The provincial government has announced to grant ownership rights to the inhabitants of slum areas. The initiative aims to benefit hundreds and thousands of such residents. This step is a part of the continuous efforts of the government to facilitate the living standards of the common man.
According to World Bank data, in Pakistan, about 46% of the urban population lives in informal settlements or “Katchi Abadis”. About 8 million people live in slum settlements in Karachi, whereas Lahore has 1.7 million inhabitants in informal and squatter settlements. The affordable housing crisis has led to informal settlements in most urban areas. The settlements are created on a makeshift basis and do not have a solid foundation. They have poor sanitation and often no supply of municipal services, including an adequate sewerage system and water and energy supply.
The current government is trying to achieve a slum up-gradation system as they must be integrated into the existing urban structure. Excessive informal settlements will create a problem if they are not accepted or integrated properly. The transformation of the settlements will make them livable for the lower-income groups to achieve social cohesion and economic resilience in the face of the mass urbanisation crisis. In this regard, developers and real estate officials need to focus their products and services on the low- and middle-income demographic because they constitute the greatest demand in the housing market.
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