Presently, I am travelling across the United Kingdom. Right from London to Nottingham, from Nottingham to Manchester, and from Manchester to Blackpool and Bradford, I have been observing not merely development, but a culture of civic discipline, urban order and respect for public spaces. Even small towns display remarkable planning and symmetry. Road signs are clearly visible and meticulously maintained. Vehicles move within their designated lanes, and during long journeys across cities and towns, one hardly hears the sound of horns.

What has impressed me even more is the pedestrian- and cycling-friendly environment. Separate tracks exist for walkers and cyclists. Drivers stop before pedestrian crossings and invariably give the right of way to pedestrians. In Redbridge, I walked up to a nearby park with jogging tracks, walking paths, and a serene lake. Litter bins are found everywhere. From the roads to the public parks, the environment is neat, green, dust-free and clean.

What has struck me most is that urban beauty here does not depend on expensive marble facades, decorative stones or extravagant beautification schemes. The authorities have not attempted to create artificial grandeur through costly structures. Instead, they have focused on cleanliness, greenery, proper road markings, pedestrian facilities, maintenance of public spaces and strict implementation of civic rules. There is simplicity, yet functionality; modesty, yet order.

As I walked through these streets and parks, I could not help comparing them with the condition of Peshawar, the heart of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.........

© The Express Tribune