The rural areas of Islamabad, particularly Bhara Kahu, are facing a severe waste management crisis as the absence of a garbage collection system forces residents to dump waste on roadsides and vacant plots. Despite being just a few kilometers from the Prime Minister House and the Presidency, Bhara Kahu paints a picture of administrative neglect, with heaps of rotting garbage lining Murree Road and open spaces.

Residents say their repeated appeals for help have fallen on deaf ears.“We are helpless,” said Ahmed Usman, a resident of MadinaTown, while discarding household waste along the main road. “Whenever we approach the CDA, they direct us to the ICT administration, which claims it lacks funds.” The federal capital consists of 50 union councils, out of which 32 lie in rural zones.

However, there is no designated landfill site or solid waste collection service for these areas. The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration is tasked with overseeing rural civic matters, but without the formation of the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC), much-needed governance remains stalled. Citizens lament that even basic services like waste collection are missing, with no end in sight.

The growing population in rural sectors has worsened the situation, and once-empty plots are now filled with uncollected garbage. “Earlier, we had vacant land to throw trash, but now even that’s gone. We’re forced to dump it along Murree Road,” said another local resident. He added that Islamabad’s administrators should take inspiration from the “Suthra Punjab” initiative, which has improved cleanliness in many parts of Punjab. 

Chest specialist Dr. Qaiser Abbasi warned of serious health hazards stemming from the unchecked garbage buildup. “Residents are suffering from respiratory illnesses due to the stench and air pollution,” he said, adding that open dumping severely affects both air and water quality. 

According to detail currently, CDA collects waste from urban areas—around 9,000 metric tons daily—but disposes of it openly in Sector I-12, as no sanitary landfill site has been designated.  Health Experts and citizens alike are calling for the urgent implementation of an integrated solid waste management system across the capital, including its rural sectors.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)