Karachi was included in a famous title “Planet of Slums” by Davis (2006), though criticised a lot by others (Angotti, 2006). It is mainly because, more than 50 percent of the city population lives in squatter settlements, locally called Katchi Abadis (English equivalent: unpaved settlements) or slums: two classified definitions by the local government based on the legal setting and physical characteristics. These settlements, which have been officially reported as 539 in number with approximately 415,000 housing units, are one of the most important challenges for the authorities. Some unofficial estimates suggest that there are about 702 Katchi Abadis in Karachi. Social settings appear to be quite identical in both types of squatter settlements allied to low-quality housing, poverty (mainly because of unemployment), disruption of community cohesion and other deteriorating urban conditions that lead to poor health standards of the people.
……………………………!
Comments are closed.