Prominent urban planners, civil society members, and rights advocates on Friday raised serious concerns over undisclosed amendments to the Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations 2002, warning of the adverse implications for the city’s environment, livability, and housing equity.
At a consultation titled ‘Amendments to the Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations 2002, and the Future of the City’, held at the Karachi Press Club, speakers criticized the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) for making sweeping changes to building rules without public consultation or oversight.
Renowned architect and planner Arif Hasan underscored the pressing need for Urban Land Reforms in Sindh, citing a growing housing crisis that is driving low-income residents into unplanned informal settlements. ‘The absence of affordable housing options is not just a social issue-it’s a governance failure,’ he stressed. He called for land ceiling laws to prevent excessive land ownership and encourage equitable development.
Pointing to rampant and poorly regulated commercialisation in residential zones such as Block 6, Hasan argued that while commercial activity is vital for urban growth, it must be properly planned. ‘Planning is not a luxury-it’s a necessity for a functional city,’ he remarked.
Ahmber Alibhai of Shehri-CBE warned that key amendments to the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1979 were being pushed through without transparency. ‘The SBCA is centralising power and quietly altering fundamental regulations on land use, building heights, and parking,’ she observed. She attributed weak enforcement and growing violations to state support for developers and diminishing regulatory oversight.
Architect Fazal Noor added that Karachi’s planning model must evolve to consider population density and environmental pressures, rather than just land area metrics. ‘We must not legitimise violations simply because enforcement has failed,’ he cautioned.
Abeera Ashfaq raised concerns about displaced communities and the absence of restitution mechanisms. ‘Bureaucratic capture of planning powers is displacing residents while favouring commercial interests,’ she said.
Former CPLC chief Jameel Yousuf recalled the success of community-led neighbourhood initiatives in the 1990s and suggested that Karachi Metropolitan Corporation should assume oversight of private housing societies managing public funds.
Zeenia Shaukat, Director of The Knowledge Forum, criticised the timing of the regulatory amendments, which she noted occurred during public holidays to avoid scrutiny. ‘Public participation is not optional-it’s the foundation of democratic urban governance,’ she asserted.
She also flagged the environmental toll of unplanned development, noting a 2.5°C rise in Karachi’s average temperature and a floor space ratio far below international norms. ‘Karachi must align its urban policies with Pakistan’s climate goals under the updated NDCs,’ she said.
Speakers unanimously demanded a halt to unauthorized commercial expansion and urged for inclusive, transparent, and environmentally sustainable city planning.
The session featured voices from across civil society including Zahid Farooque (Urban Resource Centre), Chandan Mali (NCHR), advocate Shazia Nizamani, Saeed Baloch and Ayoub Shan (Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum), researcher Sadiya Siddiqui, and journalists Sohail Sangi and Aslam Shah.