CDA Approves 659-Foot, 45-Storey Tower in Islamabad's Blue Area: What In-Principle Approval Means for Buyers

CDA has given in-principle approval to a 45-storey tower of about 659 feet on Plot 13 in Islamabad's Blue Area, and a second tower of about 580 feet on Plot 09, it was reported on 24 October 2026. In-principle approval is an early stage, not a building permit. If you are offered an apartment or shop in either tower, check the approval stage with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) before you pay anything.

The decisions were taken by CDA's Design Vetting Committee and announced through the state news agency on 24 October. When we checked CDA's website that evening, the release was not yet posted, so the figures below are as reported and attributed to CDA. Here is what was approved, where, and what "in-principle" means for a buyer.

A 659-foot, 45-storey tower is planned on Plot 13, Blue Area

The proposed tower on Plot 13 in Blue Area, Sector F-8/G-8, would be about 659 feet tall with 45 storeys, CDA was reported as saying. That would make it one of the tallest buildings proposed in Islamabad. It is a mixed-use project with homes, shops and restaurants.

The reported covered area is 557,641 square feet. The plan has five underground floors for parking, shops on the ground floor, separate entrance lobbies, restaurant floors, apartments on the upper levels and penthouses at the top. No developer name, cost or completion date was given.

A second 580-foot tower is planned on Plot 09

The Design Vetting Committee also gave in-principle approval to a tower on Plot 09 in Blue Area, Sector F-9/G-9. It would be about 580 feet tall, with 42 floors including extra service floors. Fewer details were reported for this one.

Both plots sit on Jinnah Avenue's commercial strip, which runs through the middle of the city between the F and G sectors. Blue Area already has Islamabad's main office blocks, so these two would add height rather than open a new district.

The committee was chaired by CDA's Member Planning and Development, Muhammad Umair. CDA said the projects were reviewed against planning regulations, technical requirements and construction standards, and that the approvals are meant to encourage private investment and vertical growth.

Three more projects in Bahria Garden City and Gulberg Greens

The same meeting gave in-principle approval to three other projects: Tremezzo Mall in Bahria Garden City, Plot 62 in the Business Park at Gulberg Greens, and Plot 108 in Park Avenue North, Gulberg Greens. These remain subject to technical objections being resolved.

That condition matters. It means CDA's planners found issues in these files that still need fixing. Until those objections are cleared and the regulatory steps are done, none of the five projects has the final approval needed to build.

In-principle approval is not a building permit, so check before you book

In-principle approval means CDA's committee has accepted the design idea, subject to conditions. It is not the same as an approved building plan or a no objection certificate to sell. A developer may start marketing early, so check the exact stage before you pay a booking amount.

We say this because pre-launch sales are common in Islamabad. A brochure that says "CDA approved" can mean anything from a design meeting to a full building plan approval. Ask which one, and ask for the letter.

1. Ask the developer for CDA's written approval letter for the building plan, not just the design vetting decision.
2. Check that the plot number, sector and number of floors in the letter match the brochure.
3. Confirm with CDA's Building Control Section that the plan is approved and that construction may start.
4. Read the payment plan for what happens to your money if approval is refused or the design changes.
5. Never pay a large booking amount on the strength of a news report or an in-principle decision.

The steps a builder must complete are the same ones any owner follows to get a building plan approved by CDA, only larger. High-rise buildings also have to meet CDA's parking rule for high-rise commercial buildings, which is why both towers plan several floors of basement parking.

Common questions

How tall is the new Blue Area tower?

About 659 feet, with 45 storeys, on Plot 13 in Blue Area, F-8/G-8, as reported on 24 October 2026. A second tower on Plot 09 would be about 580 feet.

Has construction of the Blue Area towers started?

No. CDA's Design Vetting Committee has given in-principle approval only, subject to technical requirements and regulations. No construction start date was reported.

Who approved the towers?

CDA's Design Vetting Committee, chaired by Member Planning and Development Muhammad Umair, at CDA headquarters, as reported on 24 October 2026.

Is it safe to book an apartment in these towers now?

Only after you see CDA's approved building plan letter. In-principle approval is an early stage, and the design can still change or be refused.

Which other projects were approved?

Tremezzo Mall in Bahria Garden City, Plot 62 in the Gulberg Greens Business Park and Plot 108 in Park Avenue North, Gulberg Greens, all in principle and subject to resolving technical objections.

Will these be the tallest buildings in Islamabad?

The 659-foot tower was described as one of the tallest proposed in the capital. We could not confirm the height of every existing Islamabad building, so we cannot say it would be the tallest.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked 24 October 2026. The heights, floors, covered area, plots and the three other projects come from CDA's statements as carried by the state news agency on 24 October 2026; we checked the CDA website that evening and the release had not been posted, so every figure here is reported, not confirmed on CDA's own page. The parking rule comes from CDA's Board decision of 1 August 2026. We could not verify the developers, costs or construction timelines, which were not reported.