Islamabad sets 31 December deadline for city-wide plastic ban

Pakistan's government has told traders in Islamabad to clear single-use plastic bag stock by 20 October 2026 and return it to manufacturers, ahead of a pledged city-wide plastic-free deadline of 31 December 2026 covering bags, water bottles and other items. The federal environmental regulator has already raided and sealed three factories, seizing 1.4 tonnes of polythene bags, while food packaging and bottled water (exempt until 2028) remain outside the ban's scope.

Why this mattersA city-wide single-use plastic ban, if enforced this time, would force Islamabad-area bag manufacturers and traders to shift to alternative materials on a tight timeline.

• Islamabad targets a complete end to plastic products, including shopping bags of all thicknesses and water bottles, by 31 December 2026
• Traders have until 20 October 2026 to return single-use bag stock to manufacturers and switch to alternatives
• Three factories in Islamabad have already been raided and sealed, with 1.4 tonnes of polythene bags confiscated
• Federal Board of Revenue asked to stop auctioning seized plastic goods, a channel the minister said puts imported bags back into circulation
• Food packaging for bread, rice and pulses is exempt as it is not classed as single-use carry bags
• Bottled water is exempt from the ban until 2028

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