Rawalpindi residents complain of poor sanitation during Eidul Azha despite claims by the RWMC, with many inner-city areas left unattended.
Despite assurances from the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC), sanitation conditions across much of the city remained subpar during the three-day celebration of Eidul Azha. While major commercial centers and affluent neighborhoods saw visible efforts like lime spreading and cleanliness drives, numerous densely populated inner-city areas faced severe sanitation issues.
In many localities, residents reported unattended animal waste, foul odors, and overflowing refuse. For instance, offal and sacrificial waste were left strewn across roads in several neighborhoods, sometimes occupying more than half the carriageway. Butchers and hide traders operated openly along roadside areas, exacerbating the problem by displaying and purchasing animal hides that occupied large sections of public roads.
The situation was particularly dire in Union Council 8's Fauji Colony, less than two furlongs from the residences of Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi and local MPA Ziaullah Shah. Residents alleged that no sanitation workers visited the area for the first two days of Eid, and neither sanitation supervisors nor elected representatives conducted inspections or provided support.
Citizens launched a social media campaign to highlight piles of waste and uncollected animal remains but reported their appeals went unanswered. Similar complaints were echoed in Dhok Khaba Road, Dhok Elahi Bakhsh, Javed Colony, Nadeem Colony, Arya Mohalla, Chah Sultan, Tamma Abad Road, Rawal Road, Jamia Masjid Road, Ghazni Road, Pirwadhai Road, Bagh Sardaran Road, Shakrial Road, Zia-ul-Haq Colony, Peoples Colony, Dhok Syedan, Church Road and Tenth Bhatta.
The RWMC designated the Committee Chowk Sunday Bazaar site as a central dumping point for sacrificial waste. However, with only four dumpers stationed at the site and each vehicle reportedly requiring three to four hours per round trip, waste accumulated rapidly, causing an overpowering stench. Residents near the facility claimed that many families were unable to sleep on the first night of Eid due to the foul smell.
In contrast, prominent areas such as Liaquat Bagh, Committee Chowk, Marrir Chowk, Gawalmandi Bridge, Iqbal Road, Raja Bazaar, City Saddar Road, Ganjmandi Road, Satellite Town, Commercial Market and Saddar Bazaar saw repeated lime spreading and cleaning operations. However, inner-city areas were largely ignored, with sanitation conditions remaining extremely poor.
Residents in several neighborhoods reported having to pay RWMC workers between Rs100 and Rs150 to remove sacrificial waste from outside their homes, and no disinfectant spraying was carried out in many affected areas. The overall lack of proper sanitation arrangements during Eidul Azha highlights the need for more comprehensive and equitable efforts by the RWMC to ensure cleanliness across all parts of Rawalpindi.
