Katchi Abadis: The Problem and Ways to a Solution

About the Speaker:

Mr. Tasneem Siddiqui joined the erstwhile Civil Service of Pakistan in 1965 and rose to become Chief Secretary, Government of Sindh, before his retirement. Working as Director General, Hyderabad Development Authority, he developed an interest in affordable housing and with his team of dedicated colleagues, he was successful in evolving and implementing the innovative concept of ‘incremental housing development’.

The project known as ‘Khuda-ki-Basti’ is now internationally recognized as one of the best options for sheltering the poor. As a development practitioner, Mr. Siddiqui evolved new concepts of pro-poor planning in other fields and while working as chief of Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority, started a process of regularization and to upgrade squatter’s settlements, which involve communities at all stages of planning and development. He was able to successfully demonstrate that low-income people have the willingness and capacity to pay for services, provided the credibility gap between them and the government is bridged, and simple mechanisms are evolved to reach them.

He was awarded the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1995. For excellence in public service, he won the Ramon Magsaysay Award and Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 1999. His three books namely, “Towards Good Governance”, “Dynamics of Social Change” and “Time for Change” have been well received. He is a visiting faculty in many universities and training institutions and divides his time between Saiban, an NGO established in 1991, and the Orangi Pilot Project.