Urban Geography of Pakistan's Major Cities

RAO RAMEEZ · #1 Saturday, September 20, 2014

I Invite the urban dwellers of Major cities of Pakistan to discuss the Urban Geography, the development process, urban sprawl, CBD , Suburbia , Shanty towns, which geographical urban model describes their city more etc ...
The local names, ethnic distribution as well...
People from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan , Gujranwala and other emerging cities...Faisalabad,I will discuss my self as well but if somebody else can, he/she is welcome.

RAO RAMEEZ · #2 Saturday, September 27, 2014

Central Business District:-
The First city of Pakistan which started with a plan in 1880’s.
Clock Tower market having 8 bazaars around it ; well planned by British colonizers along with local Sehgals (Previously Khatri Sikhs). Shaped just like a Union Jack , this market is a rosette structure, you reach the tower, no matter from where you enter. This is a well organized area up to 1km square.
It is very beautifully structured. You can see here a University (Asia’s Largest) now, schools, sky scraping buildings of State Bank of Pakistan, HBL, State life , Central Government buildings, D.C office, Police department building,Central Jail, Civil Hospital, Iqbal stadium, Cinemas, Jinnah Recreational Park, Faisalabad’s Institute of Cardiology etc within the vicinity of 2-3 sq km. If you increase the range to 4 sq km you can have more then one universities including Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad University and one of the largest hospitals of Asia, the Allied hospital of Faisalabad.
Urban Sprawl:
After development of Cotton ginning industry, the grain market , Agriculture College (1900’s) etc there was a massive migration to this area leading to unorganized urban settlements (1940’s). Faisalabad was emerging now as the fastest growing city of the region. This lead to a burgeoning population in the west (towards River Chenab) of the CBD, now called (Ghulam Muhammad Abad; One of the largest towns in Asia).
Development of Organized Suburbs:
Such enormously spreading city needed attention then. The Government laid a plan to develop another phase in the East (towards river Ravi). It was the development of People’s Colony separated from the old CBD with Industrial areas and urban settlements. People’s colony 1 was supposed for high class people(_> 20 Marla Plots), People’s Colony no. 2 (10-20 Marla Plots), the middle class and People’s colony no. 3 (less than 10 Marla Plots) for the lower-middle class.
There are bridges separating the older city from the newer one. A central market was established in the middle of People’s Colony 1 and 2 at 5 min distance called D-Ground Market for Upper class people. Another market called “Jhal” developed between People’s Colony 2 and 3 meant for middle and lower-middle class people. There was a central park for every 100 plots in the colonies.
Gated Communities:
Up till 1970’s the newly planned city was quiet and calm despite of its rapidly spreading masses. The First Gated community was of Saigols (Sehgals). There was a cotton mill, a school, market, their own houses and servant quarters. Even a big area was prescribed for shanty land of very poor labourers.
After that Tech town was established on Satyana Road, did not got much popularity until year 2000; then a massive expansion of gated communities took place. Up till now almost 50 well-organized gated communities are there in Faisalabad.
Shanty towns:
There are no proper shanty towns in Faisalabad city like Karachi, Lahore and Hyderabad. Only there are few temporary nomadic settlements comprising 10-20 huts which usually disappear after 1-2 years.
Urban Model:
It some how resembles the Griffin-Ford Model and McGee’s model of South Asian medium sized cities.
Faisalabad is the Pakistan’s fastest growing city. It snatched the status of Hyderabad as a 3rd largest city Pakistan within 20 years. It has seen a growth of 500 percent per annum. It is the second largest economy of Pakistan paralleling Lahore after Karachi.
But the most neglected city in terms of politics and government policies since the formation of Pakistan.

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