KARACHI, March 30: Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad has appreciated the steps being taken by Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP) to improve the standards of architecture and town planning education in the country and its co-operation with the higher education commission to advise them on the latest innovations required to upgrade the present educational standards.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the PCATP's function of lifetime achievement awards at the completion of its 20 years of founding in a local hotel on Monday.

The governor showed agreement to the Council's conception that the holding of a competition for the selection of a design of a competent architect for a building should be adopted in the case of all public buildings.

He noted that the Council had already arranged a number of design competitions according to its competition regulations and said he would recommend to the departments concerned to approach the Council for arranging such competitions to select a competent design in a transparent manner.

As regards the PCATP's request for an amenity plot for the council's office and related facilities in Karachi, the governor asked them to indicate the location of amenity plot and assured them of due consideration of their request.

He supported their contention about the proposal that no unregistered professionals should be appointed against the posts of architects and town planners and observed that it was based on compliance of the requirement of a Federal law.

The governor asked the authorities concerned to look into the need of creating the job of one architect and one town planner in each union council/tehsil municipal administration and district governments in the province against which only qualified and registered PCATP architects and town planners be appointed.

Dr Ishratul Ibad appreciated the PCATP's assurances of support in the matter of planning and development activities in Sindh which, he said, he would convey to the CDGK for consideration and action.

Earlier, Ali Zafar Qadri, chairman of the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners, highlighted the performance of the Council in bringing the professions of architecture and planning in line with the laid down rules.

He made a number of proposals to the governor for making these professions truly professional. On the occasion, the governor presented lifetime achievement awards to architects and planners in recognition to their professional competence and outstanding contribution to the professions. - APP