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By Shahnawaz Jilani
ISLAMABAD, Jul 1 (APP)::As Pakistan’s cities grow, so does the stark divide between the elite and the urban poor. Behind the façade of development lies deepening inequality, where privilege thrives in gated enclaves and millions endure crumbling settlements, battling daily for basic rights, dignity, and survival.
According to a 2024 study by Zara Husnain, a Pakistani sociologist, urbanization has deepened social stratification in mega cities. “Urban growth has created new economic opportunities,” the author writes, “but has simultaneously intensified disparities in access to essential services, further cementing class divisions.”
The divide stems from both historical and systemic issues. Cities have expanded without inclusive planning, while profit-driven real estate has pushed the poor to the margins, socially and spatially. At the same time, the relevant authorities’ failure to provide affordable housing has left a gap that private developers have rushed to fill.
Government policies often reflect elite priorities, with projects like Lahore’s Orange Line displacing poor communities and Islamabad’s zoning laws favoring the regularization of upscale housing societies while evicting low-income settlements.
The key stakeholders in Pakistan’s urban inequality include the elite, who benefit from exclusive access to high-quality infrastructure, private education, and healthcare, and whose real estate investments drive up property values, further marginalizing the poor. The urban poor, comprising daily-wage laborers, street vendors, and domestic workers contribute significantly to the economy but remain excluded from its benefits, often confined to underserved informal settlements. State and city planners, while central to shaping urban development, frequently align with elite interests, prioritizing aesthetics and commercial gains over inclusive growth.
Residents of slums like Islamabad’s F-12 Sector describe being unrecognized by state institutions. “We’re not asking for luxuries, we just want that our basic rights should be fulfilled by the state,” says Sabir, a resident. Even the people living in well developed areas can feel the difference, Inayah, a resident of posh area in Islamabad when asked about urban divide responded, “many people do not have access to basic facilities such as quality education, portable water and reliable healthcare services while living within a major city – the country’s capital. It feels extremely unfair and unjust that I should have access to an Air conditioner or a fan or proper food and dignified living area whereas just 5 minutes away from me there are people living in slums without proper electricity or clean water in this heat. I volunteered to teach some children in such areas, and the divide was noticeably huge as the areas we visited were unclean and devoid of basic facilities” she remarked.
Youth in the neglected areas express growing disillusionment. Social media and mass exposure to elite lifestyles have made economic gaps more visible. “We see the malls and the cars, but we’re stuck in sewage and unemployment,” Muhammad Usman, a young food delivery boy in Islamabad said when asked about urban divide.
This emotional and economic disparity is fueling alienation and, increasingly, political unrest. Experts warn that such class-based resentment, if left unaddressed, could destabilize urban peace. “Urban inequality is no longer just an economic issue,” Shehzad, a student of sociology from University of Agriculture Faisalabad argues. “It is a trigger for potential social unrest and long-term political polarization”.
Activists agree that addressing Pakistan’s urban inequality requires deliberate, equity-driven reforms focused on inclusive development. Central to this is the need for inclusive urban planning that promotes mixed-income housing, accessible public transport, and green spaces for all residents. Legal regulation of real estate is essential to curb land speculation that excludes the poor from affordable housing. Strengthening public services, particularly education and healthcare, can help level the playing field across socio-economic classes.
Equally crucial is empowering marginalized communities through inclusive decision-making and upgrading informal settlements instead of demolishing them. Without such reforms, Pakistan’s cities risk becoming arenas of class conflict rather than drivers of national progress.
The gleaming skyline of urban Pakistan hides a darker undercurrent of exclusion and inequality. Unless we build cities that work for everyone not just the wealthy few, the cracks in the foundation may become fissures. Reimagining our urban future is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.