The fast growing megacity Karachi as a frontier of environmental challenges: Urbanization and contemporary urbanism issues

Abstract

The megacity Karachi, as a globalized complex, is the business capital of Pakistan and had been the federal
capital until 1958. It is one of the most important cities of the world in terms of population, economic
potential and geo-strategic location. A growing body of infrastructural development during this decade has
thoroughly changed the landscape of the city. The recent development pattern proclaims it as one of the
most fashionable and futuristic global city. On one side, it accommodates more than 539 squatter
settlements and at the same time, the sky scrapers in the city serves as business and technological parks for
the country as a whole. Several researches, supporting authorities and scientists, are focusing on megacities
as unique ecosystems worldwide. Unfortunately, Karachi seems abortive in attracting the focus of the
scientific community. This paper aims to present a synoptic view of this city by highlighting the
contemporary urbanism issues like urbanization trend, environmental quality (physical and built), sociocultural
imbalance, economic settings and urban planning and it is further substantiated with an overview of
geography and administrative skeleton. The rebirth of the city’s landscape (after the administrative
devolution in 2001) has been discussed discretely. An effort has been made to represent explicit urban
indicators which could assist to have a generalized perception about the important elements and
characteristics of the city. However, a major approach is to underline the sensitivity of Karachi as a challenge
for environmental and urban planning and an acute opportunity of research, where the discussion embarks
on the requirement of thorough transdisciplinary approaches to study such urban systems.