Sindh’s Imbalanced Urbanization: Seeking Sustenance through Revival of Historic Urban Centres

Abstract

AbstractSindh, Pakistan's second largest province with 30.44 million inhabitants has always been the country's most urbanized region; but its urban population is un-evenly distributed -i.e. 71% concentrating in only three major cities. This imbalanced urban growth is the result of disproportional distribution of development investments through public or private sector establishments. Additionally the natural resources have been mismanaged drastically creating socio-economic disparity, poverty alleviation and urban-rural divide in the region. Seeds of these problems are accredited to colonial period changes; further worsened by latter 20 th century developments transforming the landscape. Lack of participatory community involvement in development processes, insensitive spoliation of natural resources and a disregard for traditional built fabric has resulted in loss of unique historic environments; craving for recognition as invaluable regional resources. This paper seeks to instigate a consciousness towards significance of historic urban centers, identify directions to reinstate their value as historic, economic and environmental assets, and gauge their potentials for a possible revival directed towards restructuring a balanced and sustained urbanization in the region.