Population explosion threatening capital

As Islamabad is facing civic and security problems, a rapid increase in population of the federal capital seems to be the prime reason for non-provision of civic facilities and the rising street crime in the federal capital.

Though many campaigns have been launched by the government and NGOs to create awareness of the effects of the increasing birth rate, the situation in the case of Islamabad is different because a large number of people from the Punjab and the other parts of the country have been migrating here for several years in search of jobs, which is the main cause of surge in its population.The housing survey 2011-12, conducted by the Census Department in collaboration with the Directorate of Education and the local administration, estimated the capital’s current population at 1.7 million, whereas the population was 0.8 million according to the 1998 census. Talking to Pakistan Today, Dr Tauseef Ahmed, project director of Pathfinder Organisation that is working to control population, said the increasing population in the federal capital was creating problems in the city. He observed that besides many civic and security issues, the surge in population had also decreased the literacy rate of Islamabad. “Kachi abadis are also playing a major role in the surge of the population of the capital. Poor people from across the country come to Islamabad in search of jobs as they can find work here for high wages compared to other cities,” Tauseef said, adding that immediate steps were needed to halt the influx of people in Islamabad to save the city from further chaos.
However, according to the recent survey conducted by the Census Department, the number of houses has increased sharply in the federal capital. In some areas, 100 percent rise has been registered. “There has been a significant increase in the number of houses in developed residential sectors like F-6, F-7, F-8, G-6, G-7, G-8, and G-9. But 100 percent increase has been witnessed seen in localities in the outskirts of the capital like Bhara Kahu, Banigala, Tarnol, Golra and sectors I-11, G-11, G-12, F-12 and H-13,” the survey revealed.