Despite its status as a major metropolitan hub, one that attracts people from across Pakistan, Sindh capital Karachi continues to suffer from persistent challenges that hamper the quality of life of its residents.
While these challenges often appear innumerable, they can be broadly categorized into five aspects: urban infrastructure, water scarcity, electricity outages, public health, and street crime.
Often damaged and riddled with potholes, roads in Karachi exacerbate the already chronic traffic congestion. This disrupts the daily commute of residents and contributes to air pollution. The city of over 20 million people also lacks a properly developed public transport system. This forces people to rely on alternate modes of transportation, many of them unsafe or expensive. Flooding after almost every major rain spell worsens the situation, with the city unable to cope with climate change-induced disasters.
Another severe problem is water scarcity. Many residents face dry taps and have to rely on expensive water tanker “mafias,” a lifeline unaffordable for low-income communities. This disparity is equally represented in electricity outages, whose inconsistent nature hampers productivity, strains household life, and impacts small businesses. Under a load management policy, areas with high losses—often the poorest regions—face the most power cuts, while those with minimal losses thrive.
Public health and safety, a major concern in any city, is particularly significant in Karachi, as its healthcare system often lacks the resources needed to adequately serve the city’s vast population. Access to quality healthcare is unevenly distributed, favoring elite areas while poorer districts lag. Sanitation and waste management are also frequently overlooked, leaving neighborhoods littered with garbage.
The biggest issue facing Karachi, however, remains its chronic lack of safety due to crime and poor policing. Street crime, including robberies and mobile snatchings, encourage a climate of fear that often affects daily activities and leaves dozens dead annually. The situation has only worsened, with daylight robberies on the rise, leaving residents risking life and limb every time they leave home.
To address all these issues, Karachi needs comprehensive policy reforms, improved governance, and investments in infrastructure. This can take the form of public-private partnerships, and community-led efforts, as overcoming Karachi’s present state of stagnation requires sustained will and determination. The resilience of Karachi’s residents is undeniable, but for meaningful progress, it is vital that the challenges they face are corrected through lasting solutions.