EVERY morning for the last four years, my daily commute has taken me through a bus stand in Wah Cantt. When I first started this routine, I used to see one or two people sleeping on the benches or on the cold ground. Today, that number has grown to five or six people every single day. This sight is a small, but painful reflection of a much larger crisis. Based on the 2023 census data, roughly 0.10 per cent to 0.11pc of the population in urban and rural areas of Pakistan is classified as homeless. Punjab bears the heaviest burden of this crisis, accounting for over 44pc of the country’s homeless population.

The struggle to find a dignified shelter is tied directly to the rising cost of living. Currently, according to the World Bank, nearly 29pc of Pakistanis live below the poverty line. While poverty has always been high in rural areas, it is now rising rapidly in our cities. Even though wages have gone up slightly, they cannot keep up with the spike in inflation. This has pushed many vulnerable households out of their rented houses and onto the streets.

The safety nets that used to exist are also disappearing. A few years ago, more than 170 shelter homes were built across Punjab to help the displaced. However, most of these are no longer functional.

Today, major cities like Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Multan only have one functional shelter home each. It is no wonder that so many are forced to sleep at bus stops and under bridges.

The government has tried to help through housing schemes, but such programmes do not reach the people who need them the most. Such schemes are run through commercial banks that require salary slips and credit histories.

Most people living a life in poverty work in the informal economy as daily-wagers or street vendors. They do not have bank accounts or official documents. And, this makes them invisible to domestic system.

Even if they could apply, the costs are impossible. A basic apartment might require a monthly payment of Rs23,000, but a family living below the poverty line often earns less than Rs12,000 a month. People cannot pay an instalment that is double their total income.

Another major problem is where these houses are built. To save money, the government builds these projects on the distant outskirts of cities, far away from where the jobs are. The cost of travelling to work alone would be more than the money they may save on rent.

The government needs to change its approach. Instead of relying on banks and mortgages that the poor cannot access, it should provide direct grants or interest-free micro-loans. We need housing solutions that consider the actual income and location needs of the working poor.

Until we fix these mathematical and logical gaps in our housing policies, the number of people sleeping at our bus stops will continue to grow. It is time to build a system that offers a roof to everyone, not just those who have a bank account.

Saira Atique
Wah Cantt

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2026