PAKISTAN: Unlocking Access to Land in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through better Public Land and Building Asset Management

Effective public land management is critical in rapidly urbanizing Pakistan. Public land stocks offer key sources of land for planning green, livable cities and mobilizing financing for infrastructure amidst high-density development.

The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been discussing modernizing land administration with the World Bank since 2019. Despite postponing the land program due to floods, the World Bank is implementing an initiative that provides analytical and technical assistance on revenue generation.

The World Bank’s initiative aims to review land administration and public asset management in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, focused on increasing revenue. It encompasses a revenue systems analysis, a public asset management assessment, and the examination of land administration and geospatial frameworks. PPIAF funding specifically supports the public asset management component.

This activity promotes policies, institutions, and models for efficiently using, managing, and monetizing public assets in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Success requires clear policies, inventories, institutions, business models, governance, reporting, and performance monitoring. PPIAF will support an assessment and recommendations for improving policies, records, inventorying, management, monetization, and operations for public assets. It will also develop a comprehensive modernization plan to enhance public asset management and unlock access to land. Success could lead to similar engagements across South Asia.

Enhanced public asset management in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can unlock access to land for development, attract PSP, and mobilize financing for provincial growth and climate resilience. This PPIAF-supported activity promotes improved policies and modern systems for strategically leveraging public assets.