ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority has issued a letter of acceptance to a Turkish company for starting a new cleanliness and waste collection system in Islamabad, with the first phase to be launched in rural areas.

The project is expected to be formally inaugurated by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on October 13.

CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf, Member Environment Abdullah Khurram Niazi and representatives of the Turkish company — Joint Venture of Atlas Pak Waste Management Company – on Tuesday held a meeting at CDA Headquarters to discuss preparations for the launch.

Sources said the company representatives gave a detailed presentation on their preparations and operational arrangements. The CDA chairman directed the company to start operations at the earliest to facilitate residents of rural areas and said there would be no compromise on service delivery.

Civic body has issued a letter of acceptance to a Turkish company

The sources said since both packages (urban and rural) had been won by the Turkish company, the CDA had decided to engage it in rural areas whereas the project would be launched in urban areas in the second phase.

Under the plan, the company will collect waste and transport it to the transfer station in Sector I-11 before it is shifted to the Losar landfill site in Rawalpindi.

A CDA official said the civic agency would ensure segregation of waste at the transfer station and the CDA is also planning to install a plant for recycling of the waste material, using plastic for making manhole covers.

“Next month, the residents of Islamabad with the start of this project will see a major change, with 103 vehicles moving in rural areas and over 1,300 uniformed staff working,” said an officer, adding that colours of uniform for staff and vehicles have also been finalised.

He said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had been focusing on this project to provide best cleanliness facilities to the residents of Islamabad.

The Turkish company has won the contract by submitting a bid worth around Rs18 billion for both urban and rural packages for a four-year term.

Presently, there is no proper waste collection system in the capital’s rural areas, and the CDA carries out secondary garbage collection occasionally.

In the absence of any system, residents of rural areas have been forced to dump waste in open areas and nullahs. Therefore, the officials said, the company had been directed to start its operation in rural areas first.

The officials said the CDA would continue its operations with hired machinery and CDA’s own staff in urban area, but ultimately, this package would also be handed over to the said company.

The CDA had opened the bids in July after a dramatic event. During the technical evaluation, the CDA had disqualified the same Turkish company. However, the CDA ultimately qualified the company when it filed a grievance to the civic agency asking it to review its decision.

Later, the bid of the Turkish company turned out to be lowest with Rs380 million difference. However, second JV challenged CDA’s decision before PPRA, which after a few hearings, decided the matter in favour of the CDA.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2026