KARACHI: President FPCCI Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo has said that lack of investment in infrastructure is making Pakistani cities lag behind in economic and commercial growth.
Globally, the share of cities in any country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is 80 percent however in Pakistan, it is still around 55 percent, Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo said. He maintained this phenomenon is due to the absence of Urban Planning through a Master Plan and Lack of Investments in the Infrastructure of cities; namely, poor transportation networks; abysmal health and educational facilities; insufficient provision of utilities like water, sanitation, gas, and electricity; underdeveloped industrial areas, etc.
He said that this negligence has been observed with profound concern during successive governments and he does not blame only the current provincial and federal governments.
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Mr. Obaid Saleem Patel, Convener of FPCCI’s Central Standing Committee on Urban Development, pointed out that United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has forewarned that due to incessant rural-urban migration, approximately 50 percent of Pakistan’s population will be living in cities.
He added that there will be mayhem and chaos in Pakistani cities resulting in the human tragedy of enormous proportions if the provincial and federal governments do not wake up even now; and, multiply their budgets for infrastructural development of all the major cities of the country.
Mr. Sultan Rehman, FPCCI’s Coordinator for Head Office, reiterated that Karachi is the only megacity of the world that is still struggling without a Mass Transit System (MTS) and there is only 1 bus seat available for 34 people in the city.
The meeting was also attended by prominent urban planners, builders and developers, and current and former senior management of ABAD; namely, Mr. Saleem Kassim Patel, a former SVC ABAD; Mr. Karim Adhia, Mr. Mehmood Pasha, Mr. Sikandar Mukatey, and other seniors.
