PESHAWAR: Legal experts and residents have filed a Public Interest Writ Petition before the Peshawar High Court (PHC) (Green Bench).
The petition raised the surge in rat infestations and bite incidents across the provincial capital. It highlights an escalating health crisis in several localities. These include Warsak Road, Charsadda Road, Bashirabad, and the FATA Secretariat Colony.
The petition was moved by Muhammad Furqan Qazi Advocate and Alishba Khan Advocate. Local residents Ubaidullah and Luqman Ud Din also joined the filing. Senior journalists Lehaz Ali and Fahad Shahzada are petitioners as well. They aim to represent affected citizens who cannot approach the court themselves.
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Senior Counsel Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel, Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan, appeared for the petitioners. He argued that the situation is now a “serious public health emergency.” He termed it a “continuing public nuisance” caused by poor sanitation and open drains. Broken sewerage lines and rampant garbage dumping have worsened the crisis. Authorities have failed to take any effective preventive measures.
The petition states that the infestation is widespread. Critical reports have emerged from Union Council Kamboh and Sarbuland Pura. Residents in these areas describe the rats as “unusually large.” These rodents remain uncontrolled despite the repeated use of medicines and poisons. This proves the complete failure of the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP).
The filing refers to national and international media reports. These documents show that hospitals, specifically Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), receive rat-bite victims regularly. The petitioners argued that the issue has persisted for years. However, the provincial government has launched no sustainable interventions.
The petition names several respondents. These include the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Health and Local Government Departments. The Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, WSSP, major hospitals, and the Cantonment Board Peshawar are also named. The court must take urgent notice to protect citizens from a looming biological health disaster.
Key Demands of the Petition
- Immediate Fumigation: The court should direct authorities to launch city-wide sanitation drives and chemical fumigation.
- Infrastructure Cleanup: The petition seeks the immediate removal of garbage. It also calls for the cleaning of all blocked sewerage lines and open drains.
- Medical Readiness: All government hospitals must provide tetanus injections. They must also ensure emergency treatment is available for all rat-bite victims
