Exploring the Complexities of Urbanization and Socio-Ecological Challenges in the High Mountainous Region of Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan | [Proceedings of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences: A. Physical and Computational Sciences • 2023]

Author(s):

1. Shahab Uddin: Department of Geography, University of Karachi,,Pakistan

2. Anila Kausar: Department of Geography, University of Karachi,,Pakistan

3. Sheeba Afsar: Department of Geography, University of Karachi,,Pakistan

4. Ambreen Afzal: National Institute of Maritime Afairs, Bahria University Karachi Campus,,Pakistan

5. Altaf Hussain Lahori: Department of Environmental Sciences, Sindh Madressatul Islam University,Karachi,Pakistan

6. Olena Stepova: Department of Applied Ecology and Nature Management, National University «Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic»,Poltava,Ukraine

7. Muhammad Mushahid Anwe: Department of Geography, University of Gujrat, Pakistan

8. Viktor Bredun: Department of Applied Ecology and Nature Management, National University «Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic»,Poltava,Ukraine

Abstract:

Rapid urbanization is not only an issue in plain areas but also in mountainous regions. However, urbanization afects the socio-ecological pattern of mountainous regions especially depleting natural resources, e.g., traditional agricultural practices. Although urban sprawl impinges on such fertile productive lands, it also positively afects trade activities, and high-income opportunities, and the region will have high spatial interaction. This paper presents the results of an attempt to gain insight into the mechanisms for the urban growth of district Chitral (Chitral Town) located in the Hindu Kush range north of KPK Pakistan. Over the last few decades, the urban agglomeration has become attractive among migrants from within and beyond the district, further accelerating urban growth in the surrounding area. The landscape transformation phenomenon in Chitral town was investigated with the following objectives: (i) Detection of spatiotemporal change in the study area over the last two decades, (ii) Identification of existing landscape patterns i.e. land-use assessment by analysing the acquired high-resolution remote satellite imageries for the years 2003 and 2020, (iii) Empirical analysis of data within the framework of an object-based approach. Landuse transformations like spatiotemporal change, loss of agriculture, and infrastructure patterns of urban growth were estimated for the past 17 years. This study reveals that the agricultural Land-use has declined by 348 m2 while the Built-up area has increased by 318 m2. The research ofers practical recommendations for sustainable town planning and management. As such, this study has the potential to propose future strategies and it may be helpful to the policy/ decision-makers in the development of future town planning in the similar mountainous regions of Pakistan or elsewhere.

Page(s): 47-54

DOI: DOI not available

Published: Journal: Proceedings of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences: A. Physical and Computational Sciences, Volume: 60, Issue: 1, Year: 2023

Keywords:

urbanization , Spatiotemporal changes , Town Planning , SocioEcological Patterns , Landuse LULandcover LC Pattern , Mountainous Regions of Chitral

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