NWFP University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Abbotabad Campus. The Chairman Dr. Arshad Ali and his entire faculty deserve our appreciation and support for launching 'Design Discovery Pakistan' (DDP) program under which the ever first International Summer Studio was conducted at Abbotabad Campus engaging all institutions imparting Architectural education in Pakistan. The Studio was fully sponsored by Higher Education Commission (HEC) and supported by the Pakistan Council Of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP).

Under the Chairmanship of Ar. Shahab Ghani Khan, PCATP is striving hard to improve the standard of architectural and planning education in Pakistan for which an MOU was also signed last year with HEC seeking its support to bring our educational standard up to the international level. It was due to his efforts that Abbotabad Campus was able to hire Dr. Arshad Ali's services as Chairman. It is hoped that Dr. Ali's expertise in teaching and research filed will set a new trend in the field of architectural education in Pakistan.

Graduated from University of Helsinki, FINLAND, Dr. Ali has been extensively involved in teaching and research work. He has worked as Visiting Lecturer Teaching Design Studios at University of Helsinki, Lecturer Leading Digital Design Studio at Assumption University Bangkok THAILAND, Invited Professor Digital Design at University of Seoul KOREA and Director Digital Design Lab/ M. Arch. Courses at University of Seoul KOREA. He has authored many books and papers with a focus on Digital Design. He was also appointed Chairman of First International Conference on Digital Architecture 2006 organized by the School of Architecture, University of Seoul.

With his inclination towards Digital Architecture, the Abbotabad Campus is ready to produce Architects whose vision and approach will set hallmarks in the field of architecture in Pakistan. Such approach could also be witnessed at the International Summer Studio conducted under the theme of 'Future Work Places' where all participating students from six institutions were guided to imagine and create various work places attuned to future needs of digital world. All participants were very excited and thrilled with this new experience of their academic life. Those who participated in the Program explored a new way of working together and those who missed the opportunity could never been compensated.

It is encouraging to note that DDP has invited all institutions imparting architectural education in Pakistan to become members of DDP and conduct similar programs in their respective institutions. From the platform of DDP, the Abbotabad Campus is committed to hold activities such as workshops/ studios/ seminars/ conferences etc. as a regular and revolving activity in various parts of the country with the help of other departments and schools.

It is hoped that in future, no institution will miss such an opportunity and DDP will become a regular part of academic activities every year at all institutions. Good luck DD
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Allah the grand architect of the universe created the whole creation without the aid of a model and without the help of a consellor. ___ Hazrat Ali (A.S.)

"The architect must be a prophet. A prophet in the true sense of the term ... if he can't see at least ten years ahead, don't call him an architect."  ___ Unknown

CDA Wrecks Islamabad

Once, 'Islamabad the beautiful' was known for its environmental beauty. That beauty is gone now. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has brutally cut down thousands of trees in the name of the so-called 'development' of the area. They have destroyed the green belts necessary for keeping the atmosphere free of pollution. All one can see now is debris and dust in every nook and corner of the city. This year is being celebrated as "Visit Pakistan 2007".

The tourists stopping over at the capital will be greeted by sand dunes of dust. Development is not a bad thing but it requires planning and execution. Uprooting every blade of green for the sake of development is not acceptable. All these thingscient and incompetent people being appointed at the key posts in the CDA. Those who have come on the basis of nepotism and have come with the intent to make money can have no sense of environment. They can only wreck it through their ill-planning.
FARRUKH SHAHZAD
Islamabad


Roadway planning

Tariq Husain Aamir’s letter has offered the most practical solution to building the elevated roadway along the railway lines, which run almost parallel to Sharea Faisal from Quaidabad to the Jinnah Bridge, thus avoiding all the environmental concerns and heavy disturbance during construction.

Here it appears necessary to examine how in Mumbai, under similar conditions, the problem has been tackled most economically both for commuters and long-distance freight traffic, drastically cutting down the use of cars, consequent environmental pollution and accidents, utilising frequent rail service on four electrified rail tracks, parallel to the roads on two major city corridors, starting from Mumbai VT and Mumbai Central.

Karachi is fortunate in having two rail tracks and space for two more along its main route parallel to Sharea Faisal from the Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad and beyond, along the proposed alignment of the elevated roadway.

I would fully endorse Mr Aamir’s suggestion to follow the rail right of way for the elevated road, if at all considered essential to build. Besides this, as an alternative, to seriously consider adding two rail tracks in the space available, electrifying the same, with other improvements, like better approach roads to stations, provision of park-ride facilities, improved signalling and frequent trains, offering some of the following advantages:

a. Considerably reducing the use of cars, which are causing acute road congestion, environmental pollution, accidents and forcing hazardous travel on roofs of rickety buses by millions of commuters.

b. Improving environment of the city.

c. Avoiding construction activity along the important road.

d. Minimising use of road trucks through the city roads.

e. Heavily curtailing the annual fuel imports, saving billions of dollars every year, as rail consumes a fraction of fuel per ton km as compared to road trucks.

If such actions were taken earlier, perhaps most of the foreign debts could be avoided.
S.M.H RIZVI
Karachi


Rain casualties

THE heart of every Pakistani is saddened by the avoidable loss of lives during Saturday’s rain and storm episode. Most of it could have been avoided for sure if the CDGK would have focused its attention on the more important regulatory and maintenance tasks.

THE heart of every Pakistani is saddened by the avoidable loss of lives during Saturday’s rain and storm episode. Most of it could have been avoided for sure if the CDGK would have focused its attention on the more important regulatory and maintenance tasks.

for all such structures before even the permit to erect the same is granted.
Hoardings on the roof-tops offer double jeopardy for the building inhabitants and the passersby. The unregulated practice of erecting roof-mounted towers for mobile phones and Internet services are other potential hazards. The development of an error-free system of power supply with inbuilt precautionary measures needs to be implemented without delay.

Creation of working rainwater drains, proper mechanism of storing/harvesting rainwater through check dams/reservoirs, disaster management measures to safeguard lives of the common people, fool/corruption-proof enforcement of building bye-laws and a safeguard of vulnerable locations are a few steps routinely expected from the CDGK.

It is high time that the decision-makers at the CDGK need to shift their attention from the needless real estate and mega projects and focus on the urban basic services which is their prime responsibility.
DR NOMAN AHMED
Karachi