Is Rawal Lake the Next Suo Moto Case?

Asif Mehmood
Islamabad: The sewage from many government buildings located in the red zone of Islamabad is being dumped into Rawal Lake, the same lake that supplies water to the homes of citizens in Rawalpindi.
But do the residents of Islamabad, often called “the beautiful,” know where the waste from the Supreme Court, Parliament House, President’s House, Prime Minister’s House, Pakistan Secretariat, Quaid-e-Azam University, and Diplomatic Enclave ends up?
The Supreme Court has 17 judges and a staff of 507. The Supreme Court Bar is also housed in the same building, bringing in numerous lawyers and visitors daily. With such a large number of people, there are, naturally, many washrooms. The sewage generated by this workforce flows directly into Rawal Lake.
Next to the Supreme Court is the Parliament House, where a large number of representatives gather to discuss and pass legislation. The Senate comprises 100 legislators, and the National Assembly has 342, with additional staff, security personnel, and hundreds of guests. The sewage from these legislative bodies also flows directly into Rawal Lake.
Adjacent to the Parliament House is the Presidency, the residence of the Head of State. This complex is like a mini-city, with an army of employees. All sewage from the President’s House and offices flows directly into Rawal Lake.
Then there is the Pakistan Secretariat, a hub of bureaucratic activity, housing various ministries. Thousands of people work here, and all the sewage, complete with its pollutants, is discharged directly into Rawal Lake.
On the other side of the Supreme Court lies the office of the Prime Minister, a majestic building reminiscent of a Mughal fort. The sewage from this centre of public power also flows directly into Rawal Lake.
Next is the Diplomatic Enclave, home to diplomats of every nationality, race, and colour. The sewage from this enclave, too, flows straight into Rawal Lake.
You might be wondering what it means for sewage to “go straight to Rawal Lake.” In more developed societies, if sewage must be released into a water body, it first passes through a treatment plant to remove impurities. However, the elite in Pakistan seem exempt from this basic environmental responsibility. They discharge their waste directly into the lake without any treatment.
This untreated sewage-laden water is then supplied to the homes of Rawalpindi’s citizens as part of their water supply, ensuring that even if the benefits of law, democracy, bureaucracy, and international relations do not reach the people, at least their sewage does.
Do the citizens of Islamabad know the name of the stream into which all this sewage flows before reaching Rawal Lake? It is called ‘Jinnah Stream,’ named after the Father of the Nation, which our elites have turned into a filthy sewer.
The sewage from Bani Gala, Bara Kahu, Quaid-e-Azam University, and Bari Imam also flows directly into Rawal Lake. Numerous hotels around the lake contribute their sewage directly into the lake as well. Due to the short distance, all this waste enters the lake almost undiluted.
I have a long-standing connection with Rawal Lake, the Margalla Hills, and the monsoon rains. There has never been a time over the years when I have not gone to watch the rain fall on the lake. This morning was no different. It was raining, and while the city slept, I went to the lake.
The lake was swollen, full to the brim, but its banks were covered in filth. The rainwater had brought all the lake’s waste to the surface, piling it on the banks for all to see and be ashamed. The stench was overwhelming, and I felt nauseous. I quickly left.
Twelve streams flow from the Margalla forest into Islamabad. The water in these streams is clear within the forest. However, as they enter the city, sewage is discharged into them. There is scarcely a society or sector in Islamabad that treats its sewage before releasing it into these streams.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has not installed a sewage treatment plant, resulting in rivers filled with waste.
There was a time when, on full moon nights, we would sit in a boat with Uncle Bashir Malah, enjoying Gorakh paan coffee and listening to tales of the Margalla Hills. The lake’s water sparkled like pearls, and the moon would sink into the water, much like someone falling in love for the first time.
But everything has changed now. The waters of the lake have become foul. Flowers no longer bloom on its banks, and dead fish float on the surface.
I wonder to whom I should convey the grief of the forest and the lake. In the case of Dewar Griya, the Supreme Court seemed to have been a beacon of hope.
The question of a suo moto action floats on the waters of Rawal Lake. If there can be suo motos for Atiqa Odho’s purse, for lesser meat in Chapli Kebabs, and even for the price of samosas, then why not for the lake? Is this not an issue of public interest?
The write up by Asif Mahmood has been published on Independent Urdu on 22nd August, 2024, and it is reproduced by the PenPK.com in English.