The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has initiated a plan to replace outdated government-owned single-story houses in Islamabad with high-rise buildings, potentially generating billions of rupees in revenue.
Currently, government housing occupies large areas in various sectors, including F-6, G-6, and G-7, with many single-story residences allocated to federal secretaries and other senior officials.Â
According to a report published by Dawn, a recent study found that government houses in G-6/1 alone cover 86 acres, with vertical construction estimated to reduce the space requirement to just 9 acres, freeing up 77 acres of valuable land worth over Rs52 billion.
The proposal aligns with recommendations from a research article on “dead capital” by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), which caught the attention of SIFC. Following the report, SIFC sent a letter to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) seeking input on the feasibility of vertical development, specifically in G-6/1.
The letter to CDA highlighted that underutilized government land in urban centers is a financial burden and an untapped economic asset. “Efficient land management is essential to meet urban demands and boost city development,” the letter stated, noting that high-rise projects could free up land and generate substantial revenue.
According to the PIDE study, replacing the single-story homes with six high-rise structures could manage the current housing demand while freeing up valuable land.Â
“Countries like the UK and India have successfully adopted vertical housing strategies, and Pakistan could benefit similarly by creating a centralized database of state-held land and involving asset management experts,” the report added.
Sources within SIFC noted that the current plan is in its preliminary stages, pending CDA’s feedback. The SIFC is expected to explore further steps after receiving the CDA’s views, with a focus on unlocking the economic potential of underutilized government land in Islamabad.
