In the rush toward urbanization and modern development, Pakistan is quietly witnessing the disappearance of one of its most fundamental social assets, the public space. Parks, libraries, footpaths, playgrounds, community centres, and even informal gathering spots are shrinking or being repurposed, often without notice. While development projects may boast flyovers, gated housing societies, and shopping malls, they frequently overlook the role of open, shared spaces in nurturing a cohesive, healthy, and inclusive society. This silent erosion carries deep implications for Pakistan’s urban and social future.
Technology offers limited solace. While digital platforms have expanded our ability to connect, they have also deepened social divides, amplified misinformation, and fuelled polarization. Unlike the curated and often isolating world of social media, physical public spaces offer something irreplaceable empathy, spontaneity, and meaningful dialogue. In real-world encounters, beyond filtered feeds and identity bubbles, there is room for nuance, understanding, and genuine community, qualities essential to a vibrant democracy.
Cities are being built upwards and inwards, with a focus on profit over people. The result is isolation, alienation, and a fraying of the social fabric.
In cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad, concrete expansion has taken precedence over green and open areas. Land that once housed parks or walking tracks is now prime real estate for commercial plazas and private residential colonies. In many cases, government institutions themselves auction off public land to generate short-term revenue, despite the long-term social cost. As the pressure of a growing population mounts, urban areas swell and migration continues, public infrastructure has failed to expand proportionately. The result is cities that are denser, more exclusive, and far less accommodating to the needs of ordinary citizens, particularly children, the elderly, and the poor.
Public space is not just about physical emptiness, it is the foundation for social life. It provides room for recreation, dialogue, protest, art, and community interaction. In Pakistan, where political participation is low, civic trust is fragile, and social stratification is deep, shared spaces are essential for building a sense of belonging. Parks and squares can serve as equalizers, where class and background blur in the face of shared leisure or activity. Yet today, even middle-class neighbourhoods struggle to access clean, secure, and inclusive spaces for community engagement. Many parks are fenced, poorly maintained, or outright occupied by encroachers or government departments. Children have fewer grounds to play on, and young people, especially women, feel unsafe in public areas that lack lighting, policing, or welcoming design.
Women in particular are disproportionately affected by the decline of public space. Cultural constraints, combined with security concerns, already limit their mobility. Without public areas that are safe, accessible, and designed with inclusivity in mind, women are often excluded from the social life of the city. The lack of transport options, toilets, benches, and child-friendly features means many women simply do not go out unless necessary. This exclusion isn’t just spatial, it is social and economic, limiting their visibility, voice, and contribution.
The situation is more dire in smaller cities and rural areas, where development planning is minimal and often driven by commercial interests or political patronage. A local playground may be turned into a parking lot, a community centre may become a storage facility for a government department, or a footpath may be blocked by illegal construction. Once these spaces disappear, they rarely return. The legal framework for protecting public assets exists but is rarely enforced. Municipal institutions are underfunded, under-resourced, and often overruled by powerful land mafias or political actors. Accountability mechanisms are weak, and civic engagement is rarely part of the decision-making process.
In a country where mental health is a growing crisis, and where stressors like inflation, unemployment, and insecurity weigh heavily on daily life, access to open and green spaces is more than a luxury, it is a necessity. Studies worldwide show that public parks reduce stress, improve mental health, and foster social cohesion. In Pakistan, however, such findings are rarely translated into policy. Instead, cities are being built upwards and inwards, with a focus on profit over people. The result is isolation, alienation, and a fraying of the social fabric.
Thankfully, some signs of civic engagement are emerging. In cities across Pakistan, citizens have taken small yet meaningful steps to reclaim public spaces. Initiatives like park clean-up drives, heritage walks, urban gardening, and pedestrian-friendly events have been led by NGOs, student groups, and concerned residents. However, these efforts remain limited in scope, sporadic and largely symbolic, lacking the institutional support necessary to create lasting change.
This challenge must be taken seriously by policymakers, not as a question of urban beautification or elite leisure, but as a developmental imperative. Public spaces are not luxuries; they are public goods. Urban planning must mandate their preservation as a legal and ethical responsibility. Parks must be protected, upgraded, and made accessible to all, especially to women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Community input should guide planning processes, and local governments must be empowered to maintain and innovate. Legal frameworks need to be strengthened to curb land grabbing, and transparency must be the bedrock of urban development. Ultimately, the crisis of public space is about more than land, it’s about the kind of society we aspire to build. Reclaiming public space is not a retreat into nostalgia. It is a bold step toward a more inclusive, connected, and democratic future.
The writer is PhD in Political Science and visiting faculty at QAU Islamabad. His area of specialization is political development and social change. He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar @yahoo.com and tweet@zafarkhansafdar.