# Islamabad power lines to go underground within two years, Mohsin Naqvi says; 108 kanals reclaimed in Barakahu

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/property/islamabad-power-lines-to-go-underground-within-two-years-mohsin-naqvi-says-108)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 22 Oct 2026
Updated: 22 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 25 Oct 2026

> The interior minister says IESCO will bury the capital's electricity poles within two years, alongside a drive against encroachments and plans for eight national museums.

Overhead electricity poles will **disappear from Islamabad within two years**, Interior Minister **Mohsin Naqvi** said on Wednesday, with the government working with the **Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO)** to move the capital's power lines underground. He was speaking to reporters during a visit to **Barakahu**, ProPakistani reported.

## What was announced

- **Underground power lines:** poles to go from the city within about two years, in partnership with IESCO. No cost, sector order or start date was given.
- **Barakahu land:** about **108 kanals** of government land there had been illegally occupied for some **30 years**, and the authorities are removing the encroachments to recover it.
- **Eight museums:** the government plans eight major museums on Pakistan's national culture across roughly **150 acres**.
- **Markets and roads:** Naqvi said Islamabad's markets had become dumping grounds and that cleaning would be stepped up, and damaged roads in several sectors repaired.

## What it means for residents

Underground cables usually mean **fewer outages in storms and high winds**, fewer dangling wires and safer pavements, which is why newer housing schemes already use them. The disruption comes first: digging along roads, temporary shutdowns while connections are switched, and possible changes to where meters sit. IESCO has not yet published a plan, so watch for its notices on which sectors go first.

Moving cables does not change the tariff. To see what your current usage costs, try our [electricity bill calculator](/tools/utilities/electricity-bill-calculator) or work out units with the [electricity units calculator](/tools/utilities/electricity-units-calculator).

## The wider drive

The announcement is part of a push by the federal government and the CDA to recover state land around the capital. On Tuesday the CDA marked out state land in **Malpur village off Murree Road** ahead of an anti-encroachment operation ([our report](/news/property/cda-demarcates-state-land-in-malpur-village-off-murree-road-anti-encroachment)). If you are buying property in the outer sectors, check the title and the CDA's status of the land before paying; our [plot size converter](/tools/property/plot-size-converter) turns kanals and marlas into square feet.

## Frequently asked questions

**When will Islamabad's electricity poles go underground?**

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on 21 October 2026 that poles would no longer be visible in Islamabad within two years, with IESCO moving lines underground. No detailed schedule has been published.

## Sources

- Islamabad Plans to Shift Electricity Poles Underground (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/22/islamabad-plans-to-shift-electricity-poles-underground/

How to cite: "Islamabad power lines to go underground within two years, Mohsin Naqvi says; 108 kanals reclaimed in Barakahu", Searchable, 22 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/property/islamabad-power-lines-to-go-underground-within-two-years-mohsin-naqvi-says-108