Title: A Functional Analysis of Karachi Land Use Plan
Principal Author:
Mohammed Raza Mehdi
Affiliation
Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Engineering, NED University
of Engineering and Technology, Karachi
Address:
Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Engineering and
Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
Phone:
+92 21 9243262 Ext. 2271
Fax:
+92 21 9243255
Email:
razamehdi@yahoo.com
Contact Author:
Mudassar Hassan Arsalan
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor, Institute of Geographical Information System,
National University of Sciences and Technology - Pakistan
Address:
112, Street 37, F-10/1, Islamabad - Pakistan
Phone:
+92 51 9267241 Ext. 123
Fax: +92 51 9267245
Email:
mharsalan@yahoo.com
Co-Author:
Affiliation:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
S. Jamil H. Kazmi
Associate Professor, Department of Geography, University of Karachi
Department of Geography, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
+92 21 9243131 Ext. 2292
Fax: +92 21 9243206
jkazmi@usa.net
ABSTRACT
One of the significant contemporary dimensions of infrastructure
engineering is the quantification and appraisal of different land use
patterns. Such inquiries have largely been few in developing countries
especially in the context of Pakistan. The objective of this study is to
present statistical analysis in a cartographic format through the available
published illustrations disseminated by the concerned public agency.
This paper presents the findings of the development of a statistical and
spatial database on land use functions for the mega-city of Karachi. The
methodological framework for this investigation was based on the
capabilities provided by today’s virtual cartography and Geographic
Information Systems (GIS). The categories of land use outlined by the
former Karachi Development Authority have been scrutinized on the basis
of the socio-economic functional classifications.
Keywords:
Land use, Karachi, Squatter settlements, Geographic Information Systems
(GIS), Urban Systems, Infrastructure Engineering, Socio-economics
INTRODUCTION
Urban land use and infrastructure development are mutually interdependent. As result of
rapid urban growth, mostly in developing countries, little space is reserved for public
space, green space and amenities. This lack of recreational space is another cause of
deteriorating urban quality of life and increasing social instability in developing countries
(Barrow, 1995).
It was once estimated that about 25 percent of the urban population in Pakistan lives in
slums and squatters, “Katchi Abadies” (GOP, 1988). Associated to low quality housing,
increasing poverty, disruption of community cohesion and other declining urban living
conditions are the main public health threats here. Karachi, a diversified functional
cosmopolitan city, is no exception to these universal facts where fragmented, inconsistent
and ill coordinated infrastructure development had been gradually taking place (Khoro
and Mooraj, 1997).
The history of urban growth of the port city is weird. In 1870 the urbanized area of the
Karachi district was 5 mile2 (Pithawalla et al., 1946). The 1972 census report gave the
figure of 112 mile2. The 1974 Master Plan (KDA, 1972) reported the then metropolitan
Karachi as 135 mile2 and the last Karachi Development Plan (KDA, 1991) gives a figure
of 1,360 mile2 for Karachi division. Hasan, et al. (1999) has speculated the rate of urban
land conversion at about 6,780 acres per year.
Objective:
This paper presents the findings of the development of a statistical and spatial database on
land use functions for the mega-polis of Karachi. The methodological framework for this
investigation was based on the capabilities provided by today’s virtual cartography and
Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The categories of land use outlined by the former
Karachi Development Authority have been scrutinized on the basis of the socio-economic
functional classifications.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
It is known that urban land use studies (e.g. Schreiber and Kias, 1983) are designed to
provide basic data on land characteristics and the various activities that occupy land in the
urban area. These data are used in analysing the current patterns of urban land use to
ascertain the character and quality of environment. Land use surveys furnish information
on the use, misuse and non-use of urban land. In planning and zoning studies, it is
essential to know the amount of land use for different purposes.
The available records from the Master Plan and Environmental control department of the
Karachi Development Authority were studied and considered as the basis of land use
information regarding the metropolis. These documents included Land use analysis (MPRP/37) March 1972, KDA; The Karachi Development Plan 1974; and The Karachi
Development Plan 2000, prepared in 1991.
Land use map 2000 (KDA, 1991) was the most recent among the above-mentioned
publications hence it was adapted as the baseline information source for land use
appraisal of this study. Although, it rendered projected figures for year 2000, however,
the ground realities in 2005 have almost over run these projections.
The Cartographic Process
Land use map 2000 (KDA, 1991) i.e. Figure 1 was scanned from the published document
into a digital form and thereafter geo-referenced. The map was projected on Universal
Transverse Mercator (UTM) using first order polynomial and re-sampled with Nearest
Neighbour algorithm. The ground control points (GCPs) were selected from an orthorectified Landsat TM 1998 imagery. In this process, model master data set was projected
on the most appropriate projection for this region of the world:
Projection:
Zone:
Unit:
Ellipsoid:
GCP Source:
Universal Transverse Mercator
42
meter
Everest (Pakistan)
Landsat TM 1998 image
This map was then digitised (vectorised) and finally converted into ESRI Grid format for
further interpretation with the help of ArcView Spatial Analyst. At this stage the map was
ready in the form from which data extraction could be performed.
It was found that the land use zoning maps developed by the Karachi Development
Authority (KDA) were more towards aggregation/approximation and understanding on a
macro scale. A spatial inquiry searching the micro patterns and the changes thereof,
within the metropolitan city, needs an intensive and extensive information gathering
effort requiring human and financial resources.
The categories spelled out in the document were not altered due to logical reasons.
Primarily it was to maintain the relevance of analysis with the original document and to
facilitate in comprehension. In fact this land use map of KDA had considered only the
urban limits of Karachi. Another limitation of the source map was that the KDA had
marked the classes / areas based on the predominant land use of localities.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
Karachi is a cosmopolitan city and having diversified urban functions. This has been
manifested in the resultant categorized information illustrated in Figure 1 and TABLE 2.
These tabular and geographically mapped outcomes can well be considered as valueadded products of this study that will benefit the planners and administrators of the city.
Figure 1
Land Use 2000
Vacant Developed
Burial Ground
New Commercial Centers
Education
Utilities
Commercial
Urban Renew al
Transport Facilities
Recreational
Buffer Areas
Vacant Undeveloped
Flood Plain
Densification Areas
New Industry
Agriculture
Industrial
Unplanned Residential
Low Income Settlements
Schemes to infill
Military Areas
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
2
Area (mile )
KDA, 1991
Figure
These are the formulation of a statistical and geo-referenced database on land use and
functions for the metropolitan city of Karachi. The digital database has opened avenues
for looking at the metropolitan’s land use scenario. If some of these land use classes
outlined by the KDA are grouped together broadly on the basis of their functions,
interesting figures are derived, which are tabulated as under:
Table 2: Land use Groups of KDA defined Categories
Group
Economic
Category
Industrial
Agriculture
New Industry
Commercial
New Commercial Centers
Total
Recreational
Transport Facilities
Infrastructure Utilities
Education
Burial Grounds
Total
Housing
Planned Residential
Schemes to infill
Low Income Settlements
Unplanned Residential
Densification Areas
Urban Renewal
Special
Purpose
Military Areas
Vacant Undeveloped
Buffer Areas
Vacant Developed
Flood Plain
Total
Total
Area
Percent
(mile2)
25.89
7.42
19.67
5.63
18.55
5.31
4.13
1.18
1.89
0.54
70.13 20.08
5.41
1.55
5.22
1.49
3.09
0.89
2.98
0.85
1.24
0.35
17.93
5.13
63.25 18.12
38.18 10.94
31.96
9.15
27.09
7.76
18.47
5.29
4.33
1.24
183.27
52.5
46.87 13.43
6.45
1.85
5.53
1.58
0.73
0.21
18.20
5.21
77.78 22.28
These appraisals of land use in metropolitan Karachi provide legitimate ideas of urban
environmental inquiries. Amongst them, some are presented here, when the whole city is
looked at comprehensive level:

It would be very unfair with the metropolis if it we examine it purely according to
conventional functional classification theories (e.g. Harris, 1943). In fact it has
emerged as a “diversified city” with multi-faceted activities.

In the context of Pakistan, Karachi metropolis may qualify to be placed under the
“Central Place Theory” (Christaller, 1933). The groups of economic and
infrastructure land use themselves indicate that the centrality that is crucial to the
development of urban places, does exist in the light of a very large ‘hinterland’ and
sufficient potential for basic and non-basic goods (e.g. Myrdal, 1967; Friedmann and
Weaver, 1979)
While introducing Karachi earlier, the two Seaports, an International Airport and
rail/highway linkages were earlier discussed. Being a transportation Hub comprising
of around 18 mile2 of infrastructure land use (Table 2), Karachi’s hinterland goes
beyond Afghanistan up to Central Asia (MS Encarta, 2002; Correspondent daily
Dawn, 2002). Therefore, the city has a ‘multiplier’ effect due to the economic
expansion of its own kind (e.g. Friedmann and Weaver, 1979).

Looking at urban morphology, it is observed that the metropolis understudy is
different than the classical and theoretical ‘Concentric zone’ model (Burgess, 1925),
Sector model (Hoyt, 1939) and Multiple nuclei model (Harris and Ullman, 1945).
Reasons for this are deep rooted in Karachi’s history and evolution, as touched upon
in the initial chapters.

Unprecedented huge migration is partially responsible for the mixed and chaotic land
use across the metropolis. Refugee migrations of this kind are the cause of the high
rate of increase in urbanization at Phnom Penh, Hanoi and Da Nang or Karachi
(Scholz, 1983). Secondly, there has been no institutional control of land use due to
weak governance. Moreover, the socio-economic worthlessness of the “urban poor”
of Karachi has contributed to the emergence of many squatter settlements katchi
abadies (Siddiqui, 1998).

Over crowded and poor quality housing may aid the transmission of diseases and
pollution (Barrow, 1995). In Karachi city, at prima facia, for the housing sector,
(Figure 2) the area occupied jointly by Low Income Settlements and Unplanned
Residential comes out to be about 58 mile2 (17% of total urban land use). If these
two poor residential categories are summed up and their share out of the total land for
the housing group is assessed, it is one-third (32 %). Azad et al. (2001) has discussed
the continually changing urban structure, peculiar to Karachi through a case study of
residential neighborhoods being transformed slowly into commercial markets.

It is to be emphasized that the functional agglomeration has put tremendous stress on
housing and settlements. The western concept of a classical CBD is nonexistent as
theoretically defined, due to mixed land use and night residing population all around
the metropolis. This has obviously resulted into a host of manifestations of urban
environmental degradation:

For the investigation of ‘Special Purpose’ group, the combined scenario revealed the
abreast existence of Vegetation and Military areas, flood plain (land use) sparsely
located across the metropolis. The Recreational areas are mostly around or within the
cantonment regions of military. Barrow (1995) had rightly resolved that lack of
recreational space is a cause of deteriorating urban quality of life in developing
countries. Meager area of 5.4 mile2 for recreational land use category (Figure 1) for
the metropolitan population of 9.8 million (GOP, 2000b) is awful. Endeavors to
enhance the recreational landscape in future would definitely contribute to provide
sustainability in environment and development.
Conclusion:
This information set has provided a unique perspective for looking at the land use
scenario of Karachi and the associated socio-economic conditions. The latent causes are
rooted in the socio-economic fabric of the population. The weak governance and frail
institutional controls further aggravate inequitable situation. The effects obviously are the
continually changing urban land use functions peculiar to cities of developing countries
especially of South Asia.
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