Karachi is the 6th most affordable city in the world, according to an annual report of the Worldwide Cost of living. The report was published by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The cities are ranked by comparing prices of 160 essential commodities to compile a ranking including food, drink, clothing, education, recreational costs etc.
Shia organisations are holding a rally in Karachi today (Sunday) against the killing of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian general and the chief of the IRGC’s Quds Force, and and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a leader of Hashd al-Shaabi. The protest will begin at the Karachi Press Club at 3pm and demonstrators will march to the US Consulate on Mai Kolachi. Roads leading to the US Consulate have been closed ahead of the rally.
2020 has brought the latest wave of cold weather for Karachi as the mercury dropped to a record low today. Pakistan Meteorological Department’s Director, Sardar Sarfraz, said that Wednesday observed the lowest temperature for this season. He said that the current cold wave is expected to last for another four to five days with the temperature dropping to 8 degrees celsius in the port city.
Hordes of citizens in Karachi made a beeline for compressed natural gas (CNG) stations on Sunday morning after operations resumed temporarily from 7am until 7pm. Sindh government held the Centre responsible for the ongoing gas shortage in the province. Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL )has held a meeting with the CNG leaders’ association and it was decided that a proper schedule will be announced in the next week according to which gas supply for CNG stations will be ensured.
Karachi has earned a place on the list of the world’s 10 least livable cities in the Global Liveability Index 2019 for the second time. Karachi has been ranked at the 5th position. Sindh’s capital is marginally better to live compared to Tripoli (4th), Dhaka (3rd), Lagos (2nd) and Damascus (1st). In 2018, Karachi was ranked 4th. Vienna has been declared at the top of ten most liveable cities.
The prices of wheat and sugar have increased in Karachi, a kilogram of wheat now costs Rs46 and sugar prices have increased by Rs1.5 per kg. The price of a 100kg bag of wheat has increased by Rs300 in the open market while in the wholesale market, a bag of wheat now costs Rs4,600
Karachi’s first street library will open on December the 25th by Sindh government. The idea came to Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, who wanted to promote education and book reading habits within people. This library will be near the Metropole Hotel. Further, Karachi Commissioner’s Office has decorated the walls surrounding the built-in library with portraits of the founder of Pakistan, his sister Fatima Jinnah and poet Allama Iqbal.
Police have taken two young men into custody for questioning in connection with a probe into the shocking kidnapping of Dua Mangi, a 20-year-old female student in Karachi. Dua and her friend, Haris, were strolling in DHA’s Bukhari Commercial area when unidentified armed men in a car intercepted them and took away the girl after shooting and injuring her friend.
A case has been registered against a woman who misbehaved with a traffic policeman after she was pulled over for violating a traffic signal in Karachi’s upscale Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area. The development came about after the video went viral on social media, in which the female motorist can be seen resorting to uncouth language as well as threatening the cop.
Pakistan and the World Bank have signed five loan agreements of $787 million for development projects, majorly directed to uplifting Karachi. The World Bank will provide $652m for three development projects in Karachi to support urban mobility, urban management and service delivery, improve water and sewerage services, tourism and power sectors. Highest amount of $382m was inked for Karachi Mobility (Yellow Line) Project.