Reviving Islamabad’s G-9 Flats with Startup Innovation

Startups here lies an opportunity hiding in plain sight. In the heart of Islamabad, government housing societies like the G-9 flats once built as model residences for federal employees now stand as symbols of decades of neglect. Crumbling walls, unsafe living conditions, and poor maintenance have turned them into challenges the government struggles to fix. But where the state has fallen short, innovation can step in. Through PropTech, CivicTech, and smart public–private partnerships, startups can pioneer technology-driven management systems, sustainable upgrades, and long-term maintenance models reimagining these neglected spaces as safer, healthier, and more livable communities.

Karachi Company was established in the mid 1970s, and was named after a Karachi based construction firm (hence its name) that constructed flats for federal government employees in G-9. Constructed in the late 1980s to accommodate the federal employees who served the state. The G-9 flats have never had proper renovations since then, leaving them to face decades of neglect eventually affecting the health and lives of people living there. Despite accommodating a huge majority of people, still the government has failed to renovate the area in almost the time period of 3 decades. Basic routine maintenance such as repainting, electrical upgrades, plumbing overhauls has been rare. Today, many residents describe them as “barely livable” despite their location in the heart of the capital. What was once a dream location for federal employees has now become one of the most neglected housing areas.

WHAT DECLINE LOOKS LIKE?

Buildings barely almost three decades old now, look as if they’ve stood for at least a Century. Here’s what you need to know.

STRUCTURAL DECAY

The weakening of buildings’ core parts due to poor maintenance, or environmental damage, making it unsafe to live over time. Walls split due to deep gaps that stretch from the ceilings to the floor. Big chunks of plaster have fallen off, leaving exposed bare concrete with rusty steel rods underneath, causing discomfort to the people living there.

WATER SEEPAGE

Leaks in the roofs and clogged balconies cause rainwater to seep into bedrooms and building walls. Over time this moisture gives a breeding ground to mold to grow which can cause a great harm to the health of the residents if inhaled for a long period of time. It weakens the walls, causing damage to the property, and creates health risks like asthma, while making living conditions stressful and uncomfortable.

ELECTRICAL HAZARDS

Due to water seepage and poor maintenance electrical sparks and short circuits are a great risk to the people living there. An overloaded circuit causes fire because when too much electricity flows through wires that aren’t built to handle it, the wires heat up and can cause a fire.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES?

EMOTIONAL STRESS

Many residents express feelings of abandonment, even after repeated complaints to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA), major repairs never take place. The repairs that could have been done 15 years ago for a much cheaper cost now require huge amounts of money due to the worsening of the conditions causing the authorities to hesitate to take any actions.   

People living there deal with these problems every single day, and in a world already full of challenges and hardships, the government’s neglect of these areas only makes life harder for them.

HEALTH RISKS

Mold, unsafe wiring, and crumbling plaster put families at constant risk. These factors cause some major health alerts among the families. Neglected housing isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s a health hazard. Damp walls and mold trigger asthma and allergies, poor ventilation and power cuts cause heat stress, and stagnant water attracts mosquitoes which can cause dengue and malaria. Falling plaster, unsafe wiring, and fire risks add to the danger. People live with constant worry that the building might fall down, which is a big addition to their stress and anxiety.

WHAT IS NEEDED?

Startups are needed to act more than “quick tech fixes” they need to work with CDA and Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) under Private-Public partnerships (PPP) by this, new ideas can be aligned with policy, making sure that housing solutions are not only implemented but frequently monitored, maintained, and expanded creating sustainable improvements rather than short lived interventions.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Pakistan has a growing ecosystem of startups that provide logical solutions of challenges to the government. 

1. PropTech for Efficient Management 

PropTech can transform the idea of how the government flats in Pakistan are renovated and maintained. A digital record and track of all the buildings and the solution to the problems in one place can be maintained. It can create smart plans for renovations and repairs. It also lets residents share their feedback and opinions and can see what’s being done, making the whole process open and transparent.

It can help by creating digital records of the buildings and the places that need to be repaired. Use drones, sensors, and 3D scans to detect cracks, water leaks, and electrical risks in their early stages before the condition gets worse, for example Graana.

2. Graana

Companies like Graana can help restore the G-9 flats by using PropTech to assess conditions, plan renovations, by using digital tools such as drone sensing, 3D scans, and surveys, that can provide a transparent assessment of the current condition of the buildings and can highlight the areas most in need of urgent repair. Through public–private partnerships, digital reporting for residents, and sustainable upgrades like solar and drainage solutions, Graana can bridge authorities, investors, and communities to transform unsafe, neglected housing and improve their conditions and convert them into livable homes.

3. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)

Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) can play a very important role in renewing neglected housing like the G-9 flats. With the government providing land rights and oversight, private companies can bring in funding, technology, and expertise for renovations. Instead of one time renovation PPPs can set up long-term maintenance contracts where private firms keep the flats in livable condition. This collaboration ensures accountability, reduces delays, and creates long-term maintenance solutions, ultimately improving residents’ living conditions. 

4. CivicTech (Civic Technology)

CivicTech provides tools and platforms that connect people with public services, give them a voice, and a platform where they can make governments more accountable. In terms of housing it means apps or digital systems where residents can directly report problems (like broken lights, water leaks, unsafe wiring) and track either they’re fixed or not.

Code for Pakistan (CfP)

Code for Pakistan is one of the leading civic tech groups that connects citizens with the government. Through Civic Innovation Labs in Islamabad, Karachi, and Peshawar, plus its Fellowship and Innovator programs, it builds apps, open data tools, and digital platforms to improve services and make government more transparent.

WHAT DO WE NEED?

More people and organizations need to stand up for those who have long served the country. The government should act immediately to improve their living conditions. Citizens can help by forming support groups, holding authorities accountable, or presenting practical solutions to ensure these public servants have safe, comfortable, and have safe and dignified homes.

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