2 weeks Ago By Our Staff Reporter
Peshawar - In response to increasing environmental fragility, unregulated construction, and the urgent need for climatically-responsive and culturally appropriate development in the mountain regions of the province, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has directed the concerned authorities to form a Working Group. This group will be tasked with developing guidelines to regulate construction-related matters in the mountainous areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A formal letter from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat has been issued to the Additional Chief Secretary of Planning and Development (ACS-P&D), instructing them to lead the Working Group, which will include relevant administrative secretaries, heads of related entities, and experts in the field.
The letter recommends that the Working Group study and recommend the adaptation and institutionalization of the “Mountain Architecture Guidelines,” a research-based framework authored by Dr. Zahra Hussain. This framework is designed for implementation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to address the unique challenges of the province’s mountain regions.
Over 1500 cops to be deployed for security of churches on Easter in Islamabad The letter emphasizes that the Mountain Architecture Guidelines offer a contextually grounded, climatic-responsive, and culturally sensitive architectural approach. Developed through extensive community engagement, academic research, and technical validation, the guidelines provide practical strategies on sustainable built forms, passive solar design, cultural landscape preservation, appropriate material use, visitor management, and integration with local economies and ecosystems. It is considered a comprehensive guiding framework for harmonizing environmental stewardship, tourism infrastructure, and traditional knowledge.
The Working Group has been directed to consider how the principles of the Mountain Architecture Guidelines can be customized, adapted, and legally adopted for the mountainous districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in line with provincial laws, planning frameworks, and operational realities. The group is also tasked with formulating a plan for legal and regulatory integration, recommending necessary amendments to relevant rules, and proposing institutional mechanisms for monitoring and enforcement through local authorities. Additionally, the group will recommend phased implementation strategies and work towards developing partnerships with national and international development organizations for technical and financial support.
Doctors serving abroad are our national pride: Prof Fareed Zafar The Working Group has been given sixty days to submit its comprehensive recommendations and proposed implementation plan to the Chief Minister. Tags: setting regulate construction.
