Strategically leading Pakistan's female urban planning practice, 2006–2026
Designing sustainable master plans, inclusive national policy, and disaster-resilient cities across Pakistan.
Life Member, Pakistan Council of Architects & Town Planners (PCATP)Member, International Society of City & Regional Planners (ISOCARP)President's Gold Medal — MS Urban & Regional Planning, NUST Islamabad (2018)
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50,000+Acres master-planned in total
20Years of continuous planning practice
15,000Acres — DHA Phase-X, Lahore
12,500Acres — DHA Quetta
9,500Acres — Faisal Town, Islamabad
800Kilometres — Iran–Pakistan Gas Pipeline route optimisation
Section 01
Leadership, Professional Excellence & Recognition
A Journey from Urban Fields to Planning Policy
01
President's Gold Medal Holder, MS Urban & Regional Planning, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad (2018)
02
20 years of continuous professional urban and regional planning practice — from NESPAK (2006–2015) to founding and directing The Urban Solutions Pvt. Ltd., today one of the largest urban planning and urban design consultancies working on large-scale urban planning and development projects
03
Serving on the ORIC (Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization) Steering Committee, University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore — bridging industry practice and academic research, and contributing to youth empowerment and gender inclusiveness through lectures, workshops and women-led incubation support (2025 onwards)
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04
Founder & Managing Partner, Climate Justice Zen (CJ Zen) — mainstreaming urban planning into climate action through policy dialogues and practical projects
05
Life Member, Pakistan Council of Architects & Town Planners (PCATP)
06
Member, International Society of City & Regional Planners (2025, 2026–2027)
07
Member, Accreditation Board, Pakistan Council of Architects & Town Planners (2022 & 2026)
08
Chapter Lead, Conscious Islamabad — The Centre for Conscious Design
09
Lead, Urbania Internship Program, The Urban Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
10
Case study of The Urban Solutions founders Fauzia Rizwan & Syed Rizwan Munir selected for publication by the University of Engineering & Technology in Entrepreneurship in the Pakistani Ecosystem (forthcoming, Oct–Nov 2026)
A Voice Sought by Government, Industry and the Global Profession
01
Represented Pakistan's planning practice at the ISOCARP World Planning Congress, Riyadh (Dec 2025) — Do-Track and New Cities Manifesto sessions, with study visits to Qiddiya City and Boulevard World.
02
Invited to the RERA policy roundtable (Centre for Innovation in Real Estate) alongside the Government of Punjab, PCBDDA, a World Bank consultant, PHATA and LDA — shaping real estate regulatory reform in Pakistan (2026).
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03
Invited as Urban Planning Expert on state television (2025) to speak on national urban issues and agendas.
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04
Multiple industry excellence awards: Shield of Appreciation, Defence Housing Authority Quetta (2025); Excellence Award, Globiz Group of Companies (2024); Excellence Award, Telegardens ECHS (2022).
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05
Authored and developed the Punjab Real Estate Regulatory Act, along with the Joint Venture (JV) Rules and Regulations — providing the urban planning and regulatory framework to support real estate regulation and public–private partnership implementation by the Project Management & Implementation Unit (PMIU) under the Punjab Affordable Housing Program (2024–25).
06
Invited as Urban Planning Expert to the seminar “Infrastructural Imbalances amid Rapid Urbanization in Pakistan”, sharing professional insights on urban growth, infrastructure deficits and the planning challenges shaping Pakistan's rapidly urbanising cities (2026).
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07
Invited as Guest Speaker for a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Seminar on “Sustainable Urban Planning and Design” — sharing insights on sustainable, resilient and inclusive urban development, with emphasis on land use, green infrastructure, mobility, affordable housing and urban design. Recognised by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) as a CPD trainer/professional (2026).
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08Awarded Certificate of Recognition on International Women's Day 2025 at an International Conference on Inclusive Futures, celebrated by Women in Urban Planning — an initiative of City Pulse in collaboration with the University of Management & Technology, Lahore.
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09
Celebrating the vision, creativity and impact of urban planning with fellow planners on World Planning Day 2025 at The Urban Solutions Head Office, Islamabad — recognising the role of thoughtful planning in transforming ideas into livable, resilient and thriving communities.
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10
Invited as Urban Planning Expert on “Urban Regeneration” at EconFest Islamabad, contributing expert perspectives on urban transformation and the regeneration of cities (Oct 2024).
I want to be a leader who plans not only for cities, but for the people.
Opening Doors for the Next Generation
Presented with an award recognising admirable services and contributions to the City & Regional Planning Department at the Alumni Recognition Ceremony by the Vice Chancellor, University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore (20 October 2018).
Interviewed by HADI Worldwide as a practising woman urban planner, offering guidance to students and young women entering the profession.
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Leads the Urbania Internship Program at The Urban Solutions Pvt. Ltd., mentoring emerging planners directly.
Guest lecturer at NUST Islamabad, UET Lahore, and the National College of Arts, Rawalpindi.
Featured in the PIDE-RASTA research documentary series, “Rethinking Mobility in Pakistan” (2022).
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Chapter Lead, Conscious Islamabad (The Centre for Conscious Design) — moderated the Conscious Cities Festival 2021, “The Person-Space Continuum: Inclusive & Livable Islamabad” (2021).
Design presentation of the mixed-use project T&TECHS Islamabad at the International Real Estate Investment Show (IREIS), Abu Dhabi, held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, 2–4 November 2017.
Paper and presentation, “A Comparative Analysis of Options for Affordable Housing”, at the National Seminar on the Five Million Houses Program: Challenges & Opportunities, under the Prime Minister's Vision of Naya Pakistan Housing (2018).
Drafted the National Reconstruction and Land-Use Policy presented to the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan (21 May 2007 and 30 April 2008), as part of the New Balakot City Development Project.
Accelerated promotions and honorariums for outstanding performance at National Engineering Services Pakistan Pvt. Ltd. (NESPAK), Islamabad (2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015).
A planner whose work has moved from project sites to presidential briefings, with the single purpose of creating meaningful and safe cities.
Section 02
Technical & Design Excellence
Master Planning at the National Scale
Over two decades, Fauzia Rizwan has led master planning, zoning and infrastructure design across more than 50,000 acres of housing, institutional and mixed-use development in Pakistan — for government, defence housing, private sector, military and mixed land-use clients alike.
Planning for Complexity in Housing, Institutions & Infrastructure
Project
Scale
Scope
Faisal Town, Islamabad
9,500 acres
ZEDEM International — education city, sports city, trade centre and technology parks
Aviation City, Kamra
1,250 acres
Pakistan Air Force — golf course, central park, air medical complex, full topographic survey
DHA Quetta
12,500 acres
Defence Housing Authority — climate-resilient planning with greywater reuse for irrigation
Designed climate-resilient infrastructure at DHA Quetta using greywater reuse for irrigation — an early example of water-sensitive engineering in large-scale Pakistani master planning (2024).
Delivered post-earthquake reconstruction master planning for New Balakot City, Old Balakot Town, Bagh and Rawalakot under the ERRA “Build Back Better” framework and the Hyogo Framework for Action (2006–2015).
Co-authored the National Safer Land Use Plan of Pakistan with NDMA and SUPARCO — mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation into national planning practice (2017).
Directed a water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs assessment across six districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for UNICEF, using GIS-based scenario profiling (2016).
Led GIS-based land-use mapping and route optimisation for the 800 km Iran–Pakistan Gas Pipeline through Balochistan and Sindh (ISGS) (2009).
Technical rigour applied where it matters most — disaster zones, resource-scarce regions, and megaprojects that will shape cities for generations.
Habitat Planning Rooted in Community and Care
Alongside her mega-project portfolio, Fauzia Rizwan has spent much of her career planning for the people most at risk of displacement — earthquake survivors, internally displaced persons, and flood- and climate-affected communities across northern Pakistan.
01
Master plan for cluster-based housing, Ganjabad Village, Immit Valley, Ghizer (Aga Khan Agency for Habitat) — climate-responsive community design with water, sewerage and rainwater harvesting (2026)
02
Sustainable landscape and greening plan, James Town (Rawalpindi) and Farash Town (Islamabad) — four parks, two playgrounds and water-sensitive urban design, delivered with WWF-Pakistan and the Australia-Pakistan Water Security Initiative (2025)
03
Habitat plan and housing scheme for IDPs of Attabad Lake, Danyore, Gilgit (Aga Khan Building & Planning Services) — disaster-resilient layout, amenities and services design (2024)
04
Vetted the spatial rehabilitation plan for IDPs, Yasin Valley to Hatoon, Ghizer Valley — independent review and alternative planning (2022)
05
Resettlement strategy and compensation mechanism for earthquake affectees of Old Balakot Town and Bakriyal (2006–2008)
Portfolio & Publications
Browse the Practice in Full
Let's plan what comes next.
From master planning at the national scale to habitat planning for communities at risk — talk to us about your project, or explore the work behind the practice.
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