ISLAMABAD: Once imagined as a symbol of modern Islamabad, the G-6 flats now stand engulfed in neglect, broken promises and overflowing sewage.

In the heart of Islamabad’s Sector G-6, where concrete towers were once built with the dream of dignified living for government employees, silence now echoes through cracked walls and broken sewerage lines.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) constructed the flats near Aabpara Market and was to hand them over to the housing ministry for onward allotment to government officials. However, the terms and conditions with the housing ministry had not been finalised when the 2005 earthquake occurred. Subsequently, survivors and displaced persons were shifted to these flats.

During the Lal Masjid operation in 2007, police officials began living in the flats, and to this day, police personnel and many other government employees are reportedly residing there.

“What was envisioned during the second era of Nawaz Sharif in the 90s as a development milestone has today become a haunting picture of decay under the present administration,” said an official.

He added that 200 residential flats, completed by the CDA in 2003 as part of a redevelopment project approved by the Federal Cabinet in 1998, were meant to replace outdated government quarters and provide secure accommodation for employees.

Instead, the project now resembles a forgotten graveyard of governance, where leaking pipes reflect abandonment and broken infrastructure reflects bureaucratic failure, he said.

According to official sources, the flats were illegally occupied over the years, with a majority allegedly under the possession of police personnel. A joint survey by the CDA and the Estate Office revealed that out of 200 flats, most were occupied by Islamabad Police officials, while others were occupied by CDA employees, federal departments, and private individuals.

The present condition of the flats paints a disturbing picture. Sewerage lines are broken, electric and gas meters are missing in several units, and the once-promising residential blocks now resemble abandoned ruins. The structures still stand, but their purpose has been eroded by official indifference.

The matter has already reached the highest legal forums. The Islamabad High Court ruled against the illegal occupation of these flats, and appeals filed before the Supreme Court of Pakistan were also dismissed.

The court order stated, “In view of the above, all the captioned appeals are allowed and the impugned order dated 13-04-2011 is hereby set aside. The Inspector General of Police as well as the Secretary, Ministry of Interior, are directed to register criminal cases against all officials/employees of the Police Department who have illegally occupied the flats by force.

The court further directed the Inspector General of Police, Islamabad, to initiate departmental action against all occupants and submit a compliance report before the court within one month.

When contacted, CDA spokesperson Shahid Kiani said the authority would look into the matter. “We will decide this matter [illegal possession] in accordance with rules and regulations,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2026