The Two Biggest Complaints (Late-2025 → Early-2026)
Top 1: Uncontrolled Urbanization
-
Green belts lost to sprawl
-
Utilities stretched beyond capacity
-
Weak master-plan enforcement
Top 2: Traffic & Mobility Breakdown
-
Daily congestion normalized
-
Parking chaos in commercial hubs
-
Insufficient mass transit and walkability
(Environmental loss closely follows as a third, interconnected concern.)
What Can Still Be Done (Actionable, Non-Partisan)
Traffic gridlock has emerged as the leading business headache in Islamabad, cited by 40% of respondents. Close behind are water shortages and sewage problems at 38%, while roughly one in three businesses (34%) point to frequent power outages or inadequate street lighting as a major concern.
-
Freeze sprawl approvals; audit housing schemes against the master plan.
-
Transit-first investment (BRT expansion, feeder buses, safe sidewalks).
-
Net-gain forestry with public NDVI reporting; protect hills and buffers.
-
Affordable housing quotas near job centers to reduce commute loads.
-
Transparent CDA dashboards for permits, tree counts, and water quality.
-
Civic participation—resident hearings before major land-use changes.
