MESSAGE
Chief Minister, Sindh

Strategic planning and robust urban management is pivotal to address the ongoing urbanization challenges. Sindh is an urbanized province of the country as more than 52% of its total population settled in urban areas. During last two decades, for several reasons, migration to urban areas has rapidly grown; large influx of rural population into urban areas has created a variety of issues and heavy burden on already dilapidated urban infrastructures, resulting in expansion in a haphazard manner.

Here I see an opportunity for the intermediary cities of Sindh as they are still in the early stages of urbanization and this gives us an opportunity to prepare their urban expansion and development in a planned manner so that they can contribute as “Engines of Economic Growth”. Another milestone of Sindh Government to achieve economic and socially equitable growth is Poverty Reduction Strategy, focusing on betterment of masses living under poverty line to provide them sustainable urbanization solutions through Establishment of Rural Growth Centers/Service Hubs, Urban Economic Clusters, Community Driven Local Development.

The Directorate of Urban Policy & Strategic Planning, Planning & Development (P&DD) has been established to, inter alia, address the challenges and opportunities, posed by urbanization. The Directorate is actively engaged and successfully preparing/ pursuing policies, strategies and master plans laying out guidelines for systematic and sustained urbanization in the province. I wish team of Directorate best in future and would like to see them developing as a strong technical arm of Government of Sindh.

MURAD ALI SHAH
Chief Minister, Sindh

MESSAGE
Chairman Planning & Development Board

Addressing urban and regional challenges is a daunting task and demands dedicated and concerted efforts in the right direction to address sustainable change and equitable development targets. The Directorate has the potential to address such challenges of development planning in the urban & regional sectors. Today, population in Sindh is more inclined towards urban areas than the rural. However, most of the urban expansion is happening in the shape of informal settlements which lack the basic amenities and opportunities to prosper. Urban planners are anticipating that the unplanned growth of urban areas will take shape of horizontal expansion whereas the need of vertical expansion is the significant requirement of future planning.

The continuous commendable performance of the Directorate of Urban Policy & Strategic Planning now spans to 9 years  under the umbrella of Planning & Development Department, Government of Sindh has contributed various valuable plans and policies for Urban & Regional Revitalization and Development.

I congratulate the Directorate’s team for successfully contributing towards urban and regional development with par excellence and look forward for an even greater participation through an advanced analytical and technical approaches.

Najam Ahmed Shah

Chairman P&D Board

MESSAGE
Director General UP&SP