A quiet promise
to anyone in pain
Depression.pk exists for one reason: so that someone feeling completely alone — at 2am, in any city in Pakistan, in their own language — can find one place that understands them and a real path forward.
Pakistanis living with a diagnosable mental-health condition
Psychiatrists serving a nation of 220+ million
Who need mental-health support never receive it
Of health expenditure goes to mental health
Why we built this
The gap between need and access is staggering. Cost, stigma, and geography keep millions silent. When someone finally wants help, the barriers are immediate: who do I call? Can I afford it? What if someone finds out?
Depression.pk is a small attempt to lower all three walls at once — a free AI companion called Zara who is always available, a searchable directory of 2,400+ verified mental-health professionals across 45 cities, and an education library written in plain language, without shame.
It is a Legacy Mission project. Not a business. No ads. No selling anyone's story. Every feature that helps someone in crisis is and will always be free.
Meet the founder
Imran Hashmi
BSc (IT) · PGD (IT) · MCP · MCSA · Certificate in Positive Psychology, Harvard University
A successful entrepreneur and philanthropist. British-Pakistani, and someone who has watched too many people suffer in silence — because in our culture, we do not talk about this. As a British Pakistani who has straddled two worlds his entire life, Imran knew how the cultural script — log kya kahenge, what will people say — stops people from reaching out before it is too late. That understanding is why Depression.pk exists.
Recognition
Zartaaj Gul — Former Minister of State, Government of Pakistan. Spoke directly about Depression.pk and its work on mental health destigmatisation in Pakistan.
Sarah Ferguson — Duchess of York, Mental Health Advocate. Spoke with Imran Hashmi about Depression.pk and the challenge of mental-health stigma in South Asian communities.
On the ground in Pakistan
Imran visits Pakistan regularly, meeting community leaders, doctors, and people using the platform. He has engaged directly with medical teams and community leaders across Pakistan including at the Kidney Dialysis Centre at Divisional Headquarters Teaching Hospital, Mirpur Azad Kashmir.
Political engagement
With Dr. Nafisa Shah — PPP MNA (NA-202 Khairpur, Sindh), Oxford PhD, daughter of former Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, champion of anti-honour-killing legislation in Pakistan.
Background
Before Depression.pk, Imran built and exited a technology business — giving him both the resources and the conviction to build something that does not need to be profitable. Based in Manchester, UK.
Professor Muhammad Asmat Hashmi
Professor of Urdu Language, Government College Bhimber, Azad Kashmir · Sufi & Scholar
A beacon of light who taught for over five decades, shaping thousands of students across every walk of life. He passed away in 2016. Imran Hashmi's father — Depression.pk carries forward his lifelong devotion to lifting others, offered under his spiritual supervision and remembered always with love.
What Zara is — and is not
Zara is a companion, not a therapist. She listens, reflects, offers breathing exercises and grounding techniques, and helps you find real professionals near you. She speaks Urdu, Hindi, and English, and can adapt to your faith background if that matters to you.
She will never diagnose, never prescribe, and never pretend she is something she is not. When a conversation suggests someone may be at risk, a trained member of our care team is notified — and you are told this upfront.
Privacy is the architecture
Built without surveillance. Every design decision starts with: what is the least we need to know while still helping?
- ✓Chats stored privately. Only reviewed by our care team when safety is a concern — disclosed upfront.
- ✓Kept private and secure — never sold, never profiled, never advertised against.
- ✓No analytics. No advertising. No data sold, shared, or profiled.
- ✓GDPR compliant by design, not by obligation.
Get involved
We are a small, volunteer-led initiative. If you are a mental-health professional who wants to be listed, a counsellor who can give time, or a developer who believes in the mission — we would love to hear from you.