Karachi : Chairman of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD), Muhammad Hassan Bakshi, has demanded a long-term master plan for Karachi to ensure the city’s sustainable development, expansion, and organized growth. He said that a comprehensive plan defining the city’s direction for the next 50 years would not only chart the path for future progress but also help resolve existing administrative, urban, and environmental challenges.
He expressed these views while addressing a ceremony during the visit of a delegation from the international consultancy firm Dar Al-Handasah to ABAD House. The delegation was led by Project Manager David Gundry, accompanied by Deputy Project Manager Saleem Eid and Junior Planner Adeeba. Among those present from ABAD were Senior Vice Chairman Syed Afzal Hameed, Vice Chairman Tariq Aziz, and Chairman Southern Region Ahmad Owais Thanvi, along with other members.
Chairman Bakshi said that through the master plan, it would become clear where industrial zones should be developed and in which directions residential areas should expand. Such advance planning, he explained, can help control unplanned construction, traffic congestion, water and drainage problems, and environmental pressures.
He further stated that the establishment of a unified authority for Karachi’s sustainable development was essential. Bakshi proposed that the master plan must remain free from political influence and should include strong measures for environmental protection, particularly the preservation of mangroves and coastal areas.
Highlighting Karachi’s importance, he said the city is the economic lifeline of Pakistan, and steering its development in the right direction would positively impact the nation’s overall economy.
Bakshi added that the master plan should not only focus on land use but must also incorporate infrastructure, transport, housing, environmental sustainability, and industrial growth, to transform Karachi into a modern, well-organized, and livable metropolis. He assured that ABAD would extend full cooperation with the government and relevant agencies to help prepare a practical, long-term, and realistic master plan for the city.
