The Institute of Urban and Regional Planning University of Peshawar and Urban Unit Punjab have join hands to draft urban policy framework to address the emerging issues of cities of the country.
A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed by Vice Chancellor UoP Prof. Dr. Muhammad Rasul Jan and Dr. Nasir Javed Chief Executive of the Urban Unit Punjab in a ceremony held at UoP. The agreement would remain effective for three years under which University of Peshawar and the cooperate institute ( The Urban Unit) will start short term courses related to urban sector capacity building and focus on human resource development through exchange of faculty, students and staff. Besides special urban planning awareness drive will be held in KP through arranging joint seminars, conferences and workshops on related subjects.
The University of Peshawar is interested in generating its own electricity through effective solid waste management which in order to overcome the energy requirement of the University and ensure cleanliness of the grater campus, said Vice Chancellor UoP Prof. Dr.
Muhammad Rasul Jan while talking to the visiting delegation. He added that University of Peshawar would welcome any step that can of help the capacity building of the students and faculty.
The Vice Chancellor viewed that unplanned urbanization was a reason behind the woes of people living in cities , adding that proper management techniques needs to be framed to avoid getting into a total mess while raising more municipalities. The population of the provincial metropolis was growing at the rate of knots and its high time to bring necessary controlling measures before the situation of traffic and other related issues goes out of control, said the Vice Chancellor.
Dr. Nasir Javed said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the least urbanized province in the country and has an opportunity to adopt best practices in urbanization before opting for more cities. He added that there enterprise work under the P&D department of the government of Punjab and had similar agreements with Universities across Pakistan.
He informed a total of 5-7 percent of population around the world lives in cities and that moving vertical should be the order of the day to avoid usage of agricultural land for commercial and residential purposes.
Dean Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences Prof. Dr. Amir Nawaz Khan, Dr. Akhtar Ali Shah, Director Institute of Urban and Regional Planning University of Peshawar Dr. Fazal ur Rehman was also present on the occasion.
Source: The Frontier Post.
