Karachi ranked 918th in the Global Cities Index by Oxford Economics, with Islamabad at 578th and Lahore at 878th.
The leading positions were clinched by New York and London, dominating the survey of the world’s 1,000 largest urban economies.
The evaluation of cities in the Global Cities Index was based on 27 metrics across five key categories: Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment, and Governance. London secured the top spot, while Dubai claimed a notable 6th place among the most favorable cities to reside and thrive in 2024.
Mark Britton, Director of City Services at Oxford Economics, remarked, “Cities serve as hubs of human civilization, where innovation, diversity, and advancement intersect.
However, the intricate nature of urban dynamics often obscures our comprehension of what truly defines a city’s success.”
Islamabad, the highest-ranking city in Pakistan, scored 772 in the Quality of Life category and 775 in Environment.
Conversely, Karachi lagged behind with scores of 851 in quality of life, 917 in environment, and 874 in governance. Karachi’s performance in the Human Capital category was notably low, earning a score of 612, which evaluates the collective knowledge and skills of its population, crucial for driving economic growth.
New York secured the pinnacle position in the Global Cities Index, boasting the largest economy among all cities globally and benefiting from sustained economic expansion.
London closely followed in second place. Both cities excelled particularly in the Economics and Human Capital categories.
Following closely were San Jose, Tokyo, and Paris, trailed by Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman secured respectable positions, with Dubai ranking 92nd overall and earning a notable score of 12 in the human capital category. Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh found itself at the bottom of the list of cities evaluated in the index