From green to gray: the changing face of Islamabad

The urban centers have forever shaped the national economic trajectory and have contributed extensively to the branding of Pakistan. City planning is essential because it creates the framework for sustainable urban development that balances economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection.

Through thoughtful planning, cities optimize infrastructure investments, prevent haphazard sprawl, and create spaces that enhance residents’ quality of life.

Good planning addresses transportation networks, housing needs, and access to essential services on the one hand, and preserves green spaces and cultural heritage on the other. Take the planning out, and cities face increased pollution, traffic congestion, inadequate housing, and strained public resources – problems that become exponentially more expensive to fix retroactively.

Islamabad, once declared to be one of the top ten most beautiful capitals of the world, on the basis of green areas, population density, planning, infrastructure, and mountain views, is fast becoming a massive, unplanned metropolis. The fault lies with the flawed strategy of the Capital Development Authority (CDA). I have been sharing this concern for quite some time and feel that we may just find ourselves at the point of no return if the issue is not urgently addressed and rectified with a sustainable policy and a workable plan.

The random, ad hoc planning of Karachi was painful enough; Islamabad’s situation added to it is something I had perhaps not bargained for. Data from Global Forest Watch estimates that from 2001 to 2022, Islamabad lost 12 hectares of tree cover, equivalent to a 0.39% decrease in tree cover since 2000, and 4.05 kilotons of CO emissions.

Walking through the corridors of history, Islamabad was established in the 1960s, nestled on the ancient Potohar Plateau in Northern Punjab; a region of extraordinary archaeological significance as one of Asia’s earliest human settlements. The elusive Greek architect Constantinos Apostolou Doxiadis’s comprehensive plan organized Islamabad into eight distinct functional zones. This deliberate arrangement was meant to seamlessly integrate administrative centers, diplomatic enclaves, residential neighborhoods, educational and industrial districts, commercial hubs, and preserved rural and green spaces.

Sadly, the last decade has witnessed the rapid transformation of green spaces into concrete jungles, particularly towards the new airport. The city has expanded up to the mountains of Shah Allah Ditta on one side, while construction continues unchecked along the new and old Murree Road, the Simli Dam area, and Park Road.

Additionally, massive urban sprawl has already taken place along the Islamabad Expressway, and with the construction of a new road, this expansion will accelerate even further.

Perhaps the most shocking instance of environmental vandalism was the reported overnight removal of 25,000 fully grown trees from the Fatima Jinnah Park (popularly known as F-9 Park) under the pretense of reducing pollen allergies, despite no scientific justification for such a drastic measure. This silent massacre of Islamabad’s lungs, in the name of infrastructure, is heartbreaking. I can only lament and pray for some sense to knock on the doors of those responsible.

Where Pakistan desperately needs to encourage its acreage of plantation to be able to steer through the climatic repercussions of global warming, we are thrashing away hundreds of years of forestation. It is not even replaceable in one lifetime. Islamabad’s tree cover was 28,060 hectares in 1990, plummeting to 25,243 hectares by 2020. 2025 is witnessing the establishment of massive housing societies and high-rises, further thinning the tree cover.

The alarming rate of deforestation is a serious environmental and ecological concern. This reckless expansion has already begun to affect the climate. Recently, Islamabad experienced a record dry spell of nearly four months – an unprecedented phenomenon that left residents deeply anxious and perturbed. Such drastic changes in weather patterns signal the looming consequences of urban mismanagement.

An increased number of housing societies means more and more people, but without the development of new industries, we are looking at massive unemployment in the city, and consequently, a rise in crime. Islamabad is already not as safe as it once was; incidents of robberies, snatchings, and other law-and-order issues are growing almost on a daily basis.

Deliberating further, what I fail to understand is how the new incoming population will survive. While real estate is going north and becoming visible in and around Islamabad, there is no development of new industry. In fact, the corporate sector in Islamabad has shrunk following the saturation of the telecom sector. Traditional employment sources, including the government, the development sector, and foreign missions, continue to provide the same number of jobs. Without the development of new industries, finding employment in Islamabad has already become increasingly difficult.

Settlements for new populations must be planned with corresponding economic opportunities, and ecological health, otherwise it will lead to unemployment, weather disruptions, and social unrest. Trees must be restored to their true status of saviors and guarantee for our future; their frequent chopping down will have alarming ramifications.

Unfortunately, we have become accustomed to working without a vision or a long-term plan. Islamabad was once a well-managed city, known for its order, planning, and sustainability. However, due to mismanagement, short-sighted urban policies, and inefficient governance, we are steadily eroding its character.

Islamabad needs urgent course correction. Sustainable urban planning, economic diversification, and strict environmental regulations must be prioritized before the city loses its livability and charm entirely. Greenery in a city is its lungs, its life; this is an earnest appeal for allowing Islamabad to breathe.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025