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AResolution was passed in a Seminarorganized by Shehri-CBEthat clearly indicates some fundamentalcrisis in urban developmentin Karachi. Relevant excerpts arequoted below:Having gathered here today, 16 thJune 2011, at the Auditorium of theIEP, Karachi, to examine:l The Sindh High Density DevelopmentBoard Act 2010, andl The Sindh High Density DevelopmentBoard (Rules & Procedures)2011We citizens (engineers, architects,town-planners, environmentalists,economists, other professionals, activistsand concerned members ofthe public) express our disappointmentand dismay at the legislationand rules that have been passed byour parliamentary and governmentrepresentatives allegedly for thebenefit of the city and its residents.The relevant issues include:1) The recommendations made byWhile the development of a HighDensity Zone in itself is somethingquite normal for a large urban settlement,the history and practice ofdisregarding the relevant social andenvironmental consequences andlack of transparency of major urbandevelopment projects in Karachiand in the province generally hasmade the citizens wary of the likelyCitizens protest!leading professionals of Karachi inthe lead up to these legislation/ruleshave been entirely set aside or dilutedbeyond recognition.2) While purporting to “identifyand earmark the high-density zonesin the urban centers of the cities ofthe province, in consultation withthe utility agencies, keeping in viewthe general principles of the MasterPlan” (extract from the Act 2010),the legislation and rules have onlybeen simplistically and crudelyamended to permit:a) enhanced building sizes on existingplots (up to twelve timesmore)b) amalgamation of plots (up to anysize)c) commercialization of residentialpropertiesd) elimination of set-backs (requiredfor ventilation and sunlight penetration),ande) inadequate parking facilitiesadverse consequences should sucha plan is put into practice. Maybe adiscussion and focus on climatechange and an urban heat island effectcan provide an appropriate contextfor stimulating discussionregarding this government decision.3) The corresponding strengtheningof the utility services, and expansionof the physical and social infrastructure(which will not be so simpleto implement) has beendisregarded. The implication on therest of the city has been overlooked,and the poorer sections of societyhave been forgotten4) Such over-exploitation of thecity will convert what is left into aconcrete jungle, and destroy the socialfabric. Amenity plots all over thecity are being ruthlessly grabbed byencroachers today, while the governmentlooks on silently. Utilities(water, gas, electricity) are becomingscarcer with each passing day, trafficchaos is multiplying, law and orderis deteriorating and pollution willsoon overwhelm us. Protests, publicriots and violence are increasing.5) It is imperative that planningmust be realistic, simple, and in linewith our countries resources, bothphysical and human. While imitatingthe developed countries is fashionable,we must try for the possible.transportAutomobile load on the roads is increasingwith more emphasis on theuse of private vehicle. During 1990to 2008, the observed growth in vehiclesis comparatively greater thanthe population growth. There were1,113,000 registered vehicles inKarachi in 2002 and 8,420,000 registeredvehicles in 2007. During thisshort time period, we saw the regulargrowth in vehicles. The observed45