Urban Population Growth in Pakistan 1961-1972

The growth of cities is a subject of increasing concern amongsocial scientists and government planners in Pakistan as elsewhere inthe developing world. Redistribution of the population frompredominantly rural to increas¬ingly urban pattern of residence hasfar-reaching implications for the demographic, socio-economic, andpolitical character of the nation. Indeed, the process of urbanizationas it applies in the Third World nations is gene¬rating considerabledebate among scholars, for there are important policy impli¬cations anddivergent views regarding the consequences of urban growth. Ad¬vocatesof urbanization, who see it as the key which unlocks economicdevelopment and modernization [6], are being challenged by others whoview cities as neo-coloniaiistic structures which drain their regionalhinterlands of scarce re¬sources [5] and provide a Western life-stylefor only the elite minority [13]. Meanwhile, government planners andpolicy makers have embarked upon pro¬grammes designed to foster urbangrowth and in some cases create new urban centres. The Agrovilles Schemeis such a programme under way in Pakistan [12].