Another Time, Another Place
In the first quarter of the eighteenth century, Kharak Bunder was an important port on the Arabian Sea, west of present- day Karachi. Although its exact location is disputed, there is considerable evidence to suggest...
A Pedestrian’s Saddar
On February 3, 1839, the HMS Wellesley bombarded the Fort of Manora. In the space of three hours the western arm of the fort was destroyed, and Karachi was enveloped in a cloud of smoke....
How to Shelter Urban Poor
The dimensions of the urban crisis in Pakistan are well known, and as such need no elaboration. The most important aspect of this crisis is related to the provision of land and shelter for lower...
Northern Areas – 1986 (Notes from Arif Hasan’s Diary)
This is my third visit to the Northern Areas. This time after three weeks of travelling the length and breath of it, and speaking to hundreds of people from all walks of life and all...
Water Assessment Reports for UNICEF
This report is the result of a request by UNICEF to evaluate the design concept and technical details of the BIAD/UNICEF Water Supply and Sanitation Programme for Balochistan. To make this evaluation possible, the Pir...
Initiatives in Grassroot’s Participation
Over 40 percent of the population in our cities live in substandard housing, in squatter colonies, with no security of tenure. In spite of elaborate studies on this aspect of the problem, by national and international development agencies and experts, and in spite of the evolution and application of new and alternative strategies for development, the problem continues to grow.
