ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The urban population in Pakistan has risen from 32 percent in 1998 to 40 percent in 2017, and if current trends of rural to urban migration continue, this share will exceed 50 percent by 2025.
Currently, nine cities of Pakistan have populations exceeding 1 million each, and 75 with populations between 100,000 and one million.
According to official figures, Pakistan’s cities contribute 78 percent to the Country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The government aims to transform the urban areas into creative, eco-friendly sustainable cities through improved city governance, effective urban planning, efficient local mobility infrastructure (mass transit systems) and better security to make urbanization an important driver of growth.
According to experts, in developing Countries including Pakistan, one percent increase in urbanization leads to a 1.1 percent increase in the economic growth rate. There is excess demand for office, apartment, retail, warehouse, education as well as community space in all major cities of Pakistan.
The problem of space availability has been exacerbated by outdated zoning laws which fail to accommodate the growing demand for commercial space. For example, 55 percent of Islamabad’s land was designated for residential purposes whereas only five percent was designated for commercial activity. This has led to unplanned and haphazard urbanization.
Businesses are forced to move to residential areas as they are faced with high commercialization fees and cumbersome procedures.
In addition, large cities have witnessed an increase in slums or “Katchi Abadis” where sometimes even basic sewerage facilities are not available. Because of such urban sprawl, city administrations struggle in providing adequate public services to their citizens. Such a scenario is not sustainable and will hamper growth.
According to government sources, zoning laws will be revised to cater to the growing demand for commercial and parking space in large urban centers. This will involve the use of ‘mixed use’ areas – residential and commercial.
Pakistan’s cities have witnessed horizontal expansion, with the consequence that Pakistan only accommodates 6,000 people in one square kilometer of area whereas Dubai with its vertical expansion of residential buildings accommodates 200,000 people in the same area.
Development of vertical expansion, high-rise buildings for residential and commercial purposes, will convert urban centers into commerce friendly cities while maximizing usage of space.
While catering to commercial demands, the housing sector will also be developed keeping in mind increasing urbanization and growth in population.
A ‘Housing information system’ to provide data on housing demand and supply will be established.
According to the government plans, Katchi abadis will be replaced by low income residential buildings with adequate provision of sewerage, clean water, and basic utilities such as gas and electricity. A move towards vertical expansion in city centres will provide residential facilities in addition to commercial space to city inhabitants.
The rising trend of urbanization will lead to increasing productivity, contribute to GDP growth, and foster the rise of a new middle class.
On the other hand, it will put pressure on governments to cater to organized expansion of settlements and the provision of urban amenities of sewerage, transportation, housing, health care, and educational services to increasingly large city populations with both the expectation and increasingly the buying power to aspire to better standards of living.
The challenge for Pakistan will be to address the existing challenges of the large urban centers while planning ahead for the continued migration towards cities.
Pakistan will harness the full potential of planned urbanization by adding connectivity and modern infrastructure to develop creative, smart and green cities.
Source: APP
