The foundation stone of the project was laid by former President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on 7 April 2007.

[12] It was a project of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and designed by French company Aéroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi) and CPG Corporation of Singapore.

It is built on more than 3,200 acres of land and consists of a passenger terminal building, two runways, four taxiways, and apron and parking bays for wide-body aircraft.

[13] There is also a cargo terminal, air traffic control complex, and fuel farm, as well as a fire, crash, and rescue facility.

PCAA signed an agreement with the Louis Berger Group in the US in association with Pakistani consulting firm GT AASR, to undertake project management services.

On 8 July 2018, the first Airbus A380 landed in Islamabad, arriving as one-off Emirates flight EK-2524 from Dubai International Airport.

This move aims to boost government revenue and enhance facilities, offering improved services for international travelers.

[22] In October 2024 the government’s 15-year lease award for Islamabad International Airport has sparked controversy, with allegations of favoritism after one bidder was reportedly barred from participating.

[23] Islamabad International Airport has a 180,000m2 modular terminal building which is capable of handling 9 million passengers and 80,000 metric tons cargo per annum.

A metrobus rapid transit service, which commenced operations on 18 April 2022, connects the airport with Islamabad and Rawalpindi.