Islamabad: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has eased mandatory parking requirements for high-rise commercial buildings, reducing the requirement to one parking space for every 1,000 square feet of covered area from the previous standard of one space per 750 square feet.
The decision was approved at the 10th CDA Board meeting of 2026, chaired by CDA Chairman and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Sohail Ashraf at the authority’s headquarters.
According to the CDA, the revised parking standard brings Islamabad’s requirements in line with those followed by regulatory bodies in other cities and is aimed at facilitating commercial construction and investment in the capital.
The board was informed that the previous requirement had created challenges for builders and developers, with some projects requiring as many as six basement levels to meet parking requirements. The authority said this had raised structural and safety concerns.
The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with representatives of the business community, builders and developers, had repeatedly called for a revision of the parking requirement.
The revised standard will take immediate effect and also apply to commercial plots being offered in the CDA’s open auction scheduled for August 4-6, as well as future commercial plot auctions. The authority said the terms and conditions of the auctions would be amended accordingly.
The CDA said the revised policy would simplify the approval process for commercial building plans and help promote construction activity in Islamabad.
CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf said the authority would continue introducing measures to facilitate planned urban development, investment and construction in the federal capital.
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