Research & Projects

Project 1

Participatory Approaches to

Inclusive Human Settlement: A Case

Study of Karachi, Pakistan

Authors: 

Qazi Muhammad Zulqurnain Ul Haq, 

Nadeem Hussain, University of Massachusetts, Boston,

Muhammad Ashar Khan, Habib University,

Dr. Michael P Johnson, Jr. University of Massachusetts, Boston

Objectives

The successful attainment of participatory human settlement requires multi-stakeholder engagement. This engagement is often ignored during the events of forced evictions conducted under the pretext of urban development compromising marginalized communities’ right to city. 

The paper is an exploratory case study on urban development in Karachi, Pakistan using in-depth interviews and documentary analysis to analyze exclusionary and non-humanistic approach to redevelopment and gentrification where eviction is an important planning and policy tool. We examine the exclusion of marginalized residents from the redevelopment process by exploring the interactions of various stakeholders during the events of forced evictions. 

Our findings suggest that the persistent lack of collaborations with the poor is due to historically embedded disregard for human rights evident through intentional absence or planned distortions of institutional functioning. This has consequently resulted in a general acceptance of shared expectations for exclusive urban development at the expense of humanistic consideration for the poor. 

Funding and Acknowledgements

The research study did not involve any funding. The study was previously presented at the International Social Outcomes Conference, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, UK. 

Working Paper available here.

Project 2

Sub-national impact of World Bank’s aid on women empowerment in Pakistan

Funding

The project is funded by Habib University under the Summer Tehqis Research Program (STRP) 2024

Objectives

Since becoming a member in 1950, Pakistan has received around $40 Billion in development assistance from the World Bank (World Bank, 2023). Governed by the “country partnership strategy”, the WB’s assistance program to Pakistan is centred around four key pillars of engagement. These include energy infrastructure and capacity building; private sector development; promoting economic inclusion and inclusive growth; and effective public sector service delivery. The current portfolio under the ongoing assistance program includes 58 projects, amounting to about $15 Billion across different provinces and districts (World Bank, 2023).   

A number of these projects, especially pertaining to economic inclusion, are centred around fostering women's empowerment for sustainable and inclusive economic growth and ending extreme poverty in developing countries. According to WB’s “Gender Strategy 2030”, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 5, one key feature of its assistance is to help overcome “resource” and “agency” constraints that impede women’s and girls’ ability to determine and realize their potential in Global South states (World Bank, 2023). 

In this context, the WB has also sponsored various such projects in Pakistan. However, the true impact of these projects, especially regarding gendered human development and labour market access, remain largely elusive. Thus, to fill this evident gap, we conduct a comprehensive empirical analysis of WB projects that have been established in Pakistan in the past decades (2005 to 2018) at a sub-national (district level). To the best of my knowledge, this shall be the first empirical study to use quasi-experimental techniques to identify the association and impact of WB aid/assistance on female education and labour market access in Pakistan. We use publicly available georeferenced information on WB projects by the AidData Center at the College of William and Mary to undertake this project (AidData, 2017). 

Check out our extended abstract here. 

Project 3

Understanding the corporate footprint on rural community development through capability approach — The case study of Tharparkar, Pakistan

Authors: 

Muhammad Ashar Khan, Habib University,

Mehak Rathore, Habib University.

Qazi Muhammad Zulqurnain Ul Haq, Ohio State University, 

Objectives

The district of Tharparkar is located towards the southeast of Sindh with ninety seven percent of the land area covered in desert. The livelihood of rural communities in the region is mostly dependent on rain-fed agriculture, livestock, wage labour and remittances from inter-regional migrations. The economic landscape of the region is largely defined by underdevelopment, resource-shortages, lack of employment opportunities, inaccessible quality health and education, widespread poverty and dilapidated infrastructure. In fact, a report by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute 2014 describes Tharparkar as the district with the highest incidence of poverty. 

In 2014, Engro Powergen Ltd (EPL), China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), Habib Bank Ltd (HBL), and Liberty Mills Limited initiated a joint corporate venture called the Engro Powergen Thar Private Limited (EPTL) under the auspices of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiatives. The project tapped the indigenous lignite coal reserves in Tharparkar to produce 660MW of electricity contributed to the national power grid. In recent years, scholars and environmental activists have criticised the negative externalities in terms of rising environmental and health hazards as a result of the project. However, simultaneously, the project has created more than 3000 employment opportunities, increasing the overall living standards in the region. Similarly, through social interventions under the Corporate Social Responsibility agenda, the project has created various human development opportunities in the region through collaborations with government and non-government organisations. 

Thus, this research is the first attempt to explicate the social impact of the corporate footprint in the region of Tharparkar using the theoretical framework of capability approach. The research broadly considers dual aspects of development impact by considering organisational philosophy of social responsibility and the community’s perception of the impact. The research uses GIS to identify the site of project impact defined by a common geographical sphere catered by multiple organisations collaborating under the CSR agenda. The study further utilises survey tools on the targeted community using Nussbaum’s (2006) 10 universal capabilities to analyse the local development impact of the project on: (a) community building, (b) individual empowerment and (c) environmental front. The findings of the research present a suggestive model to design corporate social responsibility interventions which are both democratic and contextually relevant for sustainable corporate impact.

Working paper will be available soon!

Project 4

Developing a Geo-referenced Dataset for the Spread of Covid-19 in Pakistan

Authors: 

Dr Sahaab Bader Sheikh, Habib University,

Dr Qasim Pasta, Habib University,

Muhammad Ashar Khan, Habib University,

Dar Lab Team.

Objective

The project focuses on cleaning and preparing data collected by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to make it research-ready for assessing the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on Pakistani households. The survey data, consisting of 31,204 observations from various provinces, initially faced challenges in terms of quality, consistency, and accessibility. 

The data cleaning process involved several critical steps to enhance its reliability and usability. First, multiple datasets were merged into a single cohesive file. Variables were systematically renamed and labeled using a standardized nomenclature to ensure clarity and ease of analysis. Binary responses were re-coded appropriately (0 & 1), and missing values were correctly identified and distinguished from zero values, which had been improperly recorded in the original data files provided by the PBS. To address incomplete variables, dummy variables were created by duplicating originals and imputing missing data wherever necessary. 

Logical checks were performed to validate the consistency of responses, such as verifying that age-specific questions were correctly answered and ensuring proper adherence to skip patterns in the survey using Stata. These checks helped to identify and correct errors, thereby enhancing the dataset’s overall quality. 

The extensive data curation efforts have significantly improved the dataset, making it more accessible and actionable for researchers and policymakers seeking to understand the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. Our working paper also offers recommendations for future data collection practices and related research to further enhance data quality and inclusivity. 

Lastly, another significant value addition in this project includes the georeferencing of data to the division level, enabling a more localized analysis of the socio-economic impacts across different regions. Additionally, the inclusion of geographical and climate-related variables provides further insights into factors that may have influenced the spread of COVID-19, enhancing the robustness of our analysis and any research that might take place in the future. 

Data and more information related to the project can be access here.