Mayor Murtaza Wahab stated that Pakistan must prioritise creating alternatives to Karachi by developing more cities capable of absorbing future population growth.
Speaking at Pakistan Population Summit 2025, he suggested that creating well-developed alternatives to Karachi would allow population and economic activity to spread more evenly across the country.
“I think as a matter of policy, Pakistan should be focusing on developing more cities, alternates to Karachi, so that the population can be moved to other cities as well,” said Wahab.
He argued that such a policy shift is essential for balanced growth and for easing Karachi’s burden as Pakistan’s primary economic hub.
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Responding to a question about reducing migration into Karachi, Wahab described the metropolis as an “extremely stretchable city,” but stressed that continuing to rely on its expansion alone is no longer sustainable for long-term planning.
He said Karachi has a large and “humongous” land mass with significant potential, yet the continuous and unbalanced population movement has increased pressure on infrastructure, services, and civic systems already struggling to cope.
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Wahab argued that Pakistan needs a structured plan to build new, well-organised urban centres. He said developing alternatives to Karachi would help balance population distribution and create stronger economic opportunities across the country.
The mayor warned that without a national focus on new city development, Karachi will remain under severe strain, limiting its capacity to function effectively as the country’s primary economic and population hub.
He highlighted that urban planning must be proactive, noting that uncontrolled migration and poorly managed land use create challenges that ultimately lead to unplanned settlements, traffic congestion and inadequate facilities in expanding neighbourhoods.
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Wahab said Pakistan should develop cities that can attract people through better services, planned housing, efficient transport links and economic incentives, reducing the pressure currently placed almost entirely on Karachi’s expanding boundaries.
He concluded that building alternatives to Karachi is essential for stable growth, improved living standards and a more balanced national population distribution. Without this shift, Pakistan will continue facing repeated urban challenges.
