National Urban Strategy to be fast-tracked

September 07, 2026 (MLN): Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik has called for an urgent shift away from lengthy procedures and development jargon towards practical, community-based action to tackle the challenges confronting Pakistan's climate-vulnerable cities and poor communities.

The minister made these remarks during a meeting with UN-Habitat Officer from Bolivia Ms Oddy Angelo, with discussions centring on urban development, climate resilience, water and sanitation, flood management and interventions for vulnerable communities, said a press release issued.

Dr Malik was sharply critical of delays plaguing development projects, insisting that policy frameworks and international cooperation must eventually translate into tangible work on the ground.

He maintained that where effective policy input was made available, the ministry stood ready to collaborate and deliver results, urging all stakeholders to cut down on unnecessary delays and prioritise implementation over process.

According to the minister, what Pakistan required was practical, workable solutions rather than additional jargon, particularly for communities struggling with contaminated water, recurring floods, inadequate sanitation and weak urban infrastructure.

He noted that even a single well-designed project could transform the lives of many, calling for interventions that are community-driven, self-sustaining and replicable nationwide.

He acknowledged that considerable work had already been carried out by various institutions and development partners, but observed that much of it remained fragmented, with outcomes not adequately showcased.

Going forward, he said, the focus should be on identifying successful interventions, demonstrating their results, and scaling them into initiatives that could eventually feed into a broader national agenda.

Dr Malik pointed to the need for concrete interventions such as water treatment facilities in areas affected by contaminated supplies, flood-resilience initiatives, and other essential urban services for at-risk populations.

The minister also stressed the need to accelerate the shift of the National Urban Strategy from the policy stage to actual implementation, calling for closer coordination among government institutions, UN agencies, development partners, local authorities and affected communities.

He additionally proposed launching a business and innovation idea competition targeted at Pakistan's youth, inviting solutions spanning climate change, public safety, vulnerable cities, flood management, technology, invention, water and sanitation, and green industry.

According to the minister, young people across the country deserved the opportunity to translate creative thinking into practical solutions for pressing national problems.

The meeting emphasized that development resources must ultimately reach the communities they are intended for, with local populations playing a central role in both designing and sustaining such projects.

Dr Malik reiterated that Pakistan's challenge was not a shortage of ideas or talent, but rather the pace of execution, moving faster from ideas to implementation, from isolated efforts to scalable models, and from policy dialogue to solutions that genuinely improve people's lives.

He summed up the benchmark for development as simple: less delay, more delivery, and measurable improvement for vulnerable communities.

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