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More than 240 buildings in Rawalpindi are unsafe to use.
BY Mahnoor | 09-06-2026
RAWALPINDI: The first heavy rains of the season have forced local officials and the education department to take urgent action. They are addressing hundreds of old, broken, and unsafe buildings throughout the Rawalpindi district.
After the heavy rain, local authorities in Rawalpindi ordered people to leave 241 unsafe buildings immediately, as these structures might collapse during the rainy season.
At the same time, the Education Department has closed off unsafe classrooms and school buildings in both public and private schools that have damage, leaking roofs, or cracks.
This move also highlights that promised money for repairing and rebuilding dangerous school buildings has not yet been provided.
Even though plans were announced over a year ago, little real work has been done before the end of this financial year.
Many of the buildings at risk are in crowded parts of Rawalpindi, such as Bohar Bazaar, Bhabra Bazaar, Mohalla Shah Chan Chiragh, Jamia Masjid Road, Sarafa Bazaar, Pull Shah Nazar, Bagh Sardaran, Mohalla Niarian, Jhangi Mohalla, Chitian Hattian, Landa Bazaar, Madanpura, Kartarpura, Mughal Sarai, Moti Bazaar, Committee Mohalla, and the areas around Lal Haveli.
Officials say most of these three-story buildings are 100 to 140 years old. Before the Partition, they belonged to Hindu and Sikh families.
After Pakistan was created, Muslim families moved in. About 45 percent of these buildings are managed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).
Many renters live in these buildings under old contracts from the 1950s and 1960s, paying monthly rents between Rs4,000 and Rs10,000.
Similar situations occur in many business areas, especially in Mughal Sarai Market, where many old shops are also considered unsafe to use.
People living in these buildings say they leak when it rains and shake during earthquakes. However, many refuse to move because they are afraid of losing their cheap rent and cannot find other affordable homes.
Critics say that local officials often issue evacuation warnings during the rainy season but do not actually force anyone to leave. They argue that authorities only act after an accident happens, then use their old warnings as an excuse.
Abid Ali, a tenant in Chitian Hattian, said that last year’s notices are already being contested in court and the case is still ongoing. He argued that authorities should not issue new notices for the same issue while a court is still deciding the matter.
However, an ETPB spokesperson said the new notices will be enforced. They warned that if tenants do not leave these dangerous buildings and an accident happens, they could face criminal charges and police reports (FIRs).
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