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.