GILGIT is the administrative city of Gilgit-Baltistan, with natural beauty. It is surrounded by gigantic Himalayan, Karakoram and Hindukush mountain ranges, having forests, glaciers, serene places, enticing rivers, streams and lakes.

This city is expanding day by day haphazardly. There is an urgent need for town planning and management authority to check mushroom growth of buildings and roads.

In fact, there is no concept here of professional town planning working for sustainable and controlled development.

Gilgit is facing a great problem in this regard as there is no planning and implementation mechanism.

Funds allocated by the government for infrastructure and engineering works are not properly utilised because of non-professional attitude of Gilgit-Baltistan Power and Works Department (GB PWD).

Last but not least, Gilgit-Baltistan is in dire need of a full-fledged development authority like the Capital Development Authority, Lahore Development Authority and the Karachi Development Authority for urban planning.

MASOOD ALI KHAN
HUNZAI
Lahore