A recent survey by the Federal Annual Finance and Planning Network (FAFN) has revealed that municipal authorities in Pakistan collect garbage from only 11 percent of households, highlighting a sharp decline in public sanitation services over recent years.
According to the survey report for 2024-25, the municipal waste collection rate has dropped from 20 percent in 2018-19 to just 11 percent. Analysts said the absence of effective local governments has negatively impacted the country’s sanitation systems. The report also pointed out that Article 9A of the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to a clean and healthy environment.
The survey notes that to ensure standard urban sanitation, at least 75 percent of household waste needs to be regularly collected. In provincial comparisons, Sindh’s municipal authorities, though previously leading in waste collection, have seen the coverage drop from 28 percent to 16 percent. In Punjab, municipal waste collection services reach only 12 percent of households, down from 20 percent in the previous survey.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shows even lower coverage, with only 6 percent of households receiving municipal garbage collection, while in Balochistan the situation is critical, with just 1 percent of households served.
The report underscores the urgent need for strengthening local governance and improving sanitation infrastructure to provide citizens with their constitutional right to a clean and healthy living environment.
