Summary Pakistan’s National Assembly approved a law banning plastic covers on books in Islamabad, imposing fines up to Rs100,000 to discourage environmentally harmful practices in schools.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan’s National Assembly of Pakistan has passed the “Islamabad Capital Territory (Prohibition of Plastic Covers on Books) Act 2026,” banning the use of plastic covers on books within the federal capital.
Under the law, booksellers and distributors in Islamabad will not be allowed to sell or supply books with plastic covers. Violators may face fines of up to Rs50,000 for a first offence, increasing to Rs100,000 for repeated violations.
The bill aims to eliminate the widespread practice of covering schoolbooks with plastic, a habit long associated with environmental harm due to non-biodegradable waste.
Authorities in the Islamabad administration have been empowered to conduct on-the-spot inspections, confiscate materials and impose fines. However, certain exemptions have been included, such as biodegradable materials, hardback covers and protective covers for rare books.
The bill had already been approved by the Senate before being presented in the National Assembly by Syed Naveed Qamar.
