Meeting approves Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Policy 2030, action plan.

PESHAWAR -- Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan presided over the second meeting of the Land Use and Building Control Council, which gave formal approval to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Policy 2030 and its action plan making Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the first province in Pakistan to have its urban policy. The council also authorised master plans for Mardan, and Wana Urban Regions (South Waziristan), and Miran Shah and Mir Ali urban areas (North Waziristan). After a 12-month collaborative process, the Urban Policy and Planning Unit and Sub-National Governance Programme developed the policy which includes input from both local and foreign experts, as well as public input obtained through advertisements in print, electronic, and social media, as well as webinars and seminars held throughout the province. The Chief Minister emphasised the importance of effective master plan implementation and directed the authorities involved to develop a pragmatic implementation mechanism within the next three months, adding that the ultimate goal of all this effort is to have a well-organized and useful land use and management system following the contemporary needs and requirements of the province's cities and urban centres. 'Streamlining civic facilities in all areas is an urgent necessity; we cannot afford any delay or neglect in this regard,' he continued. The policy applies to all cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Urban Area Development Authorities and the Authorities under the KP Tourism Act, according to a briefing on the primary components and concepts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Policy. Policy objectives will be evaluated every two years until 2030, and then produced on a rolling basis for the...