The municipal authorities in Pakistan collect waste from only 11 per cent of households across the country, according to a survey report released by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) for 2024–25.
The report said that the waste collection rate, which stood at 20 per cent in 2018–19, has declined to 11 per cent. The absence of local governments has had an adverse effect on sanitation systems. Article 9A of the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to a clean and healthy environment.
The survey said that at least 75 per cent waste collection is required to ensure acceptable sanitation standards in urban areas. Sindh remains at the top in municipal waste collection, but its rate has dropped from 28 per cent to 16 per cent. In Punjab, municipal waste collection services reach only 12 per cent of households.
According to Fafen, the previous survey showed that 20 per cent of households in Punjab had access to municipal waste services. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, only 6 per cent of households receive municipal waste collection. The situation in Balochistan is described as alarming, with municipal authorities collecting waste from just 1 per cent of households.
