Written by: Hammad Husain
Posted on: November 19, 2024 | 
The panelists of the session 'Urban Dialogues' at the Islamabad Literature Festival 2024, along with the guests.
A discussion session on the urban issues facing Islamabad was held on the final day of the Islamabad Literature Festival, titled Urban Dialogue: Decoding Islamabad’s Dynamics. The panelists included architects Naeem Pasha, Sikander Ajam Khan, Fauzia Asad Khan, and Hammad Husain. The session was moderated by architect Hamid M. Hussain.
Moderator, Hamid Hussain
The panelists raised several pertinent issues, covering topics such as the role of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), revisions to the city’s master plan, zoning regulations, parking problems, traffic congestion (both vehicular and pedestrian), public transportation, and water supply.
Naeem Pasha began the discussion by highlighting that the Islamabad Master Plan was not implemented as originally envisaged by Greek planner Constantin Doxiadis. He attributed this deviation to undue interference from bureaucrats in the DMG group and CSP officers. Pasha, pointed out that in the 1970s, the CDA shifted its focus from being a development agency to becoming a real estate agency. This shift, he argued, led to real estate prices in Islamabad rising to levels comparable to those in Tokyo and New York.
(L to R) Moderator Hamid M. Hussain with panelists Naeem Pasha, Sikander Ajam Khan, Fauzia Asad Khan and Hammad Husain
He also discussed the swelling workforce within the CDA. He explained that funds generated from opening new sectors were used to cover the salaries of the overburdened CDA staff. In an effort to raise additional funds, the CDA began leasing sectors to private entities, such as the Police Foundation, which contributed to the expansion of housing societies on the outskirts of Islamabad. Pasha shared a personal anecdote from his early days in the CDA's Architecture Directorate in the early 1970s. He recalled how they proposed the construction of multi-story parking facilities in the Blue Area, Islamabad's main commercial hub. However, their request was rejected by the CDA management, who dismissed it, saying, “You young professionals are too idealistic. This is a poor country. Who would need a car here that you are asking for more parking spaces?”
Mr Naeem Pasha further noted that the CDA, without any proper planning, had increased the allowable built-up area on residential plots from 60% to 90%, which led to higher population density in the city. This, in turn, created significant challenges in several areas, including water supply, sewage, traffic and parking.
Architect Sikander Ajam Khan
Sikander Ajam Khan provided some historical context, explaining that in 1959, President Ayub Khan decided to shift Pakistan’s capital from Karachi to Islamabad, designating it as an administrative city. The Greek planner Doxiadis was hired to design the city, with funding from the Ford Foundation, a US-based car manufacturer. As a result, Doxiadis designed Islamabad as a “car-centric” city.
Mr Ajam Khan explained that Islamabad was planned as a linear city, with expansion toward the new Islamabad airport to the west, and that the master plan was to be revised every 20 years. He also noted that Rawalpindi was meant to be integrated into the master plan. He quipped, “Islamabad is 906 square kilometers of real estate. That’s what it is. Those who come into power keep dishing out plots, and that’s how the CDA makes money.”
He added that the population of Islamabad had grown from 1 million in 2017 to 2.3 million in 2024. Most of the population growth, however, had occurred in the rural areas of Islamabad, where CDA services are virtually non-existent, in stark contrast to the amenities available in urban Islamabad.
Hammad Husain responded to Sikander Ajam’s observation about Islamabad being originally designed as a car city by highlighting that it is our colonial hangover that has resulted in class-based segregation. He explained that the plan for a Metro bus system was opposed by car owners, who did not want dedicated lanes for public transport, which were intended to benefit those without cars.
Architect Fauzia Asad
Fauzia Asad Khan emphasized that housing societies had proliferated around Islamabad without any oversight, as there was no regional master plan in place. She also raised the critical issue of water scarcity, pointing out that the CDA had failed to provide adequate water to meet the needs of the growing population. She suggested that water reuse strategies be implemented on a city-wide scale.
Fauzia also spoke about the need to revisit building bylaws. She proposed reducing the footprint on residential plots and allowing for a third story, so that more space could be dedicated to greenery and landscaping.
In response to a question from the moderator, Hamid Hussain, about potential solutions to Islamabad’s parking problems, Fauzia suggested that paid parking should be introduced in public areas of the city, as is common in many Western countries.
Hammad Husain shared an example from 2015 when the mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, Enrique Peñalosa, was invited to Pakistan. Peñalosa had transformed Bogotá from a car-dominated city into one that prioritized equal opportunities for all its citizens. During his visit, Peñalosa remarked that Pakistani cities were designed for the 5% of car owners, stating, “The Pakistani Constitution says that all citizens are equal. If all citizens are equal, then a bus carrying 80 passengers should have the right to 80 times more space than a car with only one person. This is basic democracy.”
Architect Hammad Husain
Hammad also spoke about the success of the Metro bus system, which had initially faced opposition from Islamabad’s car-owning elites. He pointed out that the Metro now serves 150,000 commuters daily, who travel between Rawalpindi and Islamabad on comfortable, air-conditioned buses. Previously, these commuters had to change between three different public transport vehicles to reach their destinations, significantly increasing their travel time.
Hammad also discussed the issue of class segregation in Islamabad, using the example of street names. In high-end sectors, streets are referred to as “streets,” while in lower-income areas, they are called “galis” (the Urdu term for a street). He highlighted the lack of proper walkways and footpaths in the city, making it difficult for pedestrians to move between points A and B. He attributed this neglect to the class divisions within the city, noting that the decision-makers are typically car owners, not pedestrians.
The session concluded with an engaging question-and-answer segment.
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