Karachi has long prided itself on being a city of resilience, a metropolis that thrives despite adversity. Yet there is one area where it has displayed an alarming consistency: remaining among the world’s least liveable cities. The latest Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2026 ranks Karachi 170th out of 173 cities, with only Dhaka, Tripoli and Damascus performing worse. Even conflict-ridden Tehran (164) and Kyiv (166) scored marginally higher. More worrying is that this is not an isolated setback. Karachi has remained among the world’s least liveable cities for at least three consecutive years, reflecting a chronic failure of governance. The reasons are neither new nor surprising. The EIU points to the familiar combination of congested roads and crime that often undermines megacities. In Karachi’s case, however, these problems have reached a level that is beginning to undermine economic confidence. The latest Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) survey paints a troubling picture: perceptions of security have deteriorated further, with 42 per cent of respondents now describing the security environment as worsening, compared to 41 per cent last year. Street crime remains the single biggest concern for businesses. Investment inevitably suffers when entrepreneurs, investors and workers no longer feel secure.
A city cannot hope to sustain growth without providing a safe environment for commerce and industry. Yet security is only one symptom of Karachi’s broader decline. Residents have gradually been deprived of uninterrupted access to basic necessities such as gas and water, while poorly planned development has turned daily commuting into an exhausting ordeal. Constant roadworks, broken infrastructure and haphazard construction have transformed even short journeys into a test of endurance. Medical experts warned years ago that the city’s deteriorating roads were contributing to chronic back pain among commuters, particularly those travelling by motorcycles and rickshaws. When a population spends its days struggling for basic services and navigating crumbling infrastructure, it cannot be expected to contribute productively to economic growth. Perhaps the greatest tragedy is not the scale of Karachi’s problems but the indifference with which they are treated. The city has become a battleground for competing political interests, with every stakeholder seeking influence over Pakistan’s economic hub while few appear willing to assume responsibility for its welfare. Legitimate criticism is too often dismissed by those in power as politically motivated attacks by rivals hoping to expand their electoral support. Meanwhile, Karachi’s residents continue to bear the consequences of this endless game of political musical chairs.
Reversing Karachi’s decline demands cooperation among all political stakeholders and a recognition that Pakistan’s only metropolis cannot continue to be neglected. A more equitable distribution of resources while embracing modern urban management would be one way forward. Artificial intelligence can be deployed to map densely populated neighbourhoods, identify infrastructure gaps and guide policies aimed at reducing overcrowding. The unchecked conversion of residential houses into apartment blocks should be regulated, with reasonable limits placed on housing density to prevent further strain on civic infrastructure. Public safety also requires urgent attention through the installation of CCTV surveillance across localities to deter and monitor street criminals. Above all, sustained investment is needed to restore reliable access to essential utilities such as water and gas. Karachi was once regarded as one of South Asia’s great commercial cities. Its transformation into a city struggling with insecurity, failing infrastructure and declining liveability is neither inevitable nor irreversible. But reclaiming its lost glory will require political maturity, coordinated planning and the willingness to place the interests of its millions of residents above partisan considerations.
