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 approves Skills Impact Bond for youth employment through private investment
- New ‘pay-for-success’ model will fund market-relevant skills training for youth
- PM Sharif calls for roadmap to boost domestic and overseas job opportunities
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday approved Pakistan’s first Skills Impact Bond, a new financing model aimed at mobilizing private investment to equip young people with market-relevant skills and improve their access to employment, both at home and abroad.
The approval came during a high-level meeting in Islamabad focused on youth employment. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the initiative is part of a broader government effort to align vocational training with labor market demands and make Pakistani youth self-reliant through entrepreneurship and income-generating opportunities.
The model, also known as “pay-for-success,” links funding to independently verified outcomes such as job placement or minimum income levels.
“Pakistan’s talented youth are the country’s greatest asset,” the prime minister said at the meeting. “By equipping them with education and skills tailored to market needs, we will transform the future of this nation.”
Sharif instructed federal ministries and agencies to accelerate skills training, expand employment outreach through digital platforms and present a comprehensive roadmap based on estimates of domestic and overseas job opportunities for Pakistani youth.
The prime minister approved a public awareness campaign to promote the use of the Digital Youth Hub, which has already registered over 500,000 users.
The platform currently lists over 47,000 job openings in Pakistan and more than 100,000 overseas, along with 2,000 scholarship opportunities.
He also emphasized preparing skilled workers specifically for international job markets and directed relevant departments to offer foreign language training for countries with high demand for labor.
US state secretary meets deputy PM, lauds Pakistan’s counterterror role amid thaw in relations
- Dar, Rubio discuss trade, investment, counterterrorism and regional stability in first face-to-face meeting
- The Pakistani deputy premier calls his country an attractive destination for US businesses and investors
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held his first face-to-face meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Friday, with the US official acknowledging Pakistan’s role in promoting international peace and his Pakistani interlocutor seeking broader ties between the two countries.
The meeting is widely viewed as yet another sign of a diplomatic reset after years of estrangement between Islamabad and Washington, particularly during the Afghan war, where diverging perspectives deepened mistrust. High-level bilateral exchanges gradually faded as the US withdrew from Afghanistan.
Earlier this week, however, US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce hinted at a bilateral meeting between the two countries without disclosing details. According to Pakistan’s foreign office, Dar and Rubio held detailed discussions on bilateral relations and explored opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, technology and minerals.
Counterterrorism and regional peace efforts were also high on the agenda.
“Met with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister @MIshaqDar50 today to discuss expanding bilateral trade and enhancing collaboration in the critical minerals sector,” Rubio said in a social media post after the meeting. “I also thanked him for Pakistan’s partnership in countering terrorism and preserving regional stability.”
Dar responded by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Washington.
“We wish to broaden and deepen our relationship with the United States across the political, economic and security domains,” he said according to an official statement. “Pakistan remains a credible partner for peace, progress and prosperity in the region and beyond.”
Last month, President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for a rare one-on-one lunch at the White House in a visit that followed an intense, four-day India-Pakistan military standoff, which ended with a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10.
Dar also paid tribute to Trump for his role in de-escalating the tensions between the two South Asian nuclear-armed neighbors.
The revival of military and political dialogue between the two countries comes as Pakistan is also holding trade talks with Washington after the Trump administration imposed 29 percent “reciprocal tariffs” on Pakistani exports in April.
Pakistan’s finance chief, Muhammad Aurangzeb, who also visited Washington this month, said the two countries were working to shift their economic ties “from one focused on trade to one anchored in long-term investment.”
After meeting US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Aurangzeb said priority sectors had been identified, including minerals, mining, artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency regulation.
During Friday’s meeting, Dar also described Pakistan as an attractive destination for US investors and highlighted the role of the Pakistani-American diaspora in strengthening bilateral ties.
“We are optimistic about progress in the ongoing trade dialogue,” he said. “There is alignment between our regional peace objectives and strategic interests.”
Dar is currently on an eight-day visit to the United States, where he kept a busy schedule in New York and chaired several high-profile United Nations Security Council meetings under Pakistan’s rotating presidency this month.
He highlighted the need for multilateralism, peaceful dispute resolution and his country’s own strategic concerns during his engagements at the world body.
Pakistan president invites Saudi investment, praises Riyadh’s support in critical times
- Ali Ali Zardari highlights the historic ties between the two countries in a meeting with the Saudi envoy
- The meeting came as Pakistan tries to attract foreign investment to accelerate its economic recovery
KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday invited Saudi businesses to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan, underscoring the historic relationship between the two countries and Riyadh’s critical role in helping Islamabad through difficult times.
Zardari’s remarks come as Pakistan looks to attract foreign investment to strengthen its economy. Saudi Arabia played a key role in stabilizing Pakistan’s finances in recent years, depositing $2 billion into Pakistan’s central bank in June 2023 to bolster foreign reserves.
The Kingdom also helped unlock a $3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund later in the same year.
“Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy deep-rooted and historic relations based on shared faith and mutual trust,” the president said during a meeting with Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki in Islamabad according to a statement circulated by the presidency. “We invite Saudi investors to explore investment opportunities in various sectors of the Pakistani economy.”
The Saudi financial assistance to Pakistan two years ago came as the South Asian nation’s reserves had dropped to a level where it could barely cover a few weeks of imports, bringing the country to the brink of sovereign default.
Zardari expressed appreciation for Riyadh’s continued support during the meeting and called for deeper engagement between the two nations on regional and international forums.
Pakistan has been trying to further strengthen its economic relations with the Gulf countries amid improving macroeconomic indicators.
It also signed 34 memorandums of understanding worth $2.8 billion with Saudi Arabia in October 2024, part of Islamabad’s broader push to accelerate its economic recovery through export-led growth and foreign investment.
Pakistan urges global action against banned militant groups exploiting social media
- Minister Talal Chauhdry asks social media platforms to use AI to block militant-linked accounts
- Pakistan’s 2016 PECA law criminalizes online recruitment and funding linked to militant groups
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has requested cooperation from social media platforms to block and remove accounts linked to militant groups, State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Friday, urging global action and the use of artificial intelligence to support these efforts.
Chaudhry’s statement comes amid growing concerns in Islamabad over the online presence and influence of militant networks, including the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Daesh, which are increasingly using digital platforms to recruit, fundraise and spread propaganda.
Pakistan has intensified efforts to curb militancy on social media by strengthening digital surveillance, enforcing cybercrime laws and engaging with major tech platforms.
The country’s primary legislation in the area is the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, which explicitly criminalizes online recruitment, funding and planning by militant groups.
“I want to once again request for the social media operators and social media platforms to cooperate with us on the blockage and removal of accounts, taking AI measures to stop mirroring accounts and to share info of account holders who are operating these accounts,” the minister said while addressing a news conference.
He highlighted how Pakistan was fighting a war against militancy for two decades.
“And Pakistan is a wall between terrorists and the world,” he added. “If this wall becomes weak the fire will not stop on our borders.”
Chaudhry lamented that around 40 international militant groups were operating out of Afghanistan, adding they had access to weapons and ammunition worth millions of dollars left behind by US forces following their withdrawal in 2021.
He said all of these militant organizations had been sanctioned by the US, the United Kingdom and Pakistan.
“We want to block and remove the account,” Chaudhry added. “Second is to use AI measures to stop mirror accounts and thirdly and most importantly is to share information of these account holders because they are also part of terrorist organizations and are terrorists.”
The government has also urged platforms such as Facebook, X and YouTube to comply with local regulations and promptly remove flagged content promoting militancy.
In May 2024, Pakistan established the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the mandate of PECA, tasked with probing offenses such as terrorism-related cyber activities, misinformation, hacking and other forms of digital crime.
Pakistan’s top judge pushes for AI integration in courts, stresses need for ethical safeguards
- Chief Justice Yahya Afridi says AI can boost efficiency but must not compromise fairness, transparency
- National Judicial Automation Committee has been tasked with drafting ethical framework for AI use
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi on Friday highlighted his plan to integrate artificial intelligence into the country’s judicial system, saying it could significantly improve the performance of courts while stressing that its adoption must be guided by an ethical framework to ensure responsible use.
Globally, countries are experimenting with AI to improve legal efficiency, with Chinese courts using the technology for evidence analysis and verdict drafting, while the US judiciary deploying it for legal research and risk assessments.
Speaking at a symposium to mark the International Day for Judicial Wellbeing, the chief justice said the judiciary was committed to embracing innovation but not at the cost of fairness or transparency.
Justice Afridi said the National Judicial Automation Committee, chaired by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and comprising judges from the high courts, had been tasked with preparing and recommending ethical guidelines for the use of AI in Pakistan’s judiciary.
“We hope that this initiative, along with the willingness of our judiciary to use AI, will enable us to integrate AI into our processes safely and allow us to make our justice delivery system more efficient, transparent and, above all, citizen-centric,” he said.
While acknowledging the immense potential of AI to improve judicial efficiency, Justice Afridi warned its integration must not be “blind or uncritical,” stressing the need for thoughtful deliberation on the complex ethical concerns it raises.
International experts have also warned that opaque algorithms, AI-generated recommendations and the replacement of human judgment in nuanced cases could undermine judicial impartiality and public trust.
The chief justice’s address also outlined a broader judicial reform agenda focused on improving institutional support, promoting fairness and enhancing the wellbeing of judges, particularly at the district level.
He expressed pride in the district judiciary and pledged to continue reforms that protect their dignity, provide necessary resources and help them deliver justice more effectively.
“It is my firm resolve as the Chief Justice of Pakistan to support you through reforms that protect your wellbeing, affirm your dignity and provide the resources you need to perform your best,” he told the gathering.
He added that a judge who is institutionally supported is better equipped to be “fair, focused and effectively responsive.”
