Islamabad News: Federal Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal stated that the unchecked expansion of housing societies is destroying fertile agricultural land in Pakistan. He called it a serious threat to Pakistan’s long-term food security.
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At a high-level meeting attended by officials from federal and provincial departments, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), and other relevant authorities, the minister called the practice an “existential threat” to food security.
Will the future generation have enough food to eat? The federal minister expressed great disappointment over the allocation of agricultural land to housing societies. He further stated that we are jeopardizing our food security by blindly consuming cultivated land.
Greed for Housing Societies Destroying Fertile Agricultural Land in Pakistan
He emphasized the pressing need for national reforms that promote vertical construction and appropriate land use planning to curb horizontal urban sprawl, particularly in cities like Islamabad. Pakistan’s environmental balance is deteriorating as a result of housing greed devouring farmland, he said.
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The minister also emphasized the collective national responsibility for protecting the environment. He also advocated for stringent legal measures to stop deforestation. Among his key directives, he asked provincial authorities to compile detailed information on agricultural land converted into housing schemes over the past two decades.
According to him, poor urban planning contributes to environmental and food crises, while also placing a strain on essential infrastructure. Iqbal warned that Pakistan’s capacity to guarantee food security may be irreversibly compromised if no action is taken immediately. He encouraged all parties involved to consider this a national emergency.
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