DHA City Karachi praised, awarded at Washington ceremony

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, Washington DC, has cited the DHA City Karachi project as a model of modern housing development, as it awarded the Defece Housing Authority (DHA), Karachi, and consultants Osmani & Company at a ceremony held at the US capital on June 20.

William J Bertera, President and CEO of the Institute, which administers sustainability rating system for infrastructure, praised the planning, designing and development work of the city, saying the DHA City is the first of its kind project that meets international requirements of sustainable development.

Spiro Pollalis, Prof. of Design, Technology and Management Harvard University, and Director of the Zofnass Program for the Sustainability of Infrastructure also acknowledged the high standard being maintained with regard to work, design, construction and development of the facilities at the DHA City, which will house one million residents.

The DHA City Karachi is located on the Karachi-Hyderabad Superhighway at the eastern border of Karachi, bordering Thatta District in the South and Jamshoro District in the East, and its mater plan includes development of education, health and residential infrastructure.

The recipients of the awards given by the independent and non-profit Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure included Engr Inam Osmani, President and Founder of Osmani & Company (Pvt) Ltd, Arif Osmani, Director, Osmani & Company, and Brigadier (retd) Mohammad Rafique, Project Director, DHA City Karachi.

In their presentations, the recipients informed the gathering at the ceremony about progress on development of the massive project, which also uses alternative sources of energy to meet work requirements of the city envisioned as the first sustainable city of Pakistan in accordance with latest international standards.

According to the organizers, the awardees also included the top leaders including Prof. Spiro N Pollais, the Chief Planner, Lt Gen. Sajjad Ghani, President Executive Board, Brig Mohamamd Abdullah, Administrator DHA City, Colonel (retd) Mohammad Sagheer, Director DHA City, and companies including Doxiadis Associated, Planners, RMJM Planners and Osmani and Company Pvt. Ltd.

A leading Virginia-based Pakistani business leader, Mohammad Nasimuddin Mirza, speaking on the occasion, said it’s heartening to see Pakistan developing such a modern city.