An assessment of Pakistan's urban policies 1947-1997.

Abstract

This paper aims at analyzing and assessing the evolution and outcomes of Pakistan's urban policies during 1947-97. One-third of Pakistan's population live in urban areas, and the level of urbanization increased from 18% in 1951 to 32% in 1991. The rapid rate of urbanization has produced two megacities, Karachi with a population of 8-10 million and Lahore with a population of about 5 million, and 6 other cities with populations of 1 million or more. Pakistan is one of the pioneering countries in implementing physical planning and planned housing; this is reflected in its urban policies as constituted by the Five-Year Plan and national development budgets. The programs through which the policies were implemented are divided into three phases. Phase 1 (1947-70) involved the resettlement of refugees and laying of the institutional framework; core housing schemes (consisting of 1- to 2-room quarters) were the key element of the urban strategy in this period. Phase 2 (1971-78) policies were guided by the promise of mass housing, particularly for the working and lower classes. At this time, too, a set of squatter settlements known as Katchi Abadis emerged, and international organizations started funding Pakistan's urban development programs. Phase 3 (1980-95) saw the steady "privatization" of the housing and land markets and improved housing conditions, while urban policy continued to concentrate on public works, plots and construction. Despite the improvements, urban crises persist, and policies are shifting towards more complex issues of quality and the provision of new collective goods. In general, the achievements of Pakistan's urban policies have outweighed its failures, as both the rich and the poor have benefitted from them.