ISLAMABAD, November 5, 2026: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that more than 30 development projects are underway across Islamabad as part of a broader plan to transform the federal capital into a modern city with improved infrastructure, tourism facilities and transport links.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to Kashmir Chowk on Thursday, Naqvi outlined plans for a major tourism complex near the Prime Minister’s House, a new cricket stadium and the long-awaited 11th Avenue project connecting Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
He also said the government was working on a solution to regularise existing housing societies developed on privately owned land without the required approvals while protecting homes already constructed by residents.
Naqvi explained that several housing societies had been established on private land where approval procedures were bypassed, leaving homeowners facing uncertainty over the legal status of their properties.
He said the government intended to develop a balanced framework that would bring these societies within the legal system without putting existing residential properties at risk.
However, the minister warned that unauthorised housing schemes and the sale of plot files without ownership of land or necessary approvals would not be permitted in the future.
Discussing Islamabad’s development plans, Naqvi said more than 30 projects were progressing simultaneously, with several additional schemes under consideration.
He said the objective was to make Islamabad a destination where visitors would stay for two to four days for tourism and recreation rather than travelling to the capital solely for official business.
The minister disclosed that preparations for a tourism complex on 1,000 kanals of recovered land behind the Prime Minister’s House had entered their final stages.
The proposed development would include five-star hotels, restaurants and other tourism facilities. He said two to three presentations and briefings had already been completed, with practical progress expected within a month.
Naqvi also announced that the foundation stone for a modern cricket stadium in Islamabad would be laid soon.
On transport infrastructure, he said work on the 11th Avenue project was expected to begin shortly, with preparations nearing completion.
The project is intended to provide an alternative route between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, easing traffic congestion and improving daily commuting between the twin cities.
Naqvi said the ongoing and proposed initiatives formed part of a comprehensive strategy to improve Islamabad’s urban infrastructure, connectivity and appeal as a tourism destination.