The Asian Development Bank called for a sustainable model of urbanization, since Pakistan is facing inadequate public services in most of its urban areas, falling quality of life, and deteriorating environment. These problems are even worsened by housing shortages and most acute cases of severe air pollution, particularly in Lahore.

In its report, the ADB advocates for a transition towards an integrated urban planning that will give emphasis to sustainable housing, green infrastructure, and cross-border cooperation to combat air pollution.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has urged Pakistan to change its strategy of urbanization. Poor public services, a degradation of quality of life, and lower economic productivity lessen the advantages of urban growth. According to the ADB report “Pakistan National Urban Assessment: Pivoting towards Sustainable Urbanisation”, the prevailing model of urbanisation reproduces the issues and needs to be replaced with a sustainable urbanisation strategy under which the new model aims at fully exploiting the economic, environmental, and social advantages of agglomeration. It should be based on inclusive planning and evaluation that is sectoral, regional, and time series, by proactive institutions committed to improving the welfare of people in cities through essential public services and infrastructure that would promote growth without adverse social or environmental impacts.

It highlights that future-oriented urban planning should tackle known urban challenges in a multi-sectoral manner to ensure the effective allocation of land, capital, and labor to achieve maximum social, environmental, and economic benefits. The spaces in urban areas must also be redefined to mitigate the adverse inter-sector impacts such as in housing, energy, transport, water, health, education, recreation, social services, and environmental sectors so that cross-sector synergies can be built for mutual benefit.

The ADB suggests that the multi-sectoral knowledge of urban units should be integral in leading this integrated planning style. The report further advises the rising value of land and urban planning to direct public services towards improvement. There should be an increase of public revenue from the rise in land development in a city, and with proper efforts to allocate service cost to the beneficiaries through proper user fees, public service will expand and improve within time.

It calls for liabilities for service from investments made by urban service providers, and social and environmental provisions be included in property development projects to ease the local governments’ fiscal burdens. It advocates for a review of the current land allocation and development approvals to support planned growth for public infrastructure rather than mere responses to unplanned growth. It should arm the Local Government Act with enough authority to enable the local government to take control over the land use and development control.

The ADB report further outlines the fact that the provinces should address the gap created between local government legislation and its implementation. While it is observed that the LGAs in the provinces had devolved some of their municipal service roles to the local governments, provincial governments retained power over funding and staffing matters, which prevented the implementation of effective service delivery for towns.

The report finally presents a set of master planning recommendations for Pakistan focused on vertical mixed-use development and pedestrian-friendly urban spaces that facilitate public and community areas and house all types of commercial, cultural, environmental, and educational activities to contribute to a sustainable and vibrant urban future.

The ADB also recommends that incentives should be provided for investments in high-rise, inner-city regeneration schemes and vertical redevelopment of slums. Policies must convince property developers to invest in low-cost housing, energy efficiency and green spaces to overcome Pakistan’s urban housing deficit. While the demand for urban housing amounts to 350,000 units a year, no more than 150,000 are built each year, putting the deficit as of 2018 at nearly 10 million units. For this reason, 57% of city residents live in informal settlements which are, by definition overcrowded and substandard while single-family housing schemes mushroom in suburban areas and the most luxurious gated communities emerge in city centers.

The severe smog that covered the city of Lahore had an AQI level of 708, many times more than the 50 ppm allowed by WHO, and due to such critical smog conditions in various parts of the city, the government of Punjab initiated “green lockdowns” in affected areas. Under this initiative, construction has been banned; open-air barbecues have been banned; and high-emission vehicles have been regulated. Marriage halls have been made to close early in the evening. While these steps are indicative of intent, air quality experts warn that more comprehensive steps are required to safeguard the residents from the respiratory and cardiovascular risks of such high pollution levels that also affect productivity.

Crop stubble burning is further aggravating the problem of bad air quality. Heavy penalties and arrest cannot deter more farmers from burning crop residues as there are no real alternatives left to them. Subsidized equipment like super seeders for Indian farmers is a step in the right direction. These were not widespread enough nor reasonably priced. The two governments should help make these changes sustainable by equipping these farmers with reasonable-priced kit, training, and good incentives. Another key aspect is the improvement of the infrastructure for monitoring air quality, minimization of the inconsistency in reporting the AQI, and guarantee of compilation of accurate data for effective intervention.

This will increase the green cover in Lahore and more urban forests that will finally give a long-term solution towards air pollution. Switching to clean energy, subsidies on electric vehicles, and even improvement in public transport also would be significant. Along with this, a focused public awareness campaign may further convince people to avoid private car usage and not carry out open-air fires simultaneously to reduce the smog. The crisis demands coordinated action to clear the air for a healthy future for all.

Only through concerted and proactive efforts will the cities of Pakistan realize their full potential, protecting the environment and quality of life of urban dwellers. These include sustainable investments in affordable housing, expanded green spaces, and cleaner energy options; collaborative solutions for air quality management are among the necessary steps toward healthier, more resilient urban centers. In that process, Pakistan’s cities will face a future of sustainable growth in improved well-being through collaboration among local and regional stakeholders on these challenges.