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Sustainable Development in the Coastal City of Karachi: The Links between Conservation and Industry in Pakistan

December, 2004

Introduction

Karachi

Community development is the tool by which "people empower themselves by increasing their ability to control their own lives in order to create a more fulfilling existence through mutual efforts to resolve shared problems" (Maser, 1997). In the early years of international development assistance, development initiatives were largely driven by a "top-to-bottom" approach. Projects were organised and executed by government's line departments, which often produced inappropriate solutions. For the past 20 years there has been a steady increase in new community development activities largely by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the voluntary and donor sectors. As a result, community development initiatives have been transformed to what is now known as the "bottom-up" approach. This approach is based on the principle that people living in a community are the best source of information and the best resource to manage their needs.

Community development occurs when donor agencies, NGOs or strong-minded individuals and groups introduce new initiatives for change. While communities may develop in different ways, community development is often identified with increasing the skills, knowledge and abilities of local residents. It also increases the ability of the community as a whole so that the acquired skills may be used to create strategies that take advantage of changing circumstances. Community development involves economic systems, local institutions, political leadership, social and cultural structures, and community spirit and participation (Hines, 1998).

How have communities evolved through development initiatives? How are they managing local resources, successfully or unsuccessfully? It is possible to look at these differences in examples of community development.

The coastal city of Karachi has experienced a variety of such community development initiatives. Some initiatives emerged as a spontaneous response by communities working on a self-help basis; others were driven by donors. There is a marked difference in the organisation and functioning of these two types of initiatives. Karachi's interesting mix of community initiatives is positive for local communities, and motivates their participation. This diversity is illustrated by a variety of approaches to sustainable community development, which together comprise this Case Study. The selected initiatives include the following:

  • Urban model for community development: Orangi Pilot Project:
  • Mangrove conservation: IUCN's Korangi Ecosystem Project
  • Industry
    1. Freshwater conservation: Haleji Lake
    2. Power generation: Hub Power Company
    3. Leather industry: Pakistan Tanneries Association

*This case was completed under the guidance of Abid A. Burki who prepared the template for this case, read several drafts, offered comments and made numerous improvements throughout the writing process of this case. We have also benefited enormously from many useful comments made by Gillian Martin Mehers, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Naseer Ahmad Memon, Mazhar Iqbal Shaikh and M. Rafi Ghaus on an earlier draft. Our thanks also go to several colleagues at LEAD-Pakistan for their continued support and assistance in more ways than we can count. We also wish to express our gratitude to Shabbir Ahmad Qasuri for his research assistance. Finally, we wish to thank all the people from the projects who took the time to meet with us and provided us with essential information to write the case study.

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