Daily Times

LAHORE: Experts at a dialogue titled ‘city economics with focus on cities as dumping grounds for surplus rural labour’ on Saturday stressed the need to draft an urbanisation policy that could make cities competitive and sustainable.

The dialogue was arranged by The Urban Unit as part its ‘City Dialogue’ initiative, which involves experts and professionals from various fields as well as the community members for some serious discussion and debate on issues of concern to residents, at the Quaid-e-Azam Library.

The dialogue was conducted by Dr Kaiser Bengali, a renowned economist and adviser to Sindh chief minister. Dr Bengali also happens to be the authority in pro-poor analysis in the public and policy circles. He also heads the benazir bhutto support program.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bengali appreciated organisers, The Urban Unit and the Quaid-e-Azam Library administration for making a dedicated attempt to revive the library discussion culture in busy cities like Lahore.

“The trend should be replicated in other metropolitans too. Imagine the historical significance of such places where viceroys and other important figures would have made deliberations for solutions to urban areas issues while taking some landmark decisions. It gives me immense pleasure to be a speaker here joining the very relevant and known names already have spoken or lined up in upcoming sessions, said Dr Bengali while talking to the media.

In his presentation, he asserted that Pakistani cities were not planned – their growth was haphazard and they did not offer basic necessities to citizens as compared to the developed or developing countries. “It is high time that Pakistan drafts its urbanisation policy that can make cities effective, efficient, competitive and sustainable.” He lamented the fact that even the largest of Pakistani cities did not offer basic amenities like public spaces, amusement parks and parking for vehicles along with many other elements that enabled cities to function properly.

The city dialogue attracted a number of urban planners, students, planning experts, economists and government organisations personnel along with the senior team from The Urban Unit.

Participants in the interactive session stressed on the need to have a public agenda for cities to make them more inclusive and resident-friendly. Students also asked for state anticipation in cities’ issues so that proper solutions could be suggested.

“We do have flaws in our system but we are trying to improve it. The Lahore Development Authority has a master plan of the city despite its opposition from private sectors. We are struggling to improve the systems and people should encourage us in doing that. Similarly, The Urban Unit has done extensive research and documentation work as far as the urban policies are concerned. People need to consult us and get the much-required guidance instead of criticising” said Shakeel Anjum Minhas, LDA Director Planning while explaining the government’s perspective.

The city dialogue is scheduled at the Quaid-e-Azam Library every Saturday – with internationally known and acclaimed speakers, who discuss issues facing the urban areas. The next dialogue will feature Kamran Lashari speaking on city aesthetics and discussing urban beautification measures.

The city dialogue has been successful in gathering serious and intellectual participation from the city who discusses various issues being faced by cities of Pakistan with an emphasis on solutions that are viable.

Published in Daily Times, February  25^th 2018.