New master plan for Karachi to be finalised by August 2026: LG minister

Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani has conceded that there exists no master plan to manage Karachi despite its population running into several million. He stated this on Thursday while speaking as the chief guest at the launch ceremony of the Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047, which is to be prepared by the Sindh local government department and Karachi Development Authority in partnership with international consultants.

Ghani recalled that five master plans had been prepared for Karachi up until now since the pre-partition era, but none of the plans could be implemented for different reasons. He said that a large city like Karachi required a comprehensive master plan. Ghani informed the audience that the Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047 would be prepared by August 2026.

He expressed satisfaction at the fact that all the audience members at the event were keen on contributing to brightening Karachi’s future. He said Karachi was not just the financial hub of the country but also served as an icon of perseverance, diversity and development in Pakistan.

The local government minister informed the audience that the previous master plans for Karachi were prepared in 1923, 1948, 1952, 1974, 1991 and 2007. The last such project was the Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020, which could not be implemented due to various reasons.

He recalled that the Water Commission in 2018 had asked the provincial government to notify the Karachi Strategic Development Plan despite the fact that it could remain enforced only for the next two years.

He said the provincial authorities wanted to ensure that the new master plan for the city remained open to changes. Ghani told the audience that the new master plan had been associated with the year 2047 because that would be the year of the centennial celebrations of Pakistan.

He said work on the new project had been launched in October 2024 and it was likely to be completed within two years. He said the new project had been named Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047 because different stakeholders and agencies kept on sharing their reservations and suggestions for a new master plan for the city. He said that proposals and reforms suggested by different agencies and stakeholders would be incorporated into the new master plan.

He said different political parties that had a stake in the city would also be invited to share their expert opinion on the new master plan for Karachi. He added that concerned civil society representatives and eminent persons from different walks of life would also be consulted for finalising the new master plan for the city.

The local government minister explained that the new master plan would take into account comprehensive housing, transport, climate change, infrastructure, water supply and sewerage requirements for the city as per its increasing population. He expressed the hope that the new master plan would facilitate the planning of the city for the next 20 years.

He expressed the resolve of the provincial government that the new master plan did not favour any particular area, political party or community in the city and it served the needs of the entire Karachi.

He said the new master plan would be finalised in a transparent manner after consulting all the concerned stakeholders. He said the project would have historical importance for the city, province and country as it would help make Karachi a modern metropolitan city meeting all the international urban standards.