Unplugged 2026 to be held at Indus Valley School on November 7; youth-led initiative aims to break stigma and encourage open conversations about mental health
KARACHI, November 3, 2026: One in four young people in Pakistan is reportedly facing some form of psychological or mental health issue, highlighting the urgent need to address youth mental health and create supportive spaces where young people can openly discuss their concerns, mental health experts said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a joint press conference at the Karachi Press Club, representatives of the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) and the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, along with mental health expert Dr Ayesha Irshad Mian, announced the fourth edition of Unplugged 2026: Karachi Bol, scheduled to take place on November 7 at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi.
Dr Ayesha Irshad Mian said the Karachi Bol campaign aimed to bring young people’s voices into mainstream conversations and encourage society to listen to their concerns. She stressed the need to break the stigma surrounding mental health and provide young people with a safe environment to discuss their psychological challenges without fear of judgment.
Dr Faiza Mushtaq, Dean of the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, said young people had immense potential and needed opportunities to express their creativity and contribute to society. She said students from IVS would participate in this year’s event, where a collaborative mural would also be created.
Dr Akbar Zaidi of IBA Karachi highlighted the growing pressures faced by young people, particularly academic expectations, the pursuit of good grades and concerns about their future. He said the increasing use of social media and artificial intelligence had created new opportunities as well as challenges for young people.
He said IBA had established wellness centres and provided counselling services to support students dealing with psychological and emotional difficulties. The counselling process was kept confidential to ensure students could seek help without hesitation.
Dr Zaidi stressed that every university and college should have trained counsellors and advisers to support students. Mental health problems were often overlooked because psychological distress was not always visible, he added.
He said mental health support in educational institutions was no longer an additional facility but an essential need. Institutions must listen to young people, particularly at a time when many feel they have nobody to hear or understand their concerns.
According to the organisers, Unplugged 2026 will feature young singers aged 14 to 25 from across Karachi, performing with a professional live band. The programme will also include creative activities, a collaborative art mural and a pledge wall where young participants can express what they want adults to understand about their experiences and concerns.
Up to 450 seats have been reserved free of charge for young people from partner organisations, while tickets for the general public are priced at Rs2,000. Doors will open at 7pm.
Unplugged began in 2023 as a youth-led initiative by the Youth Circle of Synapse. The annual concert has since grown into a platform promoting awareness, dialogue and action on youth mental health.
The Karachi Bol campaign seeks to engage families, educational institutions, universities and wider society in meaningful conversations about young people’s mental well-being.