Karachi: Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani on Thursday acknowledged that Karachi currently has no approved master plan, which has contributed to the city’s disorganised and unregulated urban development. However, he said that the formulation of the Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047 aims to fill this longstanding planning gap and usher in a new era of coordinated development.
Ghani made these remarks while chairing the inaugural meeting of the steering committee for the Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047. During the session, a detailed briefing on the initial progress of the project was given by Project Director Muhammad Arshad Khan. CEOs of the consulting firms involved in the initiative also presented a comprehensive outline of the first phase.
The local government minister emphasised that a city’s master plan serves as a critical tool for sustainable and structured growth. He noted that the absence of an approved plan has led to Karachi’s unregulated expansion, the rise of illegal constructions, and growing inefficiencies across key urban sectors such as transport, housing, water supply, and sanitation.
Under the Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047, a comprehensive master plan will be developed over the next two years, involving all key stakeholders, including civic agencies, civil society organisations, and planning authorities. Ghani said that this collaborative approach is intended to ensure that the plan is inclusive, feasible, and effectively implemented.
The initiative, he added, aims to improve Karachi’s infrastructure and service delivery across multiple sectors, including health, education, commerce, sewerage, and transport. The plan also intends to regulate future construction activity and curtail unlawful developments.
Also speaking at the meeting, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab noted that the last approved master plan for the city expired in 2017. Since then, the city has lacked a formal planning framework, which has caused administrative difficulties and hindered sustainable development. Wahab expressed hope that the new plan would provide a clear direction to resolve the city’s growing challenges.
Senior officials from various provincial departments and civic agencies attended the meeting, including Local Government Additional Chief Secretary Waseem Shamshad, Senior Member Board of Revenue Baqaullah Unar, Planning and Development Secretary Sajjad Abbasi, and the director generals of the Sindh Building Control Authority, Karachi Development Authority, Malir Development Authority, and Lyari Development Authority.
The Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047 is being developed under the domain of the Sindh Local Government Department and is expected to serve as a strategic roadmap for the city’s urban development over the next two decades.
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