annashay 
PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 20th Jul, 2025) Every morning before sunrise, Faraz Ali, a 28-year-old rickshaw driver from the outskirts of Peshawar, straps three empty plastic gallons to the back of his three-wheeler and begins a routine that has become all too common for many low-income families in most areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ie the search for clean drinking water.
“The water in our village became heavier and unfit for human consumption after the 2022 floods,” Faraz told APP, as he waited in line at a TMA (Tehsil Municipal Administration) filtration plant on the city’s edge.
“We were left with no choice. I can’t risk my children falling ill with waterborne diseases.”
For residents like Waheed, the struggle for basic necessities like clean water, reliable sanitation, and passable roads has only intensified in recent years. The 2022 floods, which devastated large swathes of KP, damaged already fragile civic infrastructure in peri-urban and rural areas. But even three years later, many of those systems remain in disrepair as victims not only of the disaster itself but of chronic neglect and unplanned urban expansion.
As Pakistan’s population reached the 250 million mark, urban centers are increasingly buckling under pressure.none more visibly than in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where unplanned expansion and surging migration are straining the very core of civic life.
The influx of people.driven by poverty, unemployment, and the hope of better living conditions.has created a daunting challenge for urban resources.
With the provincial capital Peshawar at the epicenter, the demands on housing, sanitation, education, healthcare, and transportation have reached critical levels.
The provincial capital’s woes have been amplified by years of underwhelming urban policy. Experts point to the lack of foresight by successive governments, particularly under PTI, in addressing basic urban needs. Unplanned housing colonies many built over agricultural land have not only wiped out green belts but also expanded the city’s footprint in unsustainable ways.
Dr. Naeem Khattak, former Chairman of the Economics Department at the University of Peshawar, explained the scale of the problem and said that from 1951 to 2017, nearly 14.5 million people migrated from villages to cities. This translates to a yearly influx of around 750,000 people, significantly overburdening essential services.
He cited official figures revealing over 104 illegal housing schemes currently operating in Peshawar alone, cheating residents of their savings and further distorting urban planning.
The lived experience of residents speaks volumes. A walk through the inner neighborhoods of Kohati, Gunj, Khalasa, Hazarkhwani, and Faqirabad reveals uncovered drains, overflowing garbage, and foul-smelling water.
“Leaking water pipes and open drains make it impossible to breathe in some areas,” said Ali Khan a resident of Kohati gate Peshawar.
“The contaminated water are exposing people to fatal diseases such as hepatitis, cholera, and even polio” he said.
The health implications of failing infrastructure are stark. According to a 2024 report by KP’s Health Department, over 70% of water samples collected from informal settlements were contaminated with bacteria or heavy metals. Cases of diarrhea, hepatitis A, and skin infections have increased in these areas — particularly among children.
Dr. Riaz Khan a public health expert warns that the situation could spiral into a full-blown health crisis if immediate action is not taken. “Access to clean water is not a luxury; it’s a basic human right. We are creating long-term public health liabilities by ignoring these communities,” she said.
Limited public spaces further deteriorate the urban experience.
Historic sites like Wazir Bagh and Shalimar Gardens are now overrun by encroachments. Rickshaws, lacking regulation, clog narrow lanes are making routine movement unbearable.
KP’s urban areas, especially Peshawar, Mardan, Swat, and Abbottabad, have seen an unprecedented influx of people over the past decade both from within the province and due to internal displacement caused by natural disasters and regional conflicts.
Urban planners say this influx has outpaced the government’s ability to provide basic amenities.
“Unplanned settlements are popping up faster than civic bodies can respond,” said Dr Shafiqur Rehman, a former Chairman Environmental Science Department and development researcher at the University of Peshawar.
“These areas often lack legal status, making it difficult to extend official services like water pipelines, sewage systems, or garbage collection.”
According to KP’s Urban Policy Unit, the urban population in the province has grown by more than 40% in the past 15 years. However, investment in public services has not kept pace. In Peshawar alone, dozens of low-income neighborhoods are entirely dependent on private water tankers or nearby filtration plants, many of which are overstretched.
The Water and Sanitation Services Company (WSSC) sources admitted the sanitation challenges, especially in informal settlements.
“Unplanned construction and the lack of cooperation from residents are overwhelming us,” the WSSP officials stated. “Keeping cities clean isn’t just our job it requires civic responsibility.”
Still, some efforts have borne fruit. A $44.6 million USAID-backed Municipal Services Program has helped restore water and sanitation for nearly 2 million residents.
It included replacing 25,700 meters of rusted pipelines, rehabilitating sewerage in 21 union councils, and upgrading solid waste disposal systems with 575 new vehicles.
Urban sprawl has not ust stressed human services but it is also harming the environment. Air pollution in Peshawar is now visible to the naked eye and traffic jams was almost a routine matter due to I’ll planned BRT Corridor.
“Peshawar’s green belts were bulldozed for the ill-planned BRT corridor. The project not only created a traffic nightmare but also failed to incorporate any environmental safeguards,” Hamza Khan, PMLN KP Nowshera President said claimed.
He said brick kilns and marble factories continue to operate on the city’s outskirts, contributing to smog and particulate pollution.
With KP’s urban population expected to reach 55% of the total within 15 years, experts warn of an even bleaker scenario unless major reforms are enacted.
“We are short of 2.5 million housing units in KP alone,” Dr. Naeem Khattak emphasized. “Pakistan needs to build 1.1 million houses annually to keep up with demand.”
Hamaza criticized past PTI government pledges, highlighting unmet commitments such as a unified education system, 5 million houses, and 350 mini dams all of which remain incomplete.
Experts underline that beyond government action, a cultural shift is necessary. They call upon media, religious leaders, and politicians to educate the public on civic responsibility, resource conservation, and the dangers of unchecked urban growth.
“We need legal, technical, and regulatory reforms,” said Dr. Naeem. “But we also need to build a culture that respects the city as a shared home.”
Until then, the dilemma of urbanization in KP exemplified most acutely in Peshawar will continue to challenge the province’s development, its environment, and the wellbeing of its people.
APP/fam
