Urban/Urbane

Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007)

2011-12-27T13:04:00.001+05:00

5:45pm Sunday 31 May 2009 Starting from the Zakir Tikka intersection on Sarwar Road, Lahore Cantonment What is Critical Mass? Critical Mass is about having

Urban local government in India carries characteristics of its colonial heritage out- of – step with its current needs

2009-05-16T11:43:00.001+06:00

Excellent article on local governments in India by Mayraj Fahim

Better roads not to better commuters' lot

2009-03-23T09:56:00.001+05:00

Article on the state of public transport in Islamabad. From Dawn e-paper Better roads not to better commuters’ lot By Rahim A. Khan Among the many public

Pakistan ,Tahira Abdullah Vs PPP

2009-03-19T15:57:00.001+05:00

Tahira Abdullah rips Sherry Rehman, the PPP and the establishment a new one.

It's time for Lahore's 4th Critical Mass event

2009-03-17T09:52:00.002+05:00

Climate Change affecting agriculture in Karachi

2009-03-14T18:28:00.003+05:00

Here's a chilling article about the effects climate change is having on our urban areas.Climate change affecting agriculture in Karachi Friday, March 13, 2009 By Perwez Abdullah KarachiResearchers from the University of Karachi (KU)

City living a cause of parnoia?

2009-03-14T18:17:00.002+05:00

Not much is written about the effects of urbanization on our minds and sanity. Does living in a city cost us our sanity. This article, which really made me sit up and take notice, said that one in four people is likely to suffer from paranoia, most likely because of an unfriendly urban environment. Take a look at this excerptOver the last 15 years, as a research fellow for the Wellcome Trust,

Damned if you do, damned if you don't

2009-03-14T18:11:00.002+05:00

At lunch in Karachi with the some urban conservationist and environmental activists, I was surprised to hear someone from the group put forward the suggestion that the CDGK would be less inclined to convert amenity plots to residential or commercial plots if they got their money from taxes instead.The idea is a good one. Our cities are broke. They are incredibly badly managed - politically and

Measures for Clean Energy

2009-03-05T10:26:00.002+05:00

Below is an op-ed by Arif Pervaiz of the Clinton Climate Initiative that was published in DawnTHE world is moving in the direction of a low-carbon economy not because it can afford the luxury — no one in today’s world has spare change — but because investments in energy efficiency and clean energy can create jobs, reduce waste, help revive economies and lower harmful greenhouse gas

2008 State of the City Economic Climate Webisode

2009-03-03T23:33:00.001+05:00

Four million threatened by contaminated water

2009-02-28T09:37:00.001+05:00

Another report indicting the waste water treatment system in Pakistan. The more I think about it, the more it seems that Pakistan's water policy must not only focus on conservation. It must also focus on cleanup.Four million threatened by contaminated water: Report By Iqbal KhwajaThursday, 26 Feb, 2009 | 06:30 AM PST |

Small, sustainable cities; the key to the future

2009-02-26T17:20:00.003+05:00

Pakistan's current installed energy capacity is approximately 20,000MW. By 2030, the Planning Commission thinks we will need somewhere in the region of 162,000MW. Where do you think we are going to find this energy?As things stand, the single largest source of energy in Pakistan lies in conservation. But, as of yet, none of the energy or electricity policies to come from government have looked

Environment: Untreated waste into River Chenab

2009-02-25T18:05:00.004+05:00

Another good bit of environmental reporting by Ali Raza of The News. What we are doing to our rivers is a crime. Not just against nature, but against all the people who live downriver. Pollution like this not only contaminates crops, but poisons the communities who are dependent on canal water for everyday use.Environment: Untreated waste into River Chenab

Music provides urban inspiration in Venezuela

2009-02-22T18:20:00.004+05:00

The El Sistema is a music program for high school students in Venezuela. They are now led by Gustavo Dudamel, one of the youngest (and certainly the most exciting) composers today. Here's Dudamel conducting the Carreño Youth Orchestra as they perform Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10, 2nd movement, and Arturo Márquez' Danzón No. 2. (Brought to you by TED)

Jacob Bronowski - The Ascent of Man

2009-02-15T21:46:00.001+05:00

This clip from the epic Ascent of Man has Jacob Bronowski set out up the critical struggle between science and madness. Though speaking of Nazi atrocities, his words ring true for the madness that swarms around us now.

Enrique Penalosa: an urban innovator draws a crowd

2009-02-14T21:29:00.005+05:00

The latest from one of my heroes: urbanism pioneer Enrique Penalosa(Left to Right: Arif Pervaiz of the Clinton Foundation, Enrique Penalosa & Me)Boston Bicycle Transportation Examiner: Enrique Penalosa: an urban innovator draws a crowdPosted using ShareThis

Problems With Suburbia

2009-02-13T22:18:00.001+05:00

I stand by everything this genius says.

CM, WASA and Billboard Reform

2008-07-21T17:58:00.002+06:00

Here's a link to this week's column.

Nestle in Sheikhupura

2008-07-21T17:18:00.007+06:00

Nestle is expanding its water purification facility in Sheikhupura. Because this is a water treatment scheme that costs more than Rs. 25 million (and because the extraction of water has the potential to cause adverse environmental effect), Nestle was required by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 to commission and submit an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the project.

There goes the local government

2008-07-19T01:12:00.000+06:00

There's been plenty of debate about whether or not Shahbaz Sharif would scrap the local government ordinance. Most of the local government administration are affiliated with the PML-Q. Sane counsel prevailed, I am told, and the idea to scrap the PLGO was deemed to be as radical as the move to introduce it. Be that as it may, the conspicuous absence of elected local government officials is

Sunday Morning Drive 13 July

2008-07-17T11:05:00.003+06:00

Last week's drive was from Sabzazar to Chauburji. I'm very interested in documenting how the villages and settlements that surrounded Lahore were gradually enveloped by the city. Near Sabzazar is the village of Saidpur and the Shrine of Shah Farid. From there, I went north followed the road past Dhanowal parralell to Multan Road.Here's an example of a new Lahori Jharoka in a house in the

Lahore from the Sky (Part 3)

2008-06-29T13:27:00.010+06:00

Yet more photos you don't get to see everydayThis is the third and final installment of the photographs I took from a charter flight a few days ago.The photo above is, I apologize, left over from the last blog entry. There, I tried to group together some photos that best brought Lahore's urban residential template into focus. The photos above is another example. Taken from above LUMS, you can see

Lahore from the Sky (Part 2)

2008-06-26T11:23:00.011+06:00

A Lahore you don't get to see everydayThe great advantage of chartering a flight (I recommend this to everyone, by the way, as one of the most entertaining way to spend an afternoon) is that you can treat it like a taxi.After having flown over the older parts of town, I could sense that the pilots were falling to routine and were just covering a well worn "tourist" route. I asked them to fly

Lahore from the Sky (Part 1)

2008-06-24T12:16:00.000+06:00

Recently, I had the opportunity of chartering a flight over Lahore. It's quite an experience. There are a couple of flying clubs over at the Walton Airport, and for the right price they'll take you on a tour of the city. I recommend these to anyone as one of best ways of spending an afternoon.I managed to get some pictures using my camera phone. The cockpit glass was scratched and so some of the

Hubris of the Centaurus

2008-06-23T20:48:00.000+06:00

In Greek mythology the centaurus were barbarous beasts said to be half-horse and half-human. One centaurus, Chiron, was extremely wise and is said to have tutored Hercules and Jason (of the Argonauts). According to legend, Hercules inflicted an accidental wound upon his mentor that left the beast living but in great pain. Chiron begged and pleaded for the gods to end his suffering until

Birdwood Barracks Petition

2008-05-25T15:39:00.000+05:00

Public Petition Requesting the Chief Minister of the Punjab to Take Action and Reclaim the Birdwood Barracks Property Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa Chief Minister of the Punjab Chief Minister’s Secretariat Lahore. Chief Minister, We, the undersigned residents of Lahore, would like to draw your attention to the proposed auction of the Birdwood Barracks property located on

Conservation, Islam and our cities

2008-05-13T12:07:00.000+05:00

Just a few months ago, in the shadow of the archaeology department’s devolution to the Provincial government, a minaret in the Lahore Fort collapsed, revealing to all just how effective official conservation measures are. A decade ago, citizens of Lahore stood flabbergasted as construction workers felled hundred year old trees to bring the shoulder of the GT Road within inches of the entrance of