ISLAMABAD: In the heart of old Islamabad’s G-6, a vacant plot once home to the iconic Siraj Covered Market is back in focus. The Capital Development Authority (CDA), which originally built the market in the 1960s, is now considering allowing a multi-storey building on the same site, provided the public agrees.
The single-storey, inward-oriented market, designed by a British architect, was among the capital’s earliest commercial landmarks. Built by the CDA and leased to a private party, it stood as a model of Islamabad’s early architectural character until it was bulldozed in 2007, erasing a rare piece of civic heritage.
Following the demolition, the CDA changed the bylaws to allow 100 percent ground coverage and a floor area ratio (FAR) of 1:4, paving the way for a ground-plus-three-storey structure with basements for parking. Area residents challenged the move in court, and both the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court restrained the CDA from altering the original bylaws.
The 8,670-square-yard plot, leased to Ch. Sirajuddin and others in 1966, remains in limbo. With the lease due to expire in 2026, the civic body has again revived plans for redevelopment. In a recent meeting, CDA’s planning wing proposed allowing a 7 to 8 storey building with 50 percent ground coverage and one basement for parking. However, the board stopped short of approval, deciding instead to seek public opinion before a final decision.
Locals fear the proposal could worsen congestion along Begum Sarfraz Iqbal Road, the narrow service road connecting Melody to the PM Secretariat. “Before any new construction, CDA must dualise this road,” said an official familiar with the area.
CDA spokesperson Shahid Kiani confirmed receiving a request from the leaseholders to amend bylaws, adding that the authority “will not decide unilaterally” and will ensure no rule contradicts the master plan or court directions.
For many, the Siraj Covered Market saga captures Islamabad’s uneasy balance between heritage and high-rises, a struggle between preserving memory and chasing modernity. For now, the site remains empty, waiting once again for the city to decide what kind of history it wants to rebuild.
