According to the brief prepared by Shehri in 2012, Karachi was rated as the '7th least livable city' out of 140 in the world by the Environment Intelligence. Karachi was also graded as 'below average' on the Asian Green City Index of 22 cities prepared by the EIU in collaboration with Siemens.
Although, Karachi will expand in the 21st century due to population pressures, an urban conglomeration also requires: Open spaces for recreation and fresh air, play ground for children, schools, hospitals and other social amenities, libraries, theatres and cultural spaces, transport system and roads, and adequate utilities and infrastructure. Today Karachi is being abused by unlawful allotment and occupation of unplanned land, arbitrary conversion or capture of planned land-use and widespread construction of illegal and dangerous buildings.
The research carried out in the making of the book prepared in this connection has taken more than three years. The purpose is to provide concerned citizens with a document that would assist them in understanding the locations and types of amenity, public utility services and park plots in the city, and the rules and laws governing their usage. Additionally, it highlights the present status of open spaces in terms of encroached land, changes and change in land use etc.