What does a city owe its citizens? And what do citizens owe their city? This question is vital amid Pakistan’s worsening urban problems like poor air quality, traffic jams, and broken infrastructure. French philosopher Henri Lefebvre called this the "right to the city" — meaning that people living in cities should shape their growth and care for it together. In cities like Lahore and Karachi, this balance has broken down. Rapid expansion and real estate growth have harmed the environment and disconnected people from their homes. Lahore’s air is hard to breathe, and Karachi’s coastlines are vanishing. Citizens often feel like mere consumers, not owners or stewards of their cities. Lefebvre argued that cities grow from everyday life, not just plans by officials. He warned about "the bureaucratic society of organised consumption" where people become consumers, and cities turn into products for profit, with shrinking public spaces and roads made only for cars. Pakistan’s cities show what happens when growth outpaces care. Lahore’s endless motorway projects have destroyed farmland and trees, creating choking pollution. Karachi’s hunger for land has eaten away natural defenses. These problems reflect not only bad governance or environment but a lost connection between people and place. Public outcry in Lahore peaks during smog season with short fixes like school closures and fines. But true change needs a new vision of progress — one that values clean air and liveability over quick infrastructure wins. "The right to the city" means the right to breathe clean air and move freely, not just to own cars or live in gated colonies. Cities work when people feel they belong. Rebuilding this connection can start by making streets safe for pedestrians, planting trees, and treating clean air as a shared right. Cities should be living, breathing communities where everyone shares responsibility. As the writer says, "The right to the city, at its heart, is the right and the duty to keep it alive."