National Assembly Approves Ban on Plastic Covers for Books in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has passed the “Islamabad Capital Territory (Prohibition of Plastic Covers on Books) Act 2026,” imposing a complete ban on the use of plastic covers on books within the federal capital.
According to the text of the bill, no seller in Islamabad will be allowed to sell or distribute books covered with plastic wrapping. Violators will face fines of up to Rs 50,000 for a first offense, while repeat violations may result in penalties of up to Rs 100,000.
The legislation aims to discourage the growing practice of using plastic covers on books in schools and educational institutions as part of broader environmental protection efforts.
Under the law, authorized officers of the Islamabad administration will have the power to conduct on-site inspections, confiscate prohibited material, and impose fines on violators.
However, biodegradable materials, hardback covers, and protective covers for rare books have been exempted from the ban.
The bill had already been approved by the Senate and was presented in the National Assembly by Syed Naveed Qamar of the Pakistan Peoples Party.