Resource information
Cities' development matters to
Pakistan. It is central to economic growth, job creation and
quality of life. This is also one of the core themes in the
2011 Government of Pakistan Framework for Economic Growth
(FEG). This paper explores the conditions for
growth-enhancing spatial change in Pakistan s cities.
Cities' development matters to Pakistan. Two strands of
analysis are developed. First, it reviews the performance
and impact of land use planning in Pakistan's cities
while understanding the institutional culture and rules of
the game of urban development practices. Given limited
availability of urban data, much of this analysis is based
on Pakistan's most urbanized province: Punjab, and
large cities, primarily Lahore and Karachi. Second, it uses
meta-analysis to suggest an agenda of policy options and
priorities that could strengthen Pakistan's prudent
implementation of spatial potentials and help materialize
its cities' creative capital.Following the introduction
the paper examines the critical role cities have in
Pakistan's economy and development performance. It
provides an analysis of Pakistan's current approach to
urban development, examining Pakistan's urban planning
and development institutions, legislation and practices with
the view to identify critical consequences and constraints
hampering balanced urban development. Consequently it offers
an agenda of objectives and policy options based on
international best practices and key actions to address
those constraints and guide spatial change in
Pakistan's cities. Lastly, it concludes that successful
urban transformation requires political will, a sense of
urgency and a commitment for shared action.
