KARACHI: Experts on Friday blamed multiple factors for growing level of anxiety among the residents of Karachi after a survey conducted by a German company VAAY listed Pakistan's seaside metropolis among the ten most stressful cities in the world earlier this week.
According to the company’s official website, the Least and Most Stressful Cities Index 2021 was developed after comparing and analyzing 100 global cities for factors leading to tension and anxiety. The cities were chosen for their size and significance, as well as for their availability of reliable and comparable data.
Karachi ranked 93rd on the index, which made it join the bottom ten places, though it was still found to be better than Mumbai (100), New Delhi (97) and Moscow (96).
Iceland’s serene capital, Reykajavik, topped the list of the least stressful cities, followed by Bern in Switzerland.
“Apart from other important factors like environmental and civic issues which require official response, the lifestyle of the city’s own dwellers should also be blamed for growing level of stress in Karachi,” Professor Iqbal Afridi, president of the Pakistan Psychiatric Association and head of the Psychiatry Department at the Jinnah Hospital, told Arab News.
He said that stress-related cases in Karachi had significantly increased over the last several years.
“The seriousness of this can be gauged from the fact that we have been seeing over 400 patients at our OPD [Outpatient Department] every day despite COVID-19,” Afridi added.
“The environment of Karachi has worsened, and air and noise pollution are on the rise,” he continued. “Even at our beaches, one cannot find fresh air as the seashore is also polluted.”
However, he maintained that the security situation had relatively improved in Karachi which was a good thing.
Afia Salam, a Karachi-based climate expert, listed several factors which she thought were responsible for the city’s low ranking.
“The index measures the stress factors of governance, environment as well as other facilities and fares quite poorly. The high density of population, the noise and air pollution, traffic congestion etc pull Karachi way down on the index,” she said while pointing out that increasing temperatures also constituted another factor that added to a general sense of stress among people.
Zahid Farooq, who works with the Urban Resource Center, said the survey reflected Karachi’s ground realities.
“Why shouldn’t Karachi be counted among the most stressful cities when it contributes 68 percent to the national exchequer but only gets about three percent in return,” he asked, adding that the megacity with two ports was consistently deprived of its fair share.
“Karachi is among the ten largest cities of the world and its population is almost double of what is officially claimed,” Farooq maintained. “The people who live in this city that generates so much revenue lack access to pure drinking water, electricity and transportation.”
Murtaza Wahab, spokesperson of the Sindh administration, said his government had prioritized the development of the city’s environment.
“Several programs have been initiated for the megacity under the Karachi Neighborhood Improvement Project which aims at transforming Karachi into a more livable, competent and productive mega city,” he said. “The objective of the program is to enhance public spaces in targeted neighborhoods of Karachi and to improve its capacity to provide selected administrative services.”
“The provincial government has also carried out massive tree planation drives and established several urban forests across the city,” he added.
Experts blame government apathy, bad lifestyles for Karachi being among world’s 'most stressful' cities
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Experts blame government apathy, bad lifestyles for Karachi being among world’s 'most stressful' cities
- A leading psychiatrist in the city says his hospital handles over 400 stress-related cases daily despite COVID-19 protocols at medical facilities
- Spokesperson for Sindh administration says his government has prioritized the development of the city’s environment
Pakistan receives second tranche under IMF extended fund facility — central bank
- IMF last week approved fresh $1.4 billion climate loan, $1 billion under bailout program
- Successful review approval brought disbursements to $2 billion within $7 billion loan program
KARACHI: Pakistan has received the second tranche of special drawing rights worth 760 million ($1,023 million) from the International Monetary Fund under the extended fund facility (EFF) program, the State Bank of Pakistan said on Wednesday.
The IMF last Friday approved a fresh $1.4 billion loan to Pakistan under its climate resilience fund and approved the first review of its $7 billion program, freeing about $1 billion in cash. The review approval brings disbursements to $2 billion within the $7 billion program.
“SBP has received the second tranche of SDR 760 million ($ 1,023 million) from the IMF under the EFF program,” the central bank said on X.
“The amount will be reflected in SBP’s foreign exchange reserves for the week ending on 16th May 2025.”
The loan disbursement comes amid a military standoff with arch-rival India, though Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Reuters in an interview on Monday the conflict would not have a large fiscal impact on Pakistan. The two nations are currently under a US-brokered ceasefire.
“Pakistan’s policy efforts under the program have already delivered significant progress in stabilizing the economy and rebuilding confidence, amidst a challenging global environment,” the IMF said in a statement on Friday, when it approved the latest tranche.
Pakistan and Russia agree to establish new steel mill in Karachi — state media
- The two countries have worked on deepening their ties in recent years, focusing on energy cooperation
- Both sides also collaborated in the 1970s when the Soviet Union helped set up Pakistan Steel Mills
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia have agreed to establish a steel mill in Karachi, state media reported on Tuesday, aiming to boost bilateral ties and expand industrial collaboration between the two countries.
Their understanding reflects a broader deepening of Pakistan-Russia relations in recent years, including energy cooperation on oil and gas supplies. In 2023, the two sides worked on a deal for the delivery of Russian crude to Pakistan, and talks have continued on broader energy partnerships.
The two countries are also collaborating on the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline, a major infrastructure project aimed at transporting imported gas from Karachi to Punjab to help meet Pakistan’s energy needs.
The idea of the new steel mills was discussed during a meeting between Russian representative Denis Nazaroof and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Haroon Akhtar Khan.
“The primary focus of the discussion was the establishment of new steel mills in Pakistan,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.
The new project echoes the historic collaboration between the two sides in the 1970s, when the Soviet Union helped set up Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).
PSM was once the country’s largest industrial complex. However, the facility suffered decades of neglect, financial mismanagement, and political interference, ultimately shutting down production in 2015 after accumulating billions in losses.
“Pakistan is a secure and thriving hub for investment, and the international community has recognized its potential,” Khan said during the meeting.
“I invite all Russian businesspeople to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan,” he added.
Khan also emphasized the Prime Minister’s vision to attract foreign investment and underscored the potential for meaningful Pakistan-Russia cooperation in the steel sector.
China reaffirms support for lasting ceasefire between India and Pakistan after military standoff
- China’s deputy foreign minister meets Pakistan’s envoy in Beijing to discuss regional tensions
- He calls for a comprehensive ceasefire and offers his country’s support in achieving it
ISLAMABAD: China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong met with Pakistan’s envoy in Beijing to discuss tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi and expressed support for a lasting ceasefire, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
The meeting followed a recent flare-up in hostilities between India and Pakistan, marked by cross-border missile, drone and artillery exchanges. The situation prompted international concern and calls for de-escalation.
According to a statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sun emphasized Beijing’s support for a sustainable ceasefire between the two South Asian neighbors during his meeting with Ambassador Khalil Hashmi.
“China welcomes and supports Pakistan and India achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire,” Sun said. “China is ready to continue to play a constructive role in this regard.”
China, a longstanding ally of Pakistan, has maintained a strategic diplomatic and defense relations with Islamabad.
During the recent hostilities in the region, reports indicated that Pakistan deployed Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets and PL-15 missiles in its military operations.
This marked the first known combat use of the J-10Cs, reflecting the potency of Chinese military hardware and highlighting Beijing’s significant role as Islamabad’s primary defense partner.
While China has expressed support for Pakistan, it has also called for restraint and dialogue.
In a statement issued earlier, the Chinese foreign ministry urged both India and Pakistan to prioritize peace and stability, remain calm and restrained and resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation.
The recent ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, brokered with international mediation, has also been welcomed by China.
Pakistan envoy at UN urges end to Gaza blockade, calls it collective punishment by starvation
- Israel imposed the blockade in March, restricting entry of food, fuel and medical supplies
- UN agencies warn nearly 470,000 people are facing significant levels of hunger in Gaza
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top diplomat at the United Nations on Tuesday called for an immediate end to Israel’s blockade of Gaza, labeling the restriction of humanitarian aid as a violation of international law and a form of collective punishment through mass starvation.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in the war-torn Palestinian territory, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed emphasized the dire consequences of the blockade, which has been in place since March this year.
The blockade has severely restricted the entry of food, fuel and medical supplies, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
According to the World Health Organization, the blockade has led to severe shortages of essential supplies, with reports indicating that approximately 470,000 people are facing significant levels of hunger.
“The blockade imposed since 2nd March must be lifted,” Ahmed said. “Humanitarian access is not a favor – it is a legal obligation. Aid convoys and medical teams must be protected and allowed to operate freely and safely.”
“The normalization of starvation as a weapon of war is a crime,” he continued. “Collective punishment must end, and accountability must be ensured. The Gaza Reconstruction Plan must be fully and actively supported, and no forced displacement of Gazans must be tolerated.”
The ambassador’s remarks come amid escalating concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The situation has been described as a deliberate starvation of a civilian population as a method of warfare by various humanitarian organizations.
UN agencies have reported that the blockade has resulted in the closure of bakeries and the depletion of food stocks, leaving the population with limited access to basic necessities.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has also highlighted the challenges faced in delivering aid, noting that humanitarian supplies have not entered Gaza for several weeks.
Ambassador Ahmed called upon the international community to take decisive action to alleviate the suffering of the Gazan people and to uphold the principles of international humanitarian law.
Trump calls for deeper India-Pakistan engagement, hails US role in ceasefire at Riyadh forum
- The US president says he used trade as leverage to secure the ceasefire, a claim India denies
- He asks Marco Rubio to help leaders of both countries ‘go out and have a nice dinner together’
ISLAMABAD: United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated he had brokered a “historic ceasefire” between India and Pakistan using trade as leverage, while urging his administration to help build diplomatic ties strong enough for the nuclear-armed rivals to someday “go out and have a nice dinner together.”
The statement came days after a major standoff between the two South Asian neighbors, which saw both sides exchange missile and drone attacks as well as artillery fire across the Line of Control in Kashmir.
Trump, who announced the ceasefire on Saturday, said it followed a night of intense diplomatic activity. Subsequently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed the two countries had agreed to hold talks at a neutral venue to discuss a broad range of outstanding issues.
Trump made the remarks about the ceasefire during his address to the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, shortly after arriving in the Kingdom where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and senior Saudi officials.
The visit also saw the signing of more than $300 billion in defense and economic deals.
“Just days ago, my administration successfully brokered a historic ceasefire to stop the escalating violence between India and Pakistan,” he said. “And I used trade to a large extent to do it and I said, ‘Fellas, come on, let’s make a deal. Let’s do some trading. Let’s not trade nuclear missiles. Let’s trade the things that you make so beautifully.’”
Trump praised the efforts of his top aides, including Vice President JD Vance and Rubio, and called the leadership in both India and Pakistan “strong and smart.”
“Maybe we can even get them together a little bit, Marco, where they go out and have a nice dinner together,” he added. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”
He warned that the recent crisis, which he said “started off small,” had the potential to spiral into a broader conflict with devastating consequences.
“Millions of people could have died,” he said.
India, however, negated shortly before Trump’s speech that trade was a factor in the US-mediated truce.
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, confirmed that top leaders in New Delhi and Washington remained in close contact during the standoff, but denied that trade was discussed.
“The issue of trade didn’t come up in any of these discussions,” he said, referring to calls between Vance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as between Rubio and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
With input from AP
