Cities as Engines of Growth Only with Urban Reform
Urban reform is the way to growth. The current bureaucratic control has stifled all investment as well as made barren cities. Chapter 3 of Haque's PIDE reform agenda
Pakistan’s urban areas, rather than fueling economic growth and productivity, are trapped in a vicious cycle of sprawl, congestion, elite capture, and governance fragmentation. Haque’s PIDE provides extensive research and proposes a transformative urban reform agenda that positions cities as centers of innovation, productivity, and democratic governance. It outlines actionable policy recommendations across three core areas: (1) Urban Form and Land Use, (2) Urban Mobility, and (3) Local Government and Institutional Reform.
The Problem: Cities in Decline
Despite urbanization being a global driver of development, Pakistani cities have failed to serve as hubs of opportunity, investment, or productivity. Instead, they face:
Rigid and exclusionary zoning that promotes low-density, single-use car dependent development.
State capture of valuable urban land for elite housing, military cantonments, and bureaucratic use.
Transport systems built for cars, neglecting walkability, cycling, and efficient public transit.
Weak or absent local governments, with most urban decisions made by centralized bureaucracies.
No clear institutional ownership of cities, resulting in fragmented planning and incoherent growth.
This model has led to poor livability, unaffordable housing, pollution, inefficient land use, and underutilized economic potential.
Key Diagnostics
Regulatory Gridlock and Zoning Myopia
Urban land is underutilized due to outdated zoning laws that prohibit mixed-use, dense, or high-rise development.
Government bureaucrats housing at taxpayer expense dominates city centers, crowding out commerce, rentals, and affordable housing.
Planning is conducted without consultation, adaptability, or consideration of urban economic functions.
Transport Prioritizes Steel Over People
Investments in signal-free corridors and flyovers benefit cars, not people.
Pedestrian infrastructure is absent; public transport is fragmented, unsafe, or underfunded.
Car ownership becomes a necessity for mobility, deepening inequality.
Colonial Governance, No Local Autonomy
Bureaucrats, not elected mayors, run cities. Metropolitan governance is non-existent.
Local government elections are irregular and often undone before completing terms.
Provincial control over urban development stifles innovation and responsiveness.
Policy Recommendations
I. Reimagining Urban Land Use and City Design
Modernize Zoning Laws
Legalize high-rise, high-density, mixed-use developments, especially in central districts.
Move away from single-family housing as the dominant urban form.
Remove the acritical 2 floor limitation on construction in cities in most of Pakistan.
Prioritize high-rise, mixed-use construction in city centers.
Recognize that a flat is the main housing unit in city centers like in the rest of the world.
Unlock Public Land for Public Use
Reclaim land from golf clubs, bureaucratic residences, and elite encroachments.
Use this reclamation to develop land with serious construction to develop state and city balance sheets and reduce national debt.
Prioritize public spaces, cultural facilities, and commercial hubs in downtowns.
Flexible, Citizen-Driven Planning
Introduce zoning codes through participatory processes and regular updates.
Create mechanisms for transparent land-use change and redevelopment incentives.
II. Transforming Urban Mobility
Prioritize Walkability and Cycling
Implement pedestrian zones in all major city centers.
Create cycling corridors and public bike-share systems.
Integrate Public Transport
Leverage underused university buses into a city-wide shared transport system.
Introduce GPS tracking, digital ticketing, and app-based scheduling for buses.
Rationalize Parking and Private Vehicle Use
Introduce paid parking systems using smart meters and location-based pricing.
Ban new flyovers/underpasses unless they improve pedestrian mobility.
III. Empowering and Institutionalizing Local Government
Reinstate and Protect Local Governments
Enforce Article 140-A of the Constitution in both letter and spirit.
Make local governments permanent and protected from provincial encroachment.
Elected Metropolitan Mayors
Establish directly elected mayors for large urban centers with full executive powers.
Introduce empowered city councils with oversight and legislative roles.
Fiscal and Administrative Autonomy
Give cities independent budgets and revenue streams (e.g., property tax, congestion charges).
Allow cities to plan their own infrastructure, utilities, and housing projects.
Reform City Bureaucracies
Replace CSS officers in local posts with urban management professionals.
Create independent City Management Authorities to coordinate services and planning.
Expected Benefits
If implemented, this reform package would:
Boost urban productivity and attract investment through better land utilization.
Improve quality of life by reducing commute times, pollution, and sprawl.
Democratize city governance, increasing responsiveness and local innovation.
Make housing more affordable and cities more inclusive across income levels.
Position Pakistani cities to compete globally as centers of commerce and talent.
Conclusion
Pakistan must move beyond the colonial, top-down, and elite-dominated model of urban governance. Cities must be seen not as administrative units but as dynamic engines of growth. The Haque’s Reform Manifesto offers a clear path forward by realigning urban policy around density, diversity, mobility, and local empowerment. This is not merely a matter of urban planning—it is central to Pakistan’s economic revival and democratic deepening.