Encroachments in Islamabad’s Sector G-8 have reached alarming proportions, turning once orderly streets into congested corridors of chaos. Despite repeated complaints from residents, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) appear to be doing little beyond issuing hollow statements and conducting superficial operations that fail to address the root of the problem.
Over the past several years, open spaces, service roads, and even footpaths in G-8 Markaz and surrounding areas have been overtaken by car showrooms, workshops, and informal businesses. What was originally planned as a commercial and residential hub has now become a sprawling encroachment zone, where every inch of public space seems to have been commercialized.
The most glaring violations are visible outside car showrooms that have virtually taken over service roads and footpaths, using them as parking lots and display areas for their vehicles. In some stretches, particularly in G-8 Markaz and G-8/4, pedestrians are forced to walk on the roads as sidewalks are completely blocked by cars. Residents complain that the CDA enforcement teams turn a blind eye to these blatant encroachments, allowing businesses to operate freely in violation of municipal by-laws.
“The situation has become unbearable,” said a resident of G-8. “We cannot even park our own cars near our homes because showrooms and workshops occupy every available space. The CDA only wakes up when media highlights the issue, and even then, they just remove a few temporary setups and leave the main violators untouched.”
The Islamabad Traffic Police, too, have been criticized for what locals describe as “lip service” and “cosmetic actions.” Despite visible traffic chaos in and around the Markaz, ITP’s response has been limited to placing cones or posting officers for a few hours. Vehicles parked illegally on footpaths, greenbelts, and double lanes remain unchecked.
Traffic congestion during peak hours has become routine, particularly around the main commercial areas and near the G-8/4 government offices such as AGPR, PEMRA, PTCL, POST OFFICE etc. Commuters often find themselves trapped in long lines of traffic, made worse by haphazard parking and unauthorized roadside businesses. “Every other day there’s a traffic jam here. Instead of clearing the encroachments, the authorities just fine a few drivers and move on,” complained a shopkeeper.
Urban planners and civic activists say the unchecked encroachments reflect a deeper governance failure. “The CDA’s enforcement wing is either under pressure from commercial interests or simply lacks the will to act. This kind of neglect not only ruins the city’s aesthetics but also discourages law-abiding citizens,” remarked a former CDA official on condition of anonymity.
Residents have demanded immediate and meaningful action not just symbolic drives to reclaim public spaces. They are calling for strict enforcement of building and parking regulations, removal of illegal car showrooms, and continuous monitoring to prevent re-encroachment.
Until such measures are taken, Sector G-8 risks losing its planned urban character altogether, turning instead into another congested and unlivable commercial sprawl — a symbol of administrative apathy in the heart of the federal capital.
