KARACHI – In a fresh blow to civic pride, Karachi has once again been ranked among the world’s least livable cities in a global survey, sparking renewed concern over the state of urban life in Pakistan’s largest metropolis.
Despite being the country’s economic engine and most populous city, Karachi continues to struggle with basic livability standards. From crumbling infrastructure and traffic chaos to security concerns and failing public services, residents say the decline has become “normalised.”
Citizens point to unsafe roads, long-standing water shortages, unreliable electricity, and limited access to quality healthcare as just some of the factors that make daily life increasingly difficult.
“This isn’t just about a poor global ranking — it reflects how disconnected our leadership is from the lived experience of Karachiites,” said a local urban planner, criticising decades of neglect and lack of long-term vision.
The report, released annually by an international research body, evaluates cities worldwide based on factors like healthcare, education, safety, infrastructure, and environment. Karachi’s consistently low placement underscores a long-standing urban crisis that shows little sign of meaningful reform.
Calls are once again growing for urgent investment in public transport, waste management, and housing, along with improved governance free from political tug-of-war.
For many residents, however, the rankings merely confirm what they’ve known for years: Karachi deserves better, but keeps getting less.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.