1 AIT Asian Institute of Technology

A critique of the government program for the improvement and regularization of Katchi Abadis in Karachi, Pakistan, with recommendations for new policies

AuthorShaikh, Ahmed Saeed
Call NumberAIT Thesis no.HS-92-28
Subject(s)Squatter settlements--Pakistan--Karachi
NoteA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science, School of Engineering and Technology
PublisherAsian Institute of Technology
Series StatementThesis ; no. HS-92-28
AbstractKarachi, with a 1992 population of 8.2 million is characterized by a dominant urban conflict . There is little or no land development or allocation by the government that is affordable by the urban poor. One of the consequence of this condition is the development and .spread of Katchi Abadis where more than 80% of the low income households lived in a state of permanent insecurity. The Katchi Abadi Improvement and Regularization Program (KAIRP) has addressed the issue since 1973 and formed the principal initiative to provide legal security and improvement to katchi abadis. Despite the explicit policies both at national and provin cia l levels KAIRP has not been able to achieve the desired results in terms of improvement, regularization and to limit the further growth of katchi abadis. The study focuses upon the social, physical and economical changes in squatter settlement with the positive change in their legal status. It presents the review and a na lysis of government policies towards squatter settlements' upgrading in the context of its efficiency to reach the target group. From the field work undertaken in five squatte r settlements with different status, the results determine that people associate much importance to security of tenure for the physical development and there is no such pressure of displacement to katchi abadi residents. In the presence of loopholes in laws acquisition of lease is not a high priority provided that it is made convenient to acquire. KAIRP ana l ysis suggests that the regularization policy is incompatible for the target group, institutional arrangement are inefficient with no community participation and the decisions are politically influenced. Aforesaid situation finds its reasons in a combination of social and economic situation , institutional responses and above all political advocacies that prevails. Unless the is a political will, substantial leases are issued and a limit is observed on the expansion of katchi abadis wit hout further delay; the mere announc ement of regularization a nd improvement would never deliver the conceptualized benefits . Institutional and legislative changes are the pre-requis ites to enable the proposed strategy. It is therefore recommended to reinforce the basic assumptions of the Present Katchi Abadi Regularization Program by restructuring the elements of its current operations . to help the katchi abadis to integrate within the total urban framework and readjust them to the social system .
Year1992
Corresponding Series Added EntryAsian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. HS-92-28
TypeThesis
SchoolSchool of Engineering and Technology (SET)
DepartmentDepartment of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE)
Academic Program/FoSHuman Settlement (HS)
Chairperson(s)Yap Kioe Sheng;
Examination Committee(s)Weber, K. S. ;Archer, R. W.;
Scholarship Donor(s)Canadian International Deve lopment Agency (CIDA);
DegreeThesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology


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