91pc Karachiites declare City of Lights as best city

KARACHI: Gallup Pakistan in its recent survey has found every 9 out of 10 residents of Karachi to have declared the city conducive for living but expressed strong concerns over the lack of sanitation and the high crime rate.

Over 500 people from across the city took part in the poll that was held fromOct 27 to Nov 17, 2020. On a question of standards of living, 94 pc respondents found the city ideal for neighbours and 92 pc 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.

Almost every nine out of ten residents of Karachi ie 91 percent 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 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 complained against non availability of public transport, 47 per cent complained against inadequate health infrastructure, 46 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 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 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.

Responding 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 the 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 percent 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.

In response to a question about feeling secure and insecure in Karachi in particular scenarios, every 8 out of ten respondents ie 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 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.

About environmental concerns, 59 per cent declared themselves unsafe, while 41 per cent found themselves to be safe.