Dissemination Seminar on Master Plan for Thatta Town Development
On December 3, 2024, The Directorate for Urban Regional Policy and Strategic Planning, P&D Department Sindh, organized a seminar in Thatta to discuss the Thatta Town Development Master Plan, addressing urban needs like housing, sanitation, health, education, and economic growth.
Dr. Imtiaz Bhatti, Director General of Urban Directorate, highlighted the significance of sustainable cities as engines of growth, noting that 60% of the global population will reside in cities by 2050. He shared updates on 17 completed and 14 ongoing secondary city master plans, including Thatta, which will be finalized within three months.
Sindh Minister for Auqaf, Zakat & Ushr, Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Sheerazi, commended the initiative and emphasized the role of stakeholder engagement for sustainable development.
The seminar was attended by Dr. Imtiaz Bhatti, Director General of Urban Directorate; Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Sheerazi, Sindh Minister for Auqaf, Zakat & Ushr; Faraz Ahmed Abbasi, ADC-II; Aijaz Ali Halepoto, AC Thatta; Ada Muhammad Memon, Chairman Municipal Committee Thatta; Peer Zain-ul-Abdin Jilani, Chairman Town Committee Makli; Zulfiqar Kumbher, Deputy Director Urban Policy; and Dayal Das Rathore, Assistant Director Urban Policy. Officials from Health, Education, Social Welfare, and Local Government departments, along with representatives from NGOs and the media, also participated in the event.
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Dr. Imtiaz Bhatti is a senior civil servant currently serving as the Director General of Urban & Regional Policy and Strategic Planning (DURPSP) at the Planning & Development Board, Sindh. With extensive experience in civil service, academia, and development sectors, he brings a pragmatic approach to governance reform, public finance, and sustainable urban planning.
Dr. Bhatti holds a PhD in Public Policy from The George Washington University, where he specialized in public finance. A Fulbright Fellow, he has also completed advanced training in behavioral insights at the Harvard Kennedy School and was ranked first nationally in the Senior Management Course at the National Institute of Management, Karachi, in 2022.
Under his leadership, DURPSP has advanced critical initiatives, including the approval and notification of comprehensive master plans for 17 secondary cities and the implementation of the European Union-funded Rural Growth Centers (RGC) Project. These efforts aim to address unplanned urban growth and foster integrated development in Sindh.
In addition to his government roles, Dr. Bhatti has contributed to academic discourse as a visiting faculty member at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi, and has worked on development projects with organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, USAID, and the World Bank.
Dr. Bhatti is committed to creating practical and inclusive solutions for urban and regional challenges, focusing on sustainable development and improved governance outcomes in Sindh.
