THE last few weeks brought bad news for urban settlements across the globe. Bangkok and other parts of Thailand experienced torrential rains and urban flooding that paralysed life. Thousands of hapless residents were hastily evacuated to safer locations. For many, this catastrophe meant losing their homes. Butwal and Kathmandu in Nepal were severely flooded; many people were swept away.
Meanwhile, several cities and settlements also faced conflict-related harm as various weapons caused unprecedented disruptions to daily life. The economic toll is immense. The extraordinary rise in fuel prices has made life miserable for ordinary people. Against this backdrop, with war clouds continuing to darken many parts of the Middle East and beyond, World Habitat Day was recently marked, inviting all to address the emerging challenges to settlements and civilisation.
One goal of this day is to review problems such as shelter and amenities. This year, climate events — long heatwaves, heavy rains in the north, and negligible rainfall in Karachi — make it difficult to recharge peri-urban aquifers. Drought-like conditions signal tough times for agriculture and livestock breeders. Housing issues have multiplied due to terrorism in KP and Balochistan. People from terrorism-affected districts are migrating to safer areas, creating shelter challenges in urban centres. Therefore, housing strategies for displaced populations are vital, as are sustained scientific responses to all these issues.
Urban planning is a process. It entails tangible and intangible attributes such as access to education and livelihood, safety, infrastructure, and more. Constructing a few units alone hardly serves the purpose. Authorities can make a difference by adopting a catalytic approach. The primary element is land. Common problems include physical damage from inundation, a high water table, changing topography, rising vulnerability, and ownership or occupancy disputes. Whether it is Punjab or Swat, the problems are the same; they only vary in intensity. This situation demands an urgent policy response. A district-level land-use plan is the priority. This task needs input from provincial revenue, forest, and planning and development departments. The flooding profile, meteorological information, and broader climatic details should form the baseline of this endeavour.
Urban planning involves tangible and intangible attributes.
The scale of the housing need is another major factor. Provincial governments, which are now responsible for tackling the challenge, have yet to come up with a holistic strategy to house the shelterless as well as those living in inhuman situations. It is also evident that the government cannot build homes for such a vast number of affected people. In any case, housing cannot be directly subsidised because of the enormous cost and resource intensity. However, the government can help create enabling options for people to build their own houses and other facilities through various means.
Upgrading brick kilns and mud block manufacturing facilities, along with setting up building material shops, can be an intervention with far-reaching impact. Ordinary folk have social and economic ties with commercial enterprises, which generate informal mechanisms for getting technical advice and credit. Relevant government departments can facilitate skill upgradation for artisans such as masons, carpenters, and earth workers, while technical and vocational authorities responsible for building a network of training centres in the provinces must be approached to devise appropriate skill-enhancement programmes. Additionally, university departments are providing expert assistance to assess solutions and support improvements to available options. Local and national NGOs have done a lot for social mobilisation, but this still needs to be scaled up so that inputs reach communities and empower them.
Other bodies can also contribute by examining niche areas and sectors. The country’s ongoing economic crisis could benefit from housing development initiatives, which promise transformative outcomes. One can draw inspiration from ‘the New Deal’ programmes launched by the US government during the Great Depression in the 1930s. By enhancing social safety nets, creating purposeful employment opportunities, and building the labour force’s capacity, America lifted itself out of an economic and social abyss. If we use housing development as a starting point and adopt a similar approach, we can secure the same benefits for our beleaguered millions.
The writer is an academic and researcher in Karachi.
Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2026
