ABSTRACT
A number of studies have been conducted on Karachi, outlining the policy gaps between federal offices, provincial authorities and municipal agencies; both politically and socially. The research reveals an entrenched political–administrative dichotomy between elected officials and administrative actors across upper and lower tiers of the state. Policy recommendations are centered on enabling and sustaining local level innovations in housing and shelter through established partnerships between state and non-state actors at the municipal and community levels. A range of conflicting interests within Sindh contributes to the fragmented nature and ineffectiveness of policy formulation for Karachi in particular. The City District Government of Karachi is home to a number of similar but separate agencies that struggle with their responsibility for urban development. The politicization of diverse ethnic and clan interests combined with urban-rural disparities continues to push migrants to Karachi’s slums.
