate the travellers heading towards Islamabad from the Northern parts of the country to reach the heart of the city within 10 minutes. It will also facilitate those who have to commute daily from areas like Taxila, Wah Cantt, Hassan Abdal, Haripur to various parts of the federal capital.
Capital Development Authority prepared PC-I of the project in 2008 with a spirit to protect the green image of the national park area. Under the proposed plan, no construction activity would be allowed on the two sides of the road.
On 25 August 2012 Capital Development Authority Chairman Mr. Farkhand Iqbal during his visit to the site of Margalla Avenue confirmed that the road will be constructed from both ends at the same time to expedite the construction on Margalla Avenue.
On 25 September 2012, Capital Development Authority was targeting to open the road for traffic by mid of 2013. A CDA official told ‘The New’ on Monday that the width of the Margalla Avenue has been squeezed to half from 600 feet owing to non-acquisition of land for the project. "The project could have been delayed had we waited for acquisition of remaining land for the avenue," the official said.
On 5 October 2012 Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency served another notice to Capital Development Authority asking it to conduct the environment impact assessment before beginning construction of Margalla Avenue. Pak-EPA Director General Mr. Asif Shuja said neither an initial environmental examination nor the environmental impact assessment had been conducted to conserve the surrounding natural balance.

Canyon Views (Emaar)

Canyon Views by real-estate developer Emaar was launched in May 2006 and offers a luxurious villa-community spanning over an area of 1,500 acres. The project will cost around US$2.4 billion. The Canyon views upon completion will include swimming pools, gymnasium, sports amenities, running track, tennis court, open spaces for picnics and barbecues, retail outlets, restaurants, schools, and a mosque.
The views will include 50 communities in it, and when fully completed it will have homes for 9,000 families. Phase 1 of the project has been completed, and other phases are currently under construction.

Grand Hyatt

The Grand Hyatt is a 5-star hotel under construction in the southern end of the Constitution Avenue on a 13.5-acre site and is served by two major highways. However, its construction has been put on hold indefinitely. This development consists of a 45-story hotel and serviced apartments tower along with two smaller 20-storied residential and office towers. The smaller towers are linked together by means of a bridge at the 20th floor, aligned with the axis of the Constitution Avenue. Other features include retail and food courts, banquet and parking.

InterContinental Hotel

InterContinental Islamabad launched in April 2006 is situated in the heart of the capital's diplomatic enclave and set against the backdrop of the Himalayan foothills. The hotel will feature 260 spacious guest rooms, styled along contemporary lines combined with local accents, three restaurants including Italian and Chinese cuisine specialty restaurants, a full-service spa with gym facilities and an outdoor pool.
The hotel will be operated by InterContinental Hotels and Resorts.

World Trade Center

The World Trade Center, Islamabad project was launched in March 2007 and located in the heart of Phase-II of Defence Housing Authority, Islamabad. It is facing the G.T. Road and is situated in the midst of a 330 kanal long commercial strip which will be completely developed by AL Ghurair Giga Pakistan Limited. The World Trade Center, Islamabad is approximately 13 kilometers from the central business district.

Other developments

Islamabad Capital Territory is subdivided into five zones, and the development work is in progress for the following residential and commercial projects;
In 1985, Capital Development Authority declared several outlying areas of Islamabad as 'model villages' to ease the housing problem. These model villages are as follows: