An aerial view of the City of Lights (Karachi).

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

A survey has found 9 out of every 10 residents of Karachi declaring the mega city conducive for living but expressed strong concerns over the lack of sanitation and high crime rate.

Over 500 people from across Karachi took part in the poll conducted by Gallup Pakistan that was held from Oct.27 to Nov.17, 2020.

On a question of standards of living, 94 per cent respondents found the city ideal for neighbours and 92 per cent expressed their own preference for the City of Lights.

On a query about the overall standards of living 87 per cent Karachiites declared the city as conducive, 84 per cent declared the same for the upbringing of their children. As many as 75 per cent elicited their preference for spending life after retirement in the city, while 73 per cent declared their preference for Karachi owing to better employment opportunities.

17% said Sea View was their favourite place in the City of Lights.

Almost every nine out of ten residents of Karachi i.e. 91 per cent respondents expressed deep concern over insanitation and lack of adequate arrangements for garbage disposal and related issues.

As many as 81 per cent of the respondents complained over the high crime rate. As much as 64 per cent pollsters complained over lack of adequate street lights, 62 per cent over poor traffic management, 53 per cent per cent complained against non availability of public transport, 47 per cent complained against inadequate health infrastructure, 46 per cent were concerned about lack of adequate number of parks in the city, 40 per cent complained over inadequate number of fire tenders with the fire brigade, 37 per cent expressed deep concern over lack of proper academic infrastructure.

As many as 27 per cent Karachiites declared lack of availability of potable water as the major problem. Of these 16 per cent respondents found unemployment to be alarming, 11 per cent were not satisfied with power supply, 8 per cent complained against the shoddy condition of roads, 4 per cent complained about inflation, 4 per cent against overpopulation, one percent expressed concern over shortage of gas and 8 per cent respondents offered varied opinions.

To a question about three good and bad aspects of the biggest metropolis of the country, 17 per cent of the pollsters expressed preference for Sea View, 15 per cent cited employment opportunities, 10 per cent found the city for host of other reasons.

Regarding the negative aspects of Karachi, 19 per cent of the respondents did not like anything in the city at all. As many 32 per cent expressed utmost discomfort with lack of sanitation and garbage disposal. Similarly, 17 per cent found distaste with inadequate power supply, 13 per cent felt bad infrastructure was the source of discomfort.

An aerial view of the tomb of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Karachi.

In response to a question about feeling secure and insecure in Karachi in particular scenarios, every 8 out of ten respondents i.e. 82 per cent respondents declared themselves safe in their neighbourhood during the day time, while 18 per cent found themselves to be insecure. But at night, 63 per cent found themselves secure in their neighbourhood, while only 37 per cent found that not to be the case.

Against the backdrop of violent crimes, 60 per cent declared themselves to be unsafe, but 40 per cent found them to be “safe and secure.” On the issue of crimes against property, 59 per cent pollsters considered themselves as unsafe and 41 per cent had no such complaint.