The Challenges of Using Data in Urban Planning in Pakistan

Abstract

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As technology adoption and urbanization accelerate in Pakistan, there is an opportunity for urban planners to adopt new tools and enhance their skill set. While data collection and the use of geographic information system (GIS) tools are common in Pakistan already, little is known about how these are used in the everyday practice of urban planners, or the extent to which planning practice has incorporated innovative methods. Based on a series of interviews with planning practitioners and policymakers, this article presents research on the use of data in urban planning in Pakistan. It begins with an overview of the use, opportunities, and limitations of data in urban planning. The article then shares interview findings and identifies a number of challenges to the use of data in planning, classified into challenges regarding data access and reliability, data and digital literacy, and institutional challenges. As the research scope is limited, the article makes only tentative conclusions about the possible underlying reasons of these challenges that require further investigation and validation.