Ishfaq Ahmad ^1,2 Pu Guo ¹ Meixia Zhao ^1,3* Yu Zhong ¹ Xiaoyun Zheng ^1,2 Shuqi Zhang ^1,2 Jian-Wen Qiu ^4,5 Qi Shi ¹ Hongqiang Yan ¹ Shichen Tao ¹ Lijia Xu ⁶

• ¹ Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
• ² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, Beijing, China
• ³ State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China
• ⁴ Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Region, China
• ⁵ Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China, Hong Kong, China
• ⁶ South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

The coral reefs along Pakistan's coastline are of ecological and economic significance. However, they are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic threats and climate change.These vulnerable ecosystems are declining due to various factors such as sedimentation, climate change, overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and tourism development.We found that 29%, 24%, 26%, 16% and 18% of the studies exceeding, marine pollution, overfishing/destructive fishing, coastal tourism, climate change and sedimentation, respectively; thus, indicating inadequate water quality status in part of Pakistan coastal water. These influences lead to several negative impacts, such as jeopardized coral health, decline in biodiversity, and the simplification of reef structures. In response to these threats, conservation efforts are imperative. This literature review provides an indepth analysis of anthropogenic threats, climate change and the conservation of coral reefs in Pakistan. This review provides suggestions on how the country could better conserve its coral reef ecosystem. These include (1) initiatives such as establishing marine protected areas (MPAs), (2) encouraging sustainable fishing practices and reducing pollution, (3) developing the country as an ecotourism destination and implementing climate change adaptation measures, and (4) community engagement through awareness campaigns and fostering collaboration among, governmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and scientists. These comprehensive conservation policies address human-caused and other challenges, safeguarding their ecological, economic, and cultural relevance for future generations.