Pakistan is facing a diabetes explosion, and one of the world’s leading scientists is sounding the alarm.

Professor Dr Abdul Basit, ranked among the top two percent of scientists globally by Stanford University, warns that more than 30 million Pakistanis are living with diabetes, with millions more at high risk. Alarmingly, the disease is spreading rapidly among younger age groups.

In this interview with Nukta Pakistan’s Shayan Saleem, Dr Basit explains how rising obesity, junk food consumption, and the staggering intake of nearly 55 billion 250ml soft drink bottles each year are fueling Pakistan’s diabetes crisis.

He calls for urgent public health reforms, stronger policy intervention, and higher taxes on unhealthy products.

Diabetes often remains silent until serious complications develop. Dr Basit stresses the importance of early risk assessment, prevention, and nationwide awareness to avoid long term health consequences.

Is Pakistan prepared to tackle one of its biggest public health challenges?

Watch the full discussion to understand the scale of the diabetes crisis in Pakistan and what must change now.