Navigating Urban Expansion: The Dynamics of Land Disputes in Peri-Urban Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Abstract

This study examines the impact of rapid urbanization on land disputes in three peri-urban villages of Peshawar Attozai, Maghdarzai, and Talarzai. A cross-sectional survey was used with the participation of 365 randomly selected participants, with a structured interview for data collection and SPSS for empirical statistics and inferential testing. Findings show that urbanization factors such as increasing land price, decreasing land supply, and changing land use are significantly associated with the incidence of land disputes (especially those from the farmland replacement). The findings emphasize the importance of timely land value assessments and computerized land records for the control of disputes. The research provides science-based policy proposals so urbanization can be a resource for sustainable land management and conflict prevention.

Keywords: Urbanization, Land Disputes, Urban Expansion, Land Sustainability, Conflict Management