Settlements of Afghan refugees in Pakistan : an evaluation of conditions and identification of problems

Abstract

This thesis deals with the physical design of urban public housing projects. To meet the objectives stated in the preface, the following issues were addressed: The social hierarchy of the community; the administration of the settlement; the maintenance and operation of the settlements; and finally the users' control and responsibility over the land. This thesis is a study of the settlements of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. It mainly focuses on the conditions and problems of the physical environment in the refugee camps. Although its primary objective is to identify and evaluate settlement issues in the physical context, an attempt is made to highlight related social, political, and economic factors affecting the situation. The study is based on data, information, and documents collected by the author through research work carried out in the refugee camps in Pakistan in the summer of 1983. This included visits to five different refugee locations in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, and five weeks of field work in the Nadir Bath refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan. This work represents a study of the general refugee situation in Pakistan in order to provide a comprehensive view of the overall circumstances, since the study of a particular refugee location may not demonstrate a clear picture of the whole situation. This study comprises two main parts: a) A description and evaluation of the existing situation of the refugee settlements, the relief work, and the processes involved in particular sectoral activities, b) the identification of major problems. Background information materials are included in each section and in the appendix. The study is intended to provide documents/guidelines for reference and information for those involved in present and future refugee situations.