Abstract
This study deals with land use land cover changes (LULC) in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, between 2018 and 2022. This study exploits satellite-based remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technology as tools to gain a deeper understanding of the complex LULC dynamics in the area in question and present an accurate picture of it over time. The findings are seen to be significant in many ways as these have major alterations in water bodies, tree covers, flooded areas, crops, built-ups, and rangelands. This also shows the continuous development of the city from an urbanization perspective. Very obvious are the noteworthy increase in built-up areas which suggest urbanization is an ongoing trend. Apart from this, the research proposes feasible strategies for sustainable urban development, conserving natural resources, smart growth, flood management, agricultural land conservation, public transportation improvements, green property projects, and policy integration. These data provide a key consideration in conversations on urban planning for the period 2023, ensuring that we build on a strong, evidence-based background for detailed, sustainable urban development in Islamabad and many other comparable rapidly growing urban settings around the world.