THE explosive mix of decay, institutional apathy and corruption has, once again, placed Karachi among the bottom five of “the world’s least liveable cities” in The Economist’s global survey. It fared poorly in the five categories of healthcare, culture and environment, education, infrastructure and stability. According to the Economic Intelligence Unit, the metropolis is ranked 170 out of 173 countries with a score of 42.7; below it are Dhaka, Tripoli and Damascus. In 2024, the city was compared with Lagos, Tripoli and Algiers. It stood at 169 in 2023. The ADB stated last year that Pakistan’s cities were declining in liveability as urban areas grew more unproductive, scoring dismally on competitive indices due to congestion, unsightliness and pollution; in July, Karachi, with 93.12 out of 100, was the second riskiest city for tourists in a Forbes Adviser list.

Despite being a melting pot of 20m, which contributes, as per the ADB, 12-15pc of Pakistan’s GDP, Karachi has been in shambles for decades. Persistent negligence on the part of successive federal, provincial and local authorities has led to a state of affairs where taps run dry, sewerage, public transport and solid waste disposal systems are broken, crime is intensifying, and basic amenities and infrastructure are captive to powerful racketeers. It is not surprising that in the assessment, Karachi has the highest personal security risk, confirming the threat from crime, violence, terrorism, climate and economic vulnerabilities. Population explosion and evolving demographic trends, given the city’s status of a job centre for migrants, should compel the administration to implement a comprehensive policy with empowered local governments to ensure good governance so that residents can live with dignity. The present trajectory is untenable. With an inequitable supply of resources, poor infrastructural and environmental health, and soaring crime, Karachi may not feature on the list of livable cities for some time.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2025