A number of billboards on Margalla Road blocking the magnificent view of the beautiful hills and threatening public safety amid rain and thunder storms, for the past several months are irking the citizens of Islamabad. The billboards are visible from afar and are quite an eyesore.

According to the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the billboards fall in the claimed jurisdiction of Pakistan Army. A huge piece of land in front of the Margalla Hills is officially occupied by Pakistan Army for different purposes, including setting up professional institutions.

Some action has been taken against the billboards. Affan Javed, a young resident of the capital city, who recently returned to his hometown after graduating from abroad noticed these billboards and made personal efforts to approach the CDA and other officials against them.

In his public e-petition, signed by more than 1,600 people, he addressed Islamabad’s mayor to take notice of the issue. The petition ‘Islamabad has the right to see Margalla Hills Directly -- Remove Margalla Road Billboards’ calls for protecting the city from the wrath of uncontrolled advertisers and their rampant profit-making activities at the cost of citizens’ well-being and interest.

Seeking the mayor’s attention towards the "two massive eyesores (billboards) that have been erected at this beautiful junction", he says they block citizens’ direct view of Margalla Hills.

"If you come from a family where your family members are influential or part of decision-making, please talk to them and make them care about this," the petitioner urges citizens.

"I love Islamabad. I am in this beautiful city by choice, not chance. I came here in 1985 before architectural and advertising terrorists laid their eyes on this lovely city. I agree with everything Affan says. And frankly citizens should voice their concern. Stop buying their products," says Shahnaz Kapadia Rahat, an activist, while commenting on the petition on Facebook.

Previously, rain and windstorms have swept away one such billboard which was torn to pieces. To avert this from happening again, we need to seriously think about stopping the installation of giant billboards to minimise the risk to life in future.

"Billboards are totally banned under the law inside Islamabad city. Only smart advertisements are allowed. The CDA has removed many unlawful billboards in the past too," Rana Ali Sufian, director Municipal Administration CDA, tells TNS. "These huge billboards at Margalla Road were first noticed nearly one-and-a-half years ago. However, they are placed on the land that is in the jurisdiction of General Headquarters (GHQ) of Pakistan Army."

"The authority has written to the GHQ a number of times making requests to remove these billboards which are unlawful according to CDA bylaws," he says. "No doubt these billboards block the beautiful view of the hills which ruins aesthetic sensibilities. Furthermore, these billboards are placed without any structural viability certification."

The official recalls that the CDA has been receiving a number of complaints about these installations.

The CDA official says, "In response to the CDA’s last letter a few weeks ago, asking to remove these billboards, there was a reply from the GHQ that these billboards are placed in army’s land." The official hopes there will be serious meeting(s) in future and the issue will be resolved keeping public interest in view.

"I have also noticed these huge billboards blocking Margalla Hills from view," says Rizwan Mehboob, an Islamabad-based writer and environmentalist. "The authorities must take steps to protect the aesthetic view of northern side of Islamabad, Margalla Hills, and western side of the capital city towards Murree Hills, by all means."

Aisha Khan, working to protect climate and mountains in the capital city, seconds Mehboob’s sentiments. "I agree that billboards should not be there because they block the view of mountains and pose a real danger to people."

In the past, there have been campaigns against billboards in different big cities and the Supreme Court of Pakistan has also taken notice but after a short while they spring up again. "When Islamabad was designed, there was bar on high rise structures for safety and better aesthetics. We need a clear policy that should be seriously implemented by all institutions," says Aisha Khan.

Last year in Karachi, the civil society ran a campaign against huge billboards in the city for similar reasons. The same year, Public Interest Law Association of Pakistan, which is running a campaign against illegal billboards and mass cutting of trees in Karachi in collaboration with ‘Mera Karachi’ made protests to stop the destruction of trees and erecting billboards. The organisation believes that trees are being cut to make spaces for roads and erecting billboards.