FAILING to plan is planning to fail, as the old saying goes. This seems to have occurred in the case of Karachi, a city, quite literally, left to the dogs. A new master plan has now been promised for the metropolis: the ambitious Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047. Officials say the blueprint will be ready in two years. Given the city’s troubled planning history, one cannot help but be sceptical. Six plans were drawn up since 1923 — the latest of which expired in 2017 — but Karachi continues to grow haphazardly and dangerously. The tragic collapse of a multistorey building in Lyari last week, which left dozens dead and injured, is sadly one example too many. Hazardous structures continue to rise unchecked, despite the presence of building authorities and existing regulations. It is clear there is not only weak enforcement but also the absence of political will to crack down on powerful mafias profiting from the city’s dysfunction.

Given this context, such lofty promises of a future-ready Karachi can only be taken with a grain of salt unless backed by genuine reform. The plan may look good on paper but will mean little if not implemented as envisioned. As experts have warned, this planning should not be treated as just another contract handed to consultants and run by officials behind closed doors. It must be a continuous, inclusive process that draws upon the extensive work already being done by civil society, urban researchers and affected communities. Groups like Shehri, Karachi Bachao Tehreek and the Urban Resource Centre have long documented the city’s unregulated growth and offered viable solutions. But past planning exercises have often ignored such voices in favour of top-down approaches. If the new plan is to have any impact, that must change. The Sindh government intends to include all relevant stakeholders in the development of the plan. For Karachi’s sake, this time they must keep their word.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2025