World Safety Map

Safest cities in Pakistan

178 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04

US 3/4 Reconsider travelUK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of this country

Areas the UK FCDO advises against visiting

  • Pakistan-Afghanistan border
  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province
  • Balochistan Province
  • Pakistan-India Border Area
  • Pakistan-administered Kashmir
  • Sindh Province
  • Punjab Province
  • Bajaur
  • Bannu
  • Buner
  • Chārsadda
  • Dera Ismail Khan
  • Hangu
  • Karak
  • Khyber
  • Kohat
  • Kurram
  • Lakki Marwat
  • Upper Dir
  • Lower Dir
  • Mohmand
  • Orakzai
  • Peshawar, including the city of Peshawar
  • Swat
  • Tank
  • North Waziristan
  • Upper South Waziristan
  • Lower South Waziristan
  • the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas via Battagram, Besham City, Dasu and Sazin up to the junction with the N15
  • the N45 Highway, from the north of the Mardan ring road, to the edge of Chitral City, including Kalash valley
  • Malakand
  • Mardan
  • Nowshera
  • Shangla
  • Swabi

In full or in part — the official advisory lists exact boundaries and exceptions.

What official travel advice warns about

Terrorism

  • Terrorism in PakistanTerrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Pakistan.
  • Terrorist kidnapThere is a threat of kidnap throughout Pakistan, particularly within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Terrorist groups are unlikely to prioritise the kidnap of westerners in Pakistan. Any kidnap of a foreign national by terrorist groups in Pakistan would likely be opportunistic.

Political situation

  • Political rallies, protests and demonstrations may take place across the country and can start with little warning. Most are peaceful, but they can turn violent quickly and lead to clashes with law enforcement. Individuals near protest activity may face increased scrutiny by security forces. During elections, terrorists have targeted security…

Crime

  • Protecting yourself and your belongingsStreet crime is a risk, particularly in crowded areas. Take sensible measures to guard your possessions and reduce your personal risk. Be cautious when moving around urban areas at night, especially when on foot.
  • Criminal kidnapBritish nationals of Pakistani origin have been targeted by criminals, including kidnappers, as they are often perceived as being wealthier than locals.

Laws and cultural differences

  • Personal IDAlways carry photo ID. You may be asked to show it and you might be detained until you can show a valid ID.
  • RamadanRamadan, also called Ramazan in Pakistan, is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country. In 2026, Ramadan is expected to start around mid-February and finish around mid-March. During this time, do not:
  • Dress codePakistan is an Islamic country. Dress modestly, men and women should cover their shoulders and legs in public. Women should cover their heads when entering mosques and holy places, and in rural areas.
  • BlasphemyInsulting or showing disrespect or contempt of religion, religious beliefs or anything considered holy (blasphemy) is illegal. Blasphemy has a broad definition in Pakistani law. It includes public and private comments in any form, including on social media.
  • Death penaltyThe death penalty can be issued for individuals convicted for crimes including, but not limited to, blasphemy, murder and rape.
  • Alcohol laws and bansDrinking alcohol is illegal for Muslims. Non-Muslims are allowed to drink in Pakistan, but you must get a licence from the authorities. It is also illegal for non-Muslims to supply alcohol to Muslims. Public drinking and drunkenness are illegal and can lead to detention.
  • Illegal drugs and penaltiesYou can get a prison sentence for possession of even small quantities of illegal drugs. British nationals have been arrested on drug trafficking charges and have been detained for long periods while their case is in the Pakistan legal system.
  • Taking photos in secure areasDo not take photos at military establishments, airports or any infrastructure (including bridges and dams) or from aircraft. British nationals have been arrested on suspicion of ‘spying’. Check with officials if you’re not sure whether you can take a photo.
  • Property disputesDisputes over property ownership are common in Pakistan and have been known to become violent. British nationals have been victims of property scams such as:
  • LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual activity between men is illegal. There are occasional arrests, and there are negative attitudes to same-sex relationships throughout Pakistan which can sometimes result in violence. See more details from the Human Dignity Trust about the current application of the law.
  • RelationshipsIt is illegal for unmarried couples to live together in Pakistan. The law regarding unmarried people sharing a hotel room does not generally apply to visiting foreign nationals, particularly in popular tourist areas.

Transport risks

  • Planning secure travel around PakistanYou must obtain advance permission from local or federal authorities to travel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan and several districts in Azad Kashmir. There are several prohibited areas across the country, particularly the areas around military installations, nuclear plants, naval and aerial basis. Officials could stop you and ask you to…
  • Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Pakistan, see information on driving abroad.
  • Road conditionsOutside of the major motorways, the quality of roads is variable. Road conditions can be poor. Local driving standards are erratic, especially at night. Take care on long road journeys and when travelling cross-country.
  • Public transportDue to the level of crime, avoid using public transport, including the Metro Bus between Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
  • TaxisAvoid using street taxis, e-taxis. or online apps for taxi services. Only use taxis from reputable, licensed companies where you call for a taxi and the operator contacts a taxi driver.
  • Air travelAirports can be crowded at times and your baggage may need to go through screening equipment and checks. When travelling through an airport, allow enough time to complete check-in and security procedures.
  • Rail travelAvoid using the railway network due to the risk of terrorist attacks and derailments.
  • Sea travelThe threat from piracy within Pakistan’s territorial waters is low. There is a significant threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and other parts of the Indian Ocean. Mariners should follow shipping industry guidelines on precautions to take.

Extreme weather and natural disasters

  • LandslidesCheck local forecasts from the Pakistan Meteorological Department and be aware of the risk of landslides and road blockages, particularly in hilly and mountainous regions. Take extreme care crossing swollen rivers.
  • Monsoons and floodingPakistan can experience flooding and landslides during monsoon season which is usually from late June to early October. The flooding can affect all provinces in Pakistan. Roads and bridges have been damaged or destroyed, affecting travel in many parts of the country. More information is available from the National Disaster Management Authority.
  • EarthquakesEarth tremors are common. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has advice on what to do before, during and after an earthquake.

Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Pakistan, updated 2026-08-07 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →

Country figures

Homicide rate
4.33 /100k2024
Income inequality
Gini 33.52024
Human development
HDI 0.5442023
Income
$6,430/yrGNI per capita PPP
Road deaths
13.0 /100kWHO, 2019
Political stability
31/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
Rule of law
39/100WGI, 2024
Corruption perceptions
28/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
Natural-hazard risk
6.6/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Women, Peace & Security
0.46GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
Air quality
58.4 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
Safe drinking water
45%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
Healthcare capacity
1.2 doctors /1k0.6 hospital beds per 1,000
Malaria
13 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only

Natural hazards

Flood
9.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Earthquake
9.2/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Cyclone
7.1/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Tsunami
6.1/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Drought
4.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier

Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.

Same-sex sexual activity is criminalized in Pakistan, with the death penalty applying in law (as of 2025). This describes the law on the books, not necessarily enforcement practice.

How Pakistan compares

Pakistan against the median of all 180 countries in the dataset. Green means better than the median.
MeasurePakistanWorld medianDifference
Homicide rate4.3 /100k2.4 /100k+2.0 /100k — better for World median
Income inequality (Gini)33.535.2−1.7 — better for Pakistan
Human development (HDI)0.5440.763−0.219 — better for World median
Road deaths13.0 /100k15.4 /100k−2.4 /100k — better for Pakistan
Rule of law39/10052/100−13/100 — better for World median
Corruption perceptions28/10039/100−11/100 — better for World median
Air quality (PM2.5)58.4 µg/m³19.7 µg/m³+38.7 µg/m³ — better for World median
Natural-hazard risk6.6/103.8/10+2.8/10 — better for World median
And against its own region — often the more useful comparison, since Asia shares much of the context a global median averages away.
MeasurePakistanAsia medianDifference
Homicide rate4.3 /100k1.5 /100k+2.8 /100k — better for Asia median
Income inequality (Gini)33.533.5±0.0
Human development (HDI)0.5440.771−0.227 — better for Asia median
Road deaths13.0 /100k15.3 /100k−2.3 /100k — better for Pakistan
Rule of law39/10052/100−13/100 — better for Asia median
Corruption perceptions28/10037/100−9/100 — better for Asia median
Air quality (PM2.5)58.4 µg/m³26.7 µg/m³+31.7 µg/m³ — better for Asia median
Natural-hazard risk6.6/103.6/10+3.0/10 — better for Asia median

Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.

All 178 cities, safest first

  1. Hyderabad66.4 · #3795 worldwide
  2. Sukkur66.4 · #3796 worldwide
  3. Bahawalpur66.4 · #3797 worldwide
  4. Larkana66.4 · #3798 worldwide
  5. Mirpur Khas66.4 · #3799 worldwide
  6. Nawabshah66.4 · #3800 worldwide
  7. Jacobabad66.4 · #3801 worldwide
  8. Shikarpur66.4 · #3802 worldwide
  9. Dadu66.4 · #3803 worldwide
  10. Khairpur66.4 · #3804 worldwide
  11. Ahmedpur East66.4 · #3805 worldwide
  12. Tando Adam66.4 · #3806 worldwide
  13. Tando Allahyar66.4 · #3807 worldwide
  14. Umerkot66.4 · #3808 worldwide
  15. Moro66.4 · #3809 worldwide
  16. Shahdadkot66.4 · #3810 worldwide
  17. Kandhkot66.4 · #3811 worldwide
  18. Fort Abbas66.4 · #3812 worldwide
  19. Qambar66.4 · #3813 worldwide
  20. Haroonabad66.4 · #3814 worldwide
  21. Ghotki66.4 · #3815 worldwide
  22. Mehar Taluka66.4 · #3816 worldwide
  23. Badin66.4 · #3817 worldwide
  24. Tando Muhammad Khan66.4 · #3818 worldwide
  25. Shahdadpur66.4 · #3819 worldwide
  26. Mirpur Mathelo66.4 · #3820 worldwide
  27. Daharki66.4 · #3821 worldwide
  28. Jamshoro66.4 · #3822 worldwide
  29. Thul66.4 · #3823 worldwide
  30. Khairpur Nathan Shah66.4 · #3824 worldwide
  31. Sehwan66.4 · #3825 worldwide
  32. Skardu66.4 · #3826 worldwide
  33. Faisalabad64.5 · #4023 worldwide
  34. Sargodha64.5 · #4024 worldwide
  35. Chiniot64.5 · #4025 worldwide
  36. Rabwah64.5 · #4026 worldwide
  37. Bhalwal64.5 · #4027 worldwide
  38. Sahiwal63.4 · #4177 worldwide
  39. Rahim Yar Khan63.4 · #4178 worldwide
  40. Okara63.4 · #4179 worldwide
  41. Sadiqabad63.4 · #4180 worldwide
  42. Pakpattan63.4 · #4181 worldwide
  43. Khanpur63.4 · #4182 worldwide
  44. Bahawalnagar63.4 · #4183 worldwide
  45. Depalpur63.4 · #4184 worldwide
  46. Chishtian Sharif63.4 · #4185 worldwide
  47. Renala Khurd63.4 · #4186 worldwide
  48. Lodhran63.4 · #4187 worldwide
  49. Haveli Lakha63.4 · #4188 worldwide
  50. Jampur63.4 · #4189 worldwide
  51. Alipur63.4 · #4190 worldwide
  52. Rajanpur63.4 · #4191 worldwide
  53. Multan62.6 · #4218 worldwide
  54. Gojra62.6 · #4219 worldwide
  55. Samundri62.6 · #4220 worldwide
  56. Arifwala62.6 · #4221 worldwide
  57. Shujaabad62.6 · #4222 worldwide
  58. Kahror Pacca62.6 · #4223 worldwide
  59. Tandlianwala62.6 · #4224 worldwide
  60. Jhang61.5 · #4319 worldwide
  61. Burewala61.5 · #4320 worldwide
  62. Khanewal61.5 · #4321 worldwide
  63. Vehari61.5 · #4322 worldwide
  64. Hasilpur61.5 · #4323 worldwide
  65. Chichawatni61.5 · #4324 worldwide
  66. Mian Channu61.5 · #4325 worldwide
  67. Kamalia61.5 · #4326 worldwide
  68. Mailsi61.5 · #4327 worldwide
  69. Kabirwala61.5 · #4328 worldwide
  70. Pir Mahal61.5 · #4329 worldwide
  71. Toba Tek Singh61.1 · #4354 worldwide
  72. Muzaffargarh60.7 · #4365 worldwide
  73. Chakwal60.4 · #4405 worldwide
  74. Joharabad59.2 · #4501 worldwide
  75. Kot Addu59.0 · #4519 worldwide
  76. Shahkot58.8 · #4529 worldwide
  77. Hafizabad58.8 · #4530 worldwide
  78. Mandi Bahauddin58.8 · #4531 worldwide
  79. Jaranwala58.8 · #4532 worldwide
  80. Sangla Hill58.8 · #4533 worldwide
  81. Phalia58.7 · #4543 worldwide
  82. Lahore58.5 · #4554 worldwide
  83. Kasur58.5 · #4555 worldwide
  84. Raiwind58.5 · #4556 worldwide
  85. Pattoki58.5 · #4557 worldwide
  86. Phool Nagar58.5 · #4558 worldwide
  87. Chunian58.5 · #4559 worldwide
  88. Allahabad58.5 · #4560 worldwide
  89. Nathe Khalsa58.5 · #4561 worldwide
  90. Nankana Sahib58.4 · #4570 worldwide
  91. Feroze Wattwan58.4 · #4571 worldwide
  92. Muridke57.7 · #4610 worldwide
  93. Talagang57.7 · #4611 worldwide
  94. Ali Pur Chatha57.6 · #4620 worldwide
  95. Khuzdar57.2 · #4688 worldwide
  96. Dera Ghazi Khan57.1 · #4696 worldwide
  97. Kamoke57.0 · #4699 worldwide
  98. Thatta56.6 · #4731 worldwide
  99. Karachi56.5 · #4740 worldwide
  100. Shakar Garh56.5 · #4741 worldwide
  101. Hub56.5 · #4742 worldwide
  102. Gujranwala56.4 · #4749 worldwide
  103. Dinga56.3 · #4760 worldwide
  104. Pattan56.3 · #4761 worldwide
  105. Narowal56.0 · #4776 worldwide
  106. Chitral55.9 · #4784 worldwide
  107. Ghakhar Mandi55.6 · #4816 worldwide
  108. Gujar Khan55.3 · #4847 worldwide
  109. Wazirabad55.2 · #4850 worldwide
  110. Sambrial54.9 · #4858 worldwide
  111. Layyah54.9 · #4859 worldwide
  112. Panjgur54.9 · #4860 worldwide
  113. Qila Khudabadan54.9 · #4861 worldwide
  114. Pasrur54.8 · #4862 worldwide
  115. Daska54.8 · #4871 worldwide
  116. Gujrat54.8 · #4873 worldwide
  117. Islamabad54.6 · #4880 worldwide
  118. Taxila54.6 · #4882 worldwide
  119. Sialkot54.5 · #4888 worldwide
  120. Lalamusa54.3 · #4907 worldwide
  121. Jalalpur Jattan54.3 · #4910 worldwide
  122. Bani Gala54.2 · #4924 worldwide
  123. Kharian54.2 · #4925 worldwide
  124. Havelian Cantonment54.1 · #4935 worldwide
  125. Sarai Alamgir54.1 · #4939 worldwide
  126. Jhelum54.0 · #4945 worldwide
  127. Dina53.9 · #4951 worldwide
  128. Mirpur53.8 · #4954 worldwide
  129. Kahuta53.8 · #4956 worldwide
  130. Haripur53.7 · #4966 worldwide
  131. Abbottabad53.7 · #4975 worldwide
  132. Baffa53.4 · #4988 worldwide
  133. Oghi53.4 · #4992 worldwide
  134. Mansehra53.4 · #4996 worldwide
  135. Chaman53.1 · #5012 worldwide
  136. Turbat53.1 · #5020 worldwide
  137. Muzaffarabad52.7 · #5041 worldwide
  138. Garhi Habibullah52.6 · #5052 worldwide
  139. Battagram52.4 · #5059 worldwide
  140. Zhob52.3 · #5061 worldwide
  141. Matta51.4 · #5109 worldwide
  142. Charbagh51.3 · #5114 worldwide
  143. Kotli51.3 · #5118 worldwide
  144. Mingora51.1 · #5126 worldwide
  145. Katen Bala50.9 · #5133 worldwide
  146. Quetta50.8 · #5135 worldwide
  147. Khall50.6 · #5148 worldwide
  148. Samarbagh50.5 · #5159 worldwide
  149. Attock50.4 · #5163 worldwide
  150. Topi50.4 · #5170 worldwide
  151. Hazro50.1 · #5181 worldwide
  152. Daggar50.1 · #5184 worldwide
  153. Swabi50.0 · #5186 worldwide
  154. Bhakkar50.0 · #5187 worldwide
  155. Mianwali49.9 · #5194 worldwide
  156. Yar Hussain49.6 · #5202 worldwide
  157. Timergara49.3 · #5218 worldwide
  158. Nowshera49.3 · #5219 worldwide
  159. Thana49.2 · #5268 worldwide
  160. Darya Khan49.2 · #5269 worldwide
  161. Dera Ismail Khan49.2 · #5272 worldwide
  162. Chakdara49.2 · #5273 worldwide
  163. Mardan49.1 · #5285 worldwide
  164. Pabbi49.1 · #5296 worldwide
  165. Inayat Killi49.0 · #5298 worldwide
  166. Batkhela49.0 · #5299 worldwide
  167. Takht Bhai48.9 · #5306 worldwide
  168. Charsadda48.9 · #5307 worldwide
  169. Sakhakot48.8 · #5312 worldwide
  170. Khar Bajaur48.8 · #5318 worldwide
  171. Kohat48.7 · #5322 worldwide
  172. Tangi48.6 · #5328 worldwide
  173. Peshawar48.5 · #5338 worldwide
  174. Shabqadar48.2 · #5344 worldwide
  175. Parachinar47.9 · #5357 worldwide
  176. Landi Kotal47.3 · #5397 worldwide
  177. Hangu46.9 · #5416 worldwide
  178. Bannu46.1 · #5464 worldwide