REVIEW OF HOUSING CONDITIONS IN PAKISTAN IN URBAN AND RURAL

AREAS

INTRODUCTION OF HOUSING

Housing and healthy living environment are basic human needs which have far-reaching social
implications. In addition to providing shelter to human beings, proper housing has important
bearing on national health, educational attainment, work performance, and, most significantly,
the upbringing of children. Furthermore, physical features of housing, like type of construction
and the habitation density level, also have implications of demographic significance. In general,
the provision of adequate housing facilities is an integral part of any meaningful programmed of
economic development. Also, environmental and residential factors interfere with a "primitive"
style of life, and particularly affect the determination of infant and child mortality rates. It is
obvious, therefore, that among basic necessities housing should have a high priority. . Housing
conditions in Pakistan, in terms of both quantity and quality, are generally poor. In common with
other developing countries, housing and living conditions in Pakistan show over-crowding,
congestion and non-availability of various housing facilities to a large proportion of households
as their salient features.

An overview of housing conditions in Pakistan for the 1960-1980 period reveals some disturbing
features. Throughout this period, housing conditions have been very congested and low in
quality. A relatively low rate of housing growth, coupled with a higher rate of population growth,
produces high habitation density levelswhich have been deteriorating over time. A large housing
shortage has resulted, which is particularly acute in the rural areas.

Significance:

The housing situation in Pakistan is characterized not only by a significant shortage of housing
units but also by the low quality of housing units evidenced by the preponderance of kutcha
housing units, and a lack of such fundamental facilities as electricity for lighting purposes,
supply of safe and hygienic water for drinking and domestic purposes, kitchens, baths and toilets.
The comparatively higher habitation density level of kutcha housing units than of pucca-kutcha
or pucca housing units exacerbates the overall livingconditions. Housing conditions are better in
the urban areas than in the rural areas in terms of the overall availability of basic housing
facilities. Among the four provinces, Sind, on the average,is better provided with fundamental
housing facilities as a result of higher rate of urbanization. The high population growth rate in
Pakistan, which far exceeded the rate of housing onstruction, has produced a large housing
shortage. This housing shortage largely affects the lower-income groups. The ability of this
affected segment of population to help itself through the means of private capital is obviously
constrained. Therefore, the role of public sector in ameliorating the housing deficiency assumes
great significance. The allocation of development funds for housing and physical planning in
each of the five-years plans has been extremely insufficient relative to needs. Although the
allocation has been steadily increasing over time, its proportion to total public-sector
development allocations has been . steadily decreasingsince the second five-year plan.
Moreover,the bias of the government agencies dealing in loans and plots works against the
lower-income groups so that the acute housing problems faced by the low-income groups
remains largely unsolved. The process of rapid urbanization and, especially, the escalating prices
of housing materials are two other dominant factors which contribute to the worsening of
housing problem in Pakistan. This latter factor limits the capacity of a considerable proportion of
the familiesin Pakistan to finance the construction of even a moderate habitable shelter.

Eman Ibrar

Housing condition in Pakistan:

Existing housing stocks do not meet national needs, and demands for housing have far outpaced
the ability of the economy to produce more living space. Sufficient housing, in fact, has not
traditionally been a high priority of the government, although in 1987 it did establish a National
Housing Authority with the goal of developing housing units for the country’s burgeoning low-
income population. However, such attempts were abandoned in the 1990s for want of adequate
resources. In 2001 a National Housing Policy was approved to review the status of nationwide
housing and to identify sources of revenue, land availability, incentives to developers and
contractors, and the conditions needed to make construction cost-effective.
There are three general classes of housing in Pakistan: 

pukka houses, built of substantial material such as stone, brick, cement, concrete, or

timber; katchi (or kuchha [“ramshackle”]) houses, constructed of less-durable material (e.g.,
mud, bamboo, reeds, or thatch); and semi-pukka houses, which are a mix between the two.
Housing stocks comprise an equal number of semi-pukka and katchi houses (about two-fifths
each), and remaining houses (roughly one-fifth of the total) are the better-variety pukka houses.
Urban areas are dominated by ramshackle neighborhoods’ known locally as katchi abadis, which
can be found in all cities. In such unplanned and unregulated areas, safe drinking water and
proper sanitation are rare (as they are in rural areas), and the buildings themselves are often
flimsy and unsafe. Throughout the country, roughly half of all urban residents live in such areas.

Pakistan’s housing problem increased dramatically with the devastating 2005 earthquake in the
northern regions, where more than half a million houses were destroyed or severely damaged
over a vast area. The Pakistani government quickly established the Earthquake Reconstruction
and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), which received funding from the World Bank and a large
number of other sources. In addition to constructing new earthquake-resistant houses and
reinforcing existing structures, the ERRA is repairing roads and other infrastructure in the
region. Massive floods in 2010 destroyed or damaged an estimated 1.7 million houses, forcing
millions of Pakistanis to move to temporary shelters.

Inadequate housing is housing that is in poor condition or situated in a high density area: Damp –
growth of molds. Overcrowding – too many people to a room, reduces privacy. Draughty.
Unsafe – need repairs, electrical faults.

Pakistan is the seventh most populous country in the world. According to the 2017 Census, its
population is 207.7 million and has grown at the rate of 2.4% per year in the intercensal period.
Its urban population, on the other hand, has grown at the rate of 2.7% per year during the same
period and is estimated at 75.5 million.

The urban housing demand in Pakistan is 350,000 units. Of this 62% is for lower income groups,
25% for lower middle income groups, and 10% for higher and upper middle income groups. The
formal supply per year is 150,000 units. The unmet demand is taken care of by the creation of
informal settlements of two kinds one, occupation and subdivision of government land (katchi
abadis) and two, by the informal subdivision of agricultural land (ISALS) on the periphery of the
urban settlements. In the last two decades, however, the demand is increasingly being met by
densification of existing low and lower middle income settlements.

Ayesha kausar

Classes of housings in Pakistan

Housing in Pakistan has always been insufficient due to a growing population and accelerated by
urbanization combined with the housing problem being low-priority in the eyes of the
government. There are at least three general classes of housing in Pakistan:
 Pucca houses
 Katcha
 Semi-Pukka houses
Housing stocks comprise an equal number of semi-pukka and katchi houses (about two-fifths
each), and remaining houses (roughly one-fifth of the total) are the better-variety pukka houses.
Urban areas are dominated by ramshackle neighborhoods known locally as katchi abadis, which
can be found in all cities. In such unplanned and unregulated areas, safe drinking water and
proper sanitation are rare (as they are in rural areas), and the buildings themselves are often
flimsy and unsafe. Throughout the country, roughly half of all urban residents live in such areas.

Types:
There are three main general classes and types of housing.
 Pucca houses
 Katcha houses
 Semi-Pukka houses

Pucca Houses:
The term pucca means "solid" and "permanent". Pucca housing (or pucca or pacca) refers
to dwellings that are designed to be solid and permanent. This term is applied to housing in
South Asia built of substantial material such as stone, brick, cement, concrete, or timber . Pucca
homes are typically made of concrete, stone, clay tiles and/or metal, in contrast to older homes
made of mud and organic material. These building methods are more costly and labor-intensive
than the more traditional building methods.

Pucca houses are sometimes built to replace homes damaged by natural disasters. The
permanency of pucca materials and techniques inevitably makes it less easy to adjust the house
to the needs and habits of the occupants, and the relationship between house and occupants
becomes more rigid, more fixed. These houses are well planned. These houses are durable and
are thus called pucca houses.
Example:
Apartments, Manors, Bungalows, Mansions etc

Types of Pucca Houses:

There are two kinds of pucca buildings: those that are built by individuals and those that are
constructed by companies. If you build your own house, you can call it your own personal pucca
house. This type of residence is good because you can make changes depending on what kind of
house you want. For example, you can add on to it or replace parts of it with newer models.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

Advantages:
The advantages of pucca houses are as:
 Pucca houses are permanent.
 Pucca houses will last for many years.
 Pucca houses will be not destroyed by huge winds.
Disadvantages:
The disadvantages of pucca houses are as:
 It will be very hot.
 Sometimes the conccrete will be broken.
 Sometimes water will leak.

Kutcha Houses:
A kind of house, where the walls are made up of bamboo, mud, grass, reed, stones, thatch, straw,
leaves and unburnt bricks, are known as kutcha or kachcha houses. These are not permanent
structures or pucca houses like flats or buildings or even semi pucca houses. Kutcha houses or
temporary houses examples are usually seen in rural areas or in cities where workers choose
make-shift homes. Investment in a pakka house is expensive, which is why the poor opt for
kutcha houses.

These houses are considered need-based houses and then they can be built into more permanent
structures. The materials used for kutcha houses are natural, and thus are not able to prevent the
infiltration of the environment, but they serve the purpose of sheltering those who live within
them.
Example:
Kutcha houses are made up of wood, mud, straw and dry leaves. Caravan, tent and
houseboats are examples of temporary houses.
Types of Kutcha Houses:
Depending upon the material used, kutcha houses may look different from each other. However,
they constitute a semi-permanent or temporary accommodation, running the risk of destruction
owing to floods, cyclones, earthquakes and other natural disasters and security threats due to
crime.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

Advantages:
Kutcha houses, especially those made of mud, have several significant benefits and hence, are
preferred by people in rural areas.

 Cost effective: Constructing pucca houses or even semi pucca houses would require more
resources and most people cannot afford them. The cost of repairing kutcha houses is also
lesser than pucca houses that make it more affordable.
 Provides Insulation: Kutcha houses, because of the raw materials used, provide thermal
insulation. Thus, they keep the interiors warm during cold winters and people can avoid
installing heaters.
 Biodegradable: Kutcha houses are eco-friendly and biodegradable, since these houses use
natural materials like clay, hay and other items. They do not cause pollution as they do not
use artificial items like plastics, chemical paints, etc.

Disadvantages:
Disadvantages of kutcha houses are as:

 Unstable: Kacha houses are unstable as compared to pucca house or even semi pucca
house and can be broken or damaged easily by floods, storms or other natural disasters.
 Non-durable materials: Kutcha houses need to be repaired often, because they are
made of materials that wear off very easily. For example, the kacha house dwellers may need
to replace the thatched roofs of repair other parts of the house that do not last long.

Semi-Pucca House:
A house that has fixed walls made up of pucca material but the roof is made up of the material
other than those used for pucca houses. Semi pucca house roofs are generally made of hay, while
their exterior walls are built with concrete.
It has evolved as villagers have acquired the resources to add elements constructed of the durable
materials characteristic of a pukka house, Its architecture has always evolves organically as the
needs and resources of the local people residing in the specific region.
The characteristic feature of semi pukka houses are that these houses has walls made from pukka
material such as brick in cement/lime mortar, stone, clay tile but the roof construction is done in
the kacha way using Thatch, bamboo etc as the principal material of construction. Construction
of these houses employs less manual labor than that of the pukka houses.
Aruha and Alima Adeel

Rural areas and development strategies of rural areas

Rural areas

rural area is an area of land outside the densely populated urban areas in a town or city. Rural
areas are traditionally areas not included in the urban definition, and are usually large, open areas
with few houses and few people, as opposed to urban areas which have larger population.

In rural areas people live further away from one another and the distances between their homes
and businesses are greater. The primary industry in most rural areas is agriculture and most
people live or work on farms or ranches. Small settlements including villages, hamlets or small
towns are often surrounded by rural areas. Wildlife is also much more common in rural areas due
to the lack of people and buildings.
Rural development

The rural sector is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. The performance of agriculture is tied
up with the well being of rural population. Rural poverty remains high, with low level of quality
of life indicators. The positive features include the emergence of empowered local governance
and greater funds availability under Tameer-e-Pakistan Programme and wider spread of the
Khushal Pakistan Programme. In the past, public sector initiatives in the rural areas were
hampered due to a lack of strong and broad institutional base at the local level, and absence of
participatory process in local development. With the implementation of the devolution plan,
these issues are beginning to be addressed but considerable capacity building is required.
However, deficiencies remain in the provision of basic infrastructure and social services in rural
areas.
Rural development actions are mainly and mostly to development aim for the social and
economic development of the rural areas. Rural development is the process of improving the
products life and economic well-being of people living in fairly isolated and sparsely used areas.
Rural development has traditionally centered on the exploitation associated with land-intensive
natural resources for example agriculture and forestry.

Rural development strategies

For development of rural areas, a holistic approach will be adopted for rural development with
local governments in the lead role, supported by the provincial and federal governments, with the
following focus

- Enhancing the asset ownership of the poor by improving access to land, water and livestock.

- Enhancing activities in the non-farm sector, including agro-processing, provision of agricultural

inputs and supply of basic consumer goods and services.

- Identifying new sources of growth that will increase incomes of rural population.

- Facilitating private sector participation and involvement in value addition of agricultural

products.

- Promoting rural industrialization, including “One Village, One Productmovement.

- Deepening and intensifying market development, including input, output and rural financial
markets.Household food security.

- Provision of rural infrastructure including rural roads, clean drinking water supply and
sanitation, education and health facilities and village electrification.

- Human capitalion development.

- Wider participation of rural population in the development of their communities through their
own associations/organizations together with local government.
- Capacity building of rural development institutions. Some aspects of rural development
strategy are elaborated below.

Ayesha ilyas

Introduction of urban area

Urban areas are very developed, meaning there is a density of human structures such as houses,
commercial buildings, roads, bridges, and railways.

Definition of urban area:

"Urban area" can refer to towns, cities, and suburbs. An urban area includes the city itself,
as well as the surrounding areas”

An urban area is an area where many people live and work close together. The population
density is higher than in the surrounding area. It is where buildings are close together. Urban is
the opposite of rural, where farm lands and nature are.

What are the features of urban areas?

Characteristics of Urban Community

 Large size and high density of population.

 Heterogeneity: Urban population is heterogeneous.
 Anonymity.
 Mobility and transiency.
 Formality of relations.
 Social distance.
 Regimentation.
 Segmentation of personality.

Importance of the urban sector in housing:

A second and, in some cases, third generation of slum dwellers is growing up in Pakistan's urban
areas. These people have a high level of awareness, higher literacy rates than the rest of the
country, and possess none of the pioneering spirit that brought their families to the urban areas.
Differences between the planned areas and the slums are very marked, especially in relation to
tenure security and the availability of services. The urban unrest in Karachi, for instance, is
attributed by social scientists to these issues. It is felt, therefore, that urban housing should take
precedence over rural housing.

Urban Development:

In recent years, urban population has been growing at the rate of 2.9 percent annually, among
others, due to rural-urban migration and influx of illegal entrants and Afghan refugees. With
increasing contribution of the urban economy to national development, the management of urban
areas, particularly the metropolitan areas and the megacities of Karachi and Lahore, will play a
key role in the country’s economic development in the decades ahead. This urban growth will
take place in a period of major economic and technological change, dominated by the emerging
global economy, a revolution in information technology and an increasing emphasis on market-
based decision making. These new external influences mean that the country’s metropolitan
areas such as Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Gujranwala, Hyderabad and Quetta,
and the megacities of Karachi and Lahore will have to enhance their urban management
capabilities and improve integrated development of urban infrastructure and services to provide a
better quality of life for their residents.

The urban centres in Pakistan are characterized by haphazard growth, congestion, pollution and
unplanned expansion, including settlements along major national highways adjacent to
metropolitan areas. This has put increasing burden on an already inadequate infrastructure and
contributed to environmental problems including traffic congestion and pollution problems
associated with inadequate provision of water supply, sanitation, drainage, solid waste
management, and urban flood protection. The situation has been further compounded by the lack
of an integrated urban development approach. The inefficiencies in urban services and urban
management have resulted in a higher cost for businesses, slowed urban based economic growth,
and led to increased crime, violence and social unrest. The MTDF recognizes the key role of
urban areas in contributing to accelerated national growth and productivity by making them more
efficient and competitive, among others, through an integrated urban development approach,
enhanced urban planning and management capabilities, and strengthened public-private
partnerships.

Urban Issues:

As a result of inadequate attention to spatial planning at the national, provincial and local levels,
urbanization phenomena and urban development are not being addressed comprehensively. With
indiscriminate conversion of the rich agricultural land for urban uses, there has been haphazard
growth around big cities and along national highways. Most of the cities in the country are
dominated by areas of poor housing, inadequate infrastructure and social services and poor
transport, with a large proportion of the residents living in KachiAbadis or informal settlements.
In large cities in particular, the problem of high land values is one of the biggest constraints on a
poor family’s ability to acquire shelter. There is considerable urban poverty, with over 20 per
cent of the urban residents classified as poor. The causes of urban poverty include high cost of
land, long journeys to work, exposure to greater environmental risk, and greater vulnerability to
changes in market conditions in urban areas.

Conditions of urban poverty have been worsened by the speed and scale of urbanization in the
country, with which the municipal agencies have not been able to keep pace. The urban
environmental conditions in the country have worsened with increase in health problems
resulting from poor air quality, water-related diseases, malnutrition, exposure to toxic
substances, and industrial and vehicle-generated pollution. The environmental problems in cities
include depletion and contamination of water resources, flooding, land contamination and air
pollution. A substantial increase in investments in urban areas will be required to provide for
renewing existing infrastructure and providing new infrastructure as urban population increases.
Without sustained high levels of expenditures in communications, energy, water supply, and
sanitation, among others, cities will become increasingly inefficient and unpleasant places to live
and work. Accordingly, increasingly attention would be required on urban finance with overhaul
of the local financial management systems, user charges, initiatives to attract private capital, and
tapping the local capital and bond markets. Most of the local governments in the country lack the
required skills to manage growth, provide urban services, and maintain infrastructure.
Comprehensive institutional strengthening and capacity building of local governments is
required to enhance urban management systems, among others, through technology and
automation (e.g., computerization, geographical information systems, and other tools) and
increasingly adopting tools from the private sector. Better vertical coordination between the
federal, provincial and local governments would also be increasingly essential for integrated
urban development.

Urban Development Strategy:

The strategy will be to adopt an integrated urban development approach for urban infrastructure
development, enhance urban planning and management capacity, and strengthen public-private
partnerships. Particular attention would be given to metropolitan and megacities economic
development strategy to improve land supply and services, transport and communication links,
information systems, and labour markets. Setting up of the industrial estates will be linked up
with medium and small-town development and establishment of new towns.
These towns with growth potential would be identified through comprehensive spatial planning
at the national and provincial level and provided with necessary infrastructure and self-contained
utilities and ancillary facilities, including common technology support centres. Industrial
corridors and specialized industrial and other estates will be set up along the motorways,
expressways and railways

TWO SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS

The Hyderabad Development Authority's (HDA):

Incremental Housing Scheme (Khuda-kiBasti) In the Khuda-ki-Basti (KKB) scheme, the HDA,
following the example of the informal sector, has been able to provide unsubsizided land to the
urban poor at an affordable price (Rs 1,000 down payment plus Rs 110 per month for 7 years)
with immediate possession and without involving the residents in bureaucratic red tapism. The
HDA has also managed to keep the speculators out by adopting appropriate screening processes,
and by legalizing tenure only after the full payment of Rs 9,500 has been recovered through its
monthly instalments. The informal sector has been inducted into the scheme to provide technical
and material help to the residents for house building, and an incremental and affordable system
for the provision of services has been developed. The cost of this development is considerably
less than that of government contractors because of the involvement of the people in the
development process. Initially, only water is provided by the HDA and other services follow
later. In addition, the HDA is involving government agencies such as the HBFC, Small
Industries Corporation and the Women's Division in the social and economic upgrading of
Khuda-ki-Basti.

The Orangi Pilot Project (OPP):

The Orangikatchiabadis have a population of about 800 thousand. The Orangi Pilot Project has
been able to motivate the residents of the Orangikatchiabadis to build and finance their sewerage
system. In this process, over 43,000 houses have mobilized over Rs 30 million. The OPP has
provided motivation, technical advice and tools but has not subsidized the actual construction
work in any way. The research and extension method which has made the OPP's low cost
sanitation model so successful is being applied to a housing programme, a women's welfare
programme, an economic programme and an education programme. In addition, due to the
awareness generated by the OPP programmes, the residents have also involved their area
councillors, and the funds allotted to them, in the development process. With assistance from the
government of Sind, the OPP is being converted into a Research and Training Institute for the
development of katchiabadis. The programme has been operative for the last 7 years and has had
an average funding of only Rs 3 million per year.

Gull nasheen

Solutions of housing schemes:

The world’s population is increasing, and efficient use of resources with proper strategy is the
only way to deal with it. It applies to the housing and construction industry too, because within a
few years, more people will be looking for houses than now, and the issues will get more critical
in big cities. Here are a few solutions for houses shortage in Pakistan.
·Peri-urban housing schemes:

One of the solutions is constructing peri-urban housing schemes in the outskirts of the metro
cities. It can minimize the gap between the supply and demand of the houses. The schemes are
usually launched by the government, where they provide subsidized houses and make home
financing so the people with humble backgrounds can buy and build homes of their own. These
low-cost housings can be effective only when the development is planned effectively.

·Naya Pakistan Housing Program:

Naya Pakistan Housing Program is one of the remarkable efforts of the incumbent government to
cope with the issue of house shortage in the country. Buyers can invest in houses for sale in the
scheme and development of peri-urban housing schemes in easy installments.

·Smart/Micro Houses:

Micro houses or smart houses are needed, instead of building a luxurious big house; the focus
should be small, sustainable and efficient construction. Smart houses can be constructed with
planning and sustainable material for energy-efficient construction
Rural Areas:

Living in rural areas and towns should be attractive by providing facilities and better living
opportunities. It will take some burden off from the metro cities and encourage expanding small
cities and towns.

·Vertical Housings – ultimate solution:

Last but not least; Vertical houses are the ultimate solution for the crisis of houses in Pakistan.
Vertical houses are the best use of small space in accommodating many families in one building.
Apartments/ flats in high-rise buildings provide an affordable and luxurious lifestyle while the
buyer can enjoy facilities and amenities at their best.

That’s a wrap! The housing shortage is not a simple issue that can be dealt with in a day or two.

Amna bibi
 Lahore College for Women University

BS HOME ECONOMICS –IV

SESSION 2020-2024
ASSIGNMENT TOPIC:
REVIEW OF HOUSING CONDITIONS IN PAKISTAN IN URBAN AND RURAL
AREAS

SUBMITTED BY:
Eman Ibrar
Gull nasheen
Alima Adeel
Aruha Zubair
Ayesha Ilyas
Ayesha Kausar
Amna Bibi

SUBMITTED TO:
MAAM NAMOOD