Decorating Karachi
IN a recent meeting, Sindh’s caretaker chief minister expressed his resolve to ‘beautify’ Karachi. Addressing bureaucrats, heads of civic agencies and architects, he spoke about the poor state of the…
Ranking Karachi
THE Economist Intelligence Unit’s rating of Karachi as one of the world’s least livable cities is not surprising. Five categories were reviewed to arrive at this conclusion: stability, healthcare, education,…
Without shelter
EVICTIONS in Karachi are the new norm. Whether it is the widening of a carriageway, the cleaning of a nullah or the clandestine facilitation of real-estate enterprises, the homes of…
Land-use policy
THE media is full of real estate ads offering plots of land, condominiums, apartments, one-unit houses, holiday homes, farmhouses, commercial spaces, etc, in many locations in the country. The use…
K-IV imbroglio
IF the success of a project were to be judged by the number of times it has been inaugurated then the Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme Phase IV (K-IV) would…
Upgradation lessons
IN a major policy shift, the Sindh cabinet recently decided to extend the cut-off date for the regularisation of katchi abadis (squatter settlements) from June 30, 1997 to Dec 31,…
Disappearing homes
FOR more than three years now, evictions have been underway in different Karachi locations. Dwellings along river banks, nullahs and expanded corridors have been demolished. Hundreds of households along the…
Plot practices
PANDEMONIUM has been unleashed in the print and electronic media regarding the allotment of prize land parcels in Islamabad territory to members of the judiciary, bureaucracy and high-ups in government.…
Public choices
GOING by talk shows, it seems there is little common ground when it comes to debating politics. However, those that matter in the corridors of politics and power have the…
