Seminar Papers
Between the People and the Polis
South Asia’s Mega-cities and the Urban Future. Well, first of all, Kanak, Himal and the India International Centre, thank you so much for having arranged this and having invited me. Delhi is special to me....
The Gentrification of Karachi’s Coastline
1. Background Karachi has a 27 kilometre long coastline in addition to numerous creeks and mangrove forests. Most of this coastline is dotted with ancient fishing villages. More than half of it is visited by...
Karachi Violence
1. Background In the month of August, I interviewed 14 persons belonging to the violence affected areas of Karachi to get their views on the situation in their neighbourhoods and their perceptions for the reasons...
How People House themselves Today
1. Background Previously people either squatted or lived in informal settlements. The government regularised these settlements, evicted them and/or relocated them. Today most NGO and CBO work is around preventing evictions, making relocations more humane...
Local Government Reform in Pakistan: Some Issues
My talk is derived from my personal experiences of working in various areas of Pakistan (mostly in Sindh and its capital city of Karachi), some literature that I value important surveys that have been conducted...
CSO Consultative Group: Voices of the Poor, By the Poor, For the Poor
The poor have to interact with other interest groups and with policy makers. With other interest groups interaction is necessary because the poor do not live in isolation. Interaction with the World Bank in Washington...
Retrieving the Wisdom of those in Need: Community Healing in Time of Disaster
In this paper I will try to put down what I have observed in my work with disaster situations. But before I do that, I must explain where I am coming from. I am an...
A Talk at PILER Conference on Floods
I have not been involved. But been asked to advise. Visited rural areas of Thattah, left bank, Dadu, Khairpur Nathan Shah and Swat Valley. Some basic principles need to be followed: People should be empowered...
The Pathans in Karachi
Ever since I was a college student I was fascinated by the analytical methods of sociology. My knowledge never became truly academic. Icould not get a PhD degree and deliver learned lectures. But a limited...
Comments on Syllabi of Courses
1. The comments given below are based on my experience of teaching. In making these comments I have not taken into consideration the constraints, both administrative and faculty related, that are faced by the teachers...
Sustainable Building Design: The larger Issues
1. Thank You for inviting me to speak on this very important subject. The papers that follow will deal with various aspects of sustainable building design. 2. I have not prepared a paper as yet....
The Water and Sanitation Challenge: The Conflict Between Reality and Planning Paradigms
Thank you for inviting me to talk on this very important issue. I have not yet written a proper paper but I have prepared a detailed outline from which I will read Since the late...
