Karachi People to be the Partner of Metropolis

KEY POINTS:

• Webinar meeting discussions
• Karachi needs re-planning
• People of Karachi have to participate in the development
• Environment related personalities perspective

Karachiites now will participate in the development and reformation of the city. On Monday, 6th Oct 2020 ‘Governance and Planning Framework’ meeting held where they discussed about the remodeling of Karachi and how it could be reformed utilizing Transformation Package of Prime Minister. 
The webinar organizer and Karachi Institute of Technology and Entrepreneurship (KITE)’s head of Department of Architecture Ms. Sameeta Ahmed discussed on previous developmental plans of Karachi and also added her concerns regarding the condition of the city.

She suggested officials to go through with those planning and appoint members to different departments accordingly. Every department should be streamlined for the proper work. Improvement of the environment and viable development have to be implemented. Need to talk taxpayer for their perspective and experts are required for technical planning, she said. 
The General Secretary of Shehri Citizens Ms. Amber Alibhai said:
“Be it KMC (Karachi Metropolitan Corporation), DHA (Defence Housing Authority), Cantonments, etc., they all work separately. All university departments of architecture should also do some research to see which law helped which area or community of the city. Call legislators to educate them about your city, make them understand what laws are needed to help their city.”
According to her, people are not working together for Karachi but separately. This should be done unitedly and collectively. Opinions are wanted from experts for the betterment and upgradation during the webinar. 

Wasim Akram’s wife Shaniera Akram shared a tweet on 5th Oct, 2020 regarding the dirty condition of Karachi to which Shehri-CBE retweeted also.

Focus on Planning

Mr. Farhan Anwar, the urban planner said about the plans of government which are not fruitful as expected. He added:
“Our projects have no organic links to planning and therefore they fail while the city serves the motives of a select few. We need to evolve a political consensus. Otherwise, it will all be going from worse to worst. Our institutions are working on inappropriate mandate. So we need to rethink planning itself. We need strategic planning with sustainable neighbourhoods. We need to bring this city together with vision.”
He further said: “Cosmetic work won’t do here. You need radical surgery.”
Ms. Amber Alibhai stated:
“It needs to be examined how our corporates or businesses are contributing to urban commerce and... housing for common people. We have no recreational spaces. Who will create these places? Who will maintain them? There is no plan anywhere. We are just doing firefighting in our city, not doing anything beforehand.”

The planning of government has no proper execution and not considering Karachi people being the participant of Karachi, said Mr. Zubair Abro, the environmental lawyer. He added while discussing about environmental laws:
“There are tall buildings, even taller than 50-storeys high that don’t even have approval to go that high, but there they are.”
Ms. Nargis Rehman from Karachi Citizen’ Forum said: 
“This transformation package includes three loans. But we want economic revival. We need good governance. And these things need good planning but here we are taking loans for improving a city without a plan and without implementation of plans. We need a redressal system.”
The main point highlighted in the webinar is public involvement for better planning of the city.