Peshawar
As Pakistan’s population crosses the symbolic threshold of 240 million, the pressure of rapid urbanization is becoming increasingly visible in the crowded streets, strained infrastructure, and deteriorating civic amenities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa especially in its provincial capital, Peshawar.
From congested roads and shrinking green spaces to contaminated drinking water and overburdened hospitals, the walled city that once known a city of flowers is struggling to cope with an ever-growing influx of migrants seeking jobs, health, energy, education, and better living standards.
For many residents of Peshawar, the consequences of unchecked urban expansion are now part of daily life, making negative effects on various sectors including schools and hospitals being overburdened.
In the narrow lanes of Kohati, Gunj, Hashtnagri, Faqirabad and Lateefabad, overflowing drains emit a pungent odor while broken pipelines leak contaminated water into the streets.
Residents complained that poor sanitation and inadequate municipal services have exposed entire neighborhoods to serious health risks.
“The smell from uncovered drains becomes unbearable during summer,” said Harron Khan, a resident of Peshawar. “Children are exposed to falling ill because of unsafe water and poor sanitation. We feel abandoned.”
The grim situation reflects a broader urban crisis unfolding across KP where rapid population growth, unemployment, poverty, and weak urban planning have combined to overstretch public resources.
Experts said the unchecked mushrooming of housing colonies on agricultural land around Peshawar has further complicated the problem.
Many of these settlements lack proper sewerage systems, clean water supply, waste disposal mechanisms, and road infrastructure.
“We migrated to Peshawar for better future of our children,” said Samad Khan, a resident of Hayatabad.
He said that migration of people other cities Peshawar increased, exerting extrapresure on civic resources. The population of Peshawar has increased with each passing years while basic facilities are squeezing, enhancing masses problems.
According to Professor Dr Naeem Khan of Economics Department at University of Peshawar, unmanaged urbanization has placed immense pressure on housing, schools, hospitals, and sanitation systems and called for KP Govt attention.
“Urban migration to Peshawar has accelerated sharply over the decades, making it congested,” he said. “Cities are expanding faster than the institutions responsible for managing them.”
He warned that if urban planning remains weak, the burden on civic services would intensify in coming years.
He noted that nearly 55 percent of Pakistan’s population is expected to live in urban areas within the next 15 years, requiring thousands of additional housing units and major investment in infrastructure.
The environmental cost of urban expansion is also becoming harder to ignore.
At Jinnah Park, haze from vehicular emissions and industrial pollution often hangs visibly in the air. Residents blame increasing traffic congestion, unchecked construction, and loss of green belts for deteriorating air quality.
Sahibzada Hamza Khan, PMLN Nowshera President criticized what he described as poor urban planning and inadequate implementation of development projects in Peshawar.
“The city’s traffic system has become chaotic due to ill planned BRT corridor,” he said, adding that shortages of parking spaces, poor drainage, and lack of clean drinking water continue to trouble residents in city areas of the Peshawar with a documented history of nearly 3000 yesrs.
The Bus Rapid Transit system, once envisioned as a solution to traffic congestion, remains controversial among many citizens who complain of bottlenecks and disrupted mobility in several parts of the city.
Yet officials argued that the challenges cannot be blamed on civic agencies alone.
Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar spokesman said that sanitation services are increasingly strained due to illegal construction and unplanned urban growth.
“Keeping cities clean is a shared responsibility,” he said. “Rapid urbanization and population growth have overburdened existing systems.”
Despite the challenges, authorities pointed to several initiatives aimed at improving urban living conditions. Under Municipal Services Project he said thousands of meters of old water pipelines were replaced, drainage systems rehabilitated, and solid waste management services expanded across Peshawar.
Officials said the project improved access to clean drinking water and sanitation for nearly two million residents.
Environmental restoration efforts are also underway. Saplings have been planted in Peshawar and Malakand under afforestation campaigns aimed at combating rising air pollution and climate stress.
However, urban planners believed isolated projects alone cannot resolve the crisis unless accompanied by stronger institutions, stricter regulation, and long-term planning.
They stressed the need for better enforcement against illegal housing schemes, expansion of public transport networks, protection of green spaces, and greater public awareness regarding waste management and resource conservation.
For ordinary residents, the issue goes beyond policy debates and needs urgent attention of KP Govt.
As evening falls in the old city and traffic crawls through overcrowded roads of Peshawar, many families continue to navigate daily struggles for clean water, breathable air, and basic public services, reminding that urban growth without planning may come at a cost too high for citizens to bear.
