Pakistan is the most urbanised nation in South Asia. But there are issues with the idea of urbanisation, as well as other difficulties related to the experience of urbanisation. The basic issue, as indicated in the initial study, is that there is no specific definition of urbanisation in the census data. The Census defines “urban” in a very narrow sense. It is assumed that everything else is rural. As a result, the number of people who live in cities is vastly overestimated. The census, particularly after 1981, makes reference to administrative borders rather than relying on study that is supported by evidence. Academic predictions suggest that up to 50% of us live in metropolitan areas. Since urbanisation is a major force behind political change in Pakistan, it is crucial to reconsider this concept. The phenomenon of urbanisation impacts how the state and its inhabitants interact politically and how they exercise their political rights. In terms of resource allocation and revenue base estimation, it is also significant. Invest in Capital Smart City.
- Economic Growth and Inequality
Pakistan has the highest rate of urbanisation in South Asia, according to the United Nations Development Program, with 36.4% of the population residing in cities. By 2025, the United Nations projects that roughly half of the population would reside in urban areas. According to projections, cities will produce almost 80% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). 55 percent of Pakistan’s GDP is produced in urban areas. Multidimensional poverty is frequently lower in cities than in rural areas. On the other side, problems with wealth inequality and restricted access to resources like water, jobs, and housing are getting worse in all of the nation’s main cities. The issues are made worse by the government’s and city planners’ concentration on economic growth.
- Transportation
The only megacity lacking a comprehensive public transit network is Karachi. Meanwhile, it is anticipated that since 2000, the cost of private transportation has increased by more than 100%. Those who are unable to commute are compelled to live in squalid inner-city neighbourhoods. Increasingly specialised transportation has caused notable bottlenecks on major roads. The response from the government resulted in the upgrading of numerous metropolitan roads. However, Pakistan lacks or has encroached upon the infrastructure necessary for the most common modes of transportation, such as bicycle lanes and pedestrian routes. Although 40% of all trips in Lahore include walking, women’s mobility in urban Pakistan is also constrained. In Karachi, almost 85% of working women experienced harassment in 2015, according to an ADB report.
- Health
While child mortality and malnutrition indices imply that Pakistan’s urban poor have just slightly better health than the country’s rural poor, urban inhabitants in Pakistan do have better overall health and nutrition than rural populations. Better health outcomes in cities are explained by improved access to private health care in urban areas. Except for vaccinations, however, vital public health services are underutilised in urban settings. Fast urbanization-related pollution has a direct impact on unfavourable health outcomes. According to the WHO, Karachi is the most polluted city in Pakistan, with air that is twice as bad as that of Beijing. The major cities of Punjab have pollution levels that are three to four times greater than what the UN considers safe. Buy plots in Lahore Smart City
- Education
In Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar, 10% of all children do not attend school, despite senior student attendance and superior learning outcomes in municipal areas. Cities have better education because of the private sector, as is the case with healthcare. Children enrolled in urban private schools climbed from 25% to 40% between 2001 and 2014. In addition, it seems that the size of a city and public education are unrelated. In small cities, 35% of all pupils between the ages of 5 and 9 attend government schools. In major cities, the proportion drops to 22%. The persistent need for private schools in urban areas is a sign of the poor caliber of public institutions. While drinking water and restrooms are provided at every private school in Lahore, only roughly 12% of government schools do.
Conclusion
Agglomeration economies are one of the many positive impacts of urbanisation. The “unintended benefits” of workers and businesses locating close to one another in urban areas include increased productivity and the development of jobs, particularly in the manufacturing and service sectors. Pakistan’s Vision 2025, a national goal to achieve inclusive and long-term economic growth, accords cities a significant value in terms of policy. Invest in Blue World City
Author Bio
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Hamna Siddiqui is a content writer for Sigma Properties. She loves traveling with a great fashion sense, and you will see the reflection of her creativity in her writing. With marketing majors, Hamna understands the details of the niche.
