Work has begun on the Islamabad Safari Park, a 350-acre wildlife destination taking shape in the Malpur Forestry Park near Bara Kahu, as the federal government pushes an ambitious plan to make the capital greener, cleaner, and more attractive to visitors. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced the project on October 6 during the groundbreaking of the Kashmir Chowk Underpass, describing the park as the largest of its kind in Asia.
The announcement is part of a wider green transformation of the federal capital. Naqvi said the government aims to make Islamabad three times greener than it was when the current administration took office, noting that the city’s population has nearly tripled over the past two decades while its infrastructure struggled to keep pace. The Islamabad Safari Park sits at the center of that vision: a flagship project combining wildlife conservation, eco-tourism, and family recreation on the capital’s forested edge.
What the Islamabad Safari Park Will Include
According to the Capital Development Authority (CDA), which is executing the project, the Islamabad Safari Park will be Pakistan’s first world-class wildlife safari facility. The site covers roughly 350 acres of existing natural forest near Murree Road, which the CDA says will largely be preserved rather than cleared during construction.
The master plan envisages around 3,605 animals living across 10 safari and wildlife sanctuary zones designed to replicate natural habitats. Planned zones include separate areas for ungulates, big cats such as lions, tigers, bears and hyenas, elephants, rhinos, hippos, and crocodiles. The ungulate safari alone is planned over 1,000 kanals, which would make it the country’s largest such zone.
Visitor attractions in the plan include:
- A panoramic safari train winding through the forest
- A one-kilometre Forest Canopy Walk and a two-kilometre safari chairlift
- A natural lake, themed restaurants, and a Safari Village with lodges
- A 50-kanal Safari Food Street connected directly to Murree Road
- An immersive wildlife museum, children’s adventure areas, and an international-standard Wildlife Care and Veterinary Complex
The CDA has completed the project’s feasibility study and conceptual design, and the scheme is now expected to move into the tendering phase before construction begins in earnest. For the project’s background and location details, see the CDA master plan summary.
A Greener Capital: F-9 Park, Plastic-Free and Cashless Goals
The safari park is one piece of a much larger makeover. Naqvi said F-9 Park, also known as Fatima Jinnah Park, was developed on the model of London’s Hyde Park, and that another F-9-sized park is also being developed for the capital.
“An F-9-sized park is also being developed,” Naqvi said, adding that the government was focused on expanding recreational opportunities for people visiting the capital.
Beyond parks, the government has set December 31 as the deadline for two headline civic goals: making Islamabad plastic-free and cashless. State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry is supervising both initiatives. The legislation for a plastic-free capital is already in place, Naqvi said, with implementation now the key challenge. Land records digitization is also targeted for completion by the end of 2026, a project described as one of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s priorities. Read the full announcement in WE News English.
From Marghazar Zoo to International Standards
The new Islamabad Safari Park also represents a fresh start for wildlife tourism in the capital. Islamabad’s old Marghazar Zoo was closed following Islamabad High Court orders over concerns about animal welfare and mismanagement. The safari project is being designed to meet international standards from day one: the CDA has moved to hire an international consultant to supervise the development, review engineering drawings, and ensure the park complies with global standards for animal welfare, habitats, and husbandry.
That oversight matters. A drive-through safari where animals roam in habitat-style zones is a fundamentally different proposition from caged enclosures, and the consultant will also help develop operational and management plans for the park. As Pakistan’s ecotourism profile grows, from new direct flights opening up northern destinations like Skardu to mountaineering feats putting the country on the adventure map, a world-class safari park near the capital would give domestic and foreign visitors one more reason to come. New air links with Central Asia are widening that visitor funnel further.
What Comes Next for the Islamabad Safari Park
With the feasibility work done, the next milestone for the Islamabad Safari Park is tendering, when construction firms will be invited to bid for the project. The CDA’s project documents are nearing completion, and officials expect construction tenders once the planning phase is finalized. Some reports have cited figures up to 450 acres for the project, though the CDA’s own announcements describe a 350-acre site; the final boundaries will be confirmed in the detailed documents, as noted in Manahil Estate’s project brief.
If delivered as planned, the Islamabad Safari Park would become one of Pakistan’s most significant tourism and conservation projects: a place where families can experience wildlife up close, where the forest ecosystem is protected rather than paved over, and where the capital’s green ambitions take visible, walkable form.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Faisal Mosque seen from Margalla Hills)
Sources
- WE News English: Pakistan’s Capital Islamabad Set to Get 350-Acre Safari Park
- Manahil Estate: Islamabad Safari Park Planned Near Malpur
- Al Sadat Marketing: Location Finalized for Pakistan’s First International-Standard Wildlife Safari Park
Umar is an engineer by profession and a passionate writer by passion. He has a deep interest in sharing good news related to Pakistan and has been working hard to promote the positive image of his homeland. Umar has written numerous articles on various topics related to Pakistan, such as technology, sports, culture, and economy.