As climate risks grow, Pakistani Kashmir boosts emergency plans

Pakistani rescuers search for missing university students after a bridge collapsed at Kundal Shahi, Neelum district, in Pakistani Kashmir. (AFP)
Updated 16 May 2018
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As climate risks grow, Pakistani Kashmir boosts emergency plans

  • A logistics plan on how to prepare for an emergency and deliver aid during floods, landslides
  • The new emergency response centers have their own wireless radio frequencies to more easily receive direct updates on floods, earthquakes and other disasters

When major floods hit Pakistan-controlled Kashmir in 2016, Jawad Hussain, a worker at the local government disaster agency, had to wait hours to receive updates on what kind of help was needed and where.

The delays meant families were left without aid for days, he said, as flooding forced thousands from their homes and left others injured or dead.

But Pakistan - one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change – is now trying to boost its ability to respond to disasters, including in the Kashmir region, which is prone to deadly floods, drought, landslides and earthquakes.

Last August, the government set up emergency response centres across the region, in part to speed the flow of information to the National Disaster Management Authority, a federal body that issues early warnings, organises rescue services, and distributes aid.
There have been no major disasters since the centres were set up, but Hussain is confident they will make a difference.

“We will be able to respond to any disaster in the state more quickly and efficiently,” the 29-year-old said, sitting in the operations room of the State Disaster Management Authority.

The new emergency response centres have their own wireless radio frequencies to more easily receive direct updates on floods, earthquakes and other disasters, he said.

That will "improve the capability to handle disasters more efficiently,” said Abdul Hameed Kiani, deputy commissioner of Jhelum valley district.

MORE DATA, MORE PLANS

Kashmir - like some other areas of the country - is also working on the ground to cut risks from natural disasters.

Last year, the World Bank lent Pakistan $125 million to restore flood protection infrastructure and strengthen government institutions to manage disasters and climate vulnerability across the country.

In Kashmir, the government has now carried out studies to determine the types of disasters each area faces, so that officials can better prepare, said Atiq-ur-Rehman Abbasi, project director of the Disaster and Climate Resilience Improvement Project in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

“Now we have exact data about each district, what kind of risk there is and how to cope with it,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

A logistics plan on how to prepare for an emergency and deliver aid during floods, landslides or man-made disasters has been drawn up for every district and state, Abbasi said.

“Making hydro stations secure and stabilising slopes will benefit tens of thousands of people,” he added.

The project, for instance, has assessed the vulnerability of people living by a river in Kotli district, where part of a suburb washed away in 2014 river flooding, Abbasi said.

Sajjad Hashmi, a resident there, said river embankments destroyed in the flood have not yet been replaced.

“The river swept away the settlement on both its banks, so a protection embankment could be helpful. But it has not been assessed yet what kind of protection would be suitable,” said Hashmi, 54.

Raja Mushtaq Khan, a political activist and Kotli resident, said the city has been vulnerable to river flooding for decades, but there had been no concrete protection efforts taken by the government or non-governmental organisations, in part because of a lack of credible data on the threats.
Now, with a study in hand, "work can be outlined to save thousands of residents,” said Khan, 59.

FOREST PROTECTION

Asif Hussain Shah, head of Pakistani Kashmir's planning and development department, said establishing dedicated centres to monitor the impacts of a changing climate and develop ways for the region to adapt is a step in the right direction.

But the real test is whether other departments - such as the forestry department, charged with protecting the region's fast-disappearing trees - will be able to play their part, he said.

Protecting trees both helps limit climate change and can cut the risk of flooding, landslides and other problems as forested land absorbs more water and holds soil in place, he said.

For now, with the risk (of drought and floods) increasing every day ... we have to equip and prepare ourselves,” Shah said.

As weather patterns change, monsoon rains are shifting slowly toward the Neelum Valley, a tourist hotspot, Shah said. That knowledge will now aid preparations to cut risks in the area, he said.

Shafique Abbasi, deputy director of Kashmir's Environmental Protection Agency, said such data is hugely needed in a country that ranks seventh in the list of the 10 most climate change vulnerable countries in the world since 1997, according to the World Climate Risk Index 2018.

“We don’t have data on many things and these studies will pave the ways to adopt measures to mitigate climate change impacts,” Abbasi said.


Pakistan Cricket Board reviews venue upgrades in meeting ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Updated 04 May 2024
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Pakistan Cricket Board reviews venue upgrades in meeting ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

  • PCB chairman says upgradation work has been delayed, asks authorities to hire international consultant
  • It will be the first major international cricket tournament hosted solely by Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) held a meeting at its headquarters in Lahore to review the upgradation plan for major cricket venues in the country on Saturday ahead of the two-week ICC Champions Trophy next year.
The meeting was presided over by the PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, who directed the relevant officials to immediately hire international consultant to upgrade the Qaddafi Stadium Lahore, National Bank Stadium Karachi and Rawalpindi Stadium.
“The stadium upgradation work has already been delayed,” he observed during the meeting according an official PCB statement, instructing the authorities to speed up the process.
He also instructed to form a three-member committee to ensure the hiring process was carried out in keeping with the rules and regulations.
The PCB plans to provide world-class facilities at the three Pakistani cricket stadiums.
Its upgradation plan includes structural changes to the boxes along with improved facilities and numbered seats for spectators.
Additionally, the number of seats in the enclosures on both sides of the main gate of the Qaddafi Stadium will also be increased.
The PCB chairman directed the replacement of screens for scoreboards and live streaming, instructing the officials to prepare the feasibility to install new floodlights in the stadiums.
The ICC Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February to March 2025.
It is expected to be a significant event since it will mark the first major international cricket tournament hosted solely by Pakistan since the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
The tournament will include top-ranked One Day International (ODI) teams, with Pakistan having automatically qualified as the host nation.


‘No illegal Afghan nationals,’ seminary board declares as Pakistan’s Sindh plans crackdown

Updated 04 May 2024
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‘No illegal Afghan nationals,’ seminary board declares as Pakistan’s Sindh plans crackdown

  • The province took the decision after a security meeting was told a madrasah teacher was involved in 2023 KPO attack
  • Independent analysts say Afghans involve in militant violence arrive from their country and are not residents of Pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistani seminaries have stopped giving admission to Afghan nationals except for those who approach them with the interior ministry’s approval, a top seminary board official informed Saturday, after the country’s southern Sindh province announced to deport illegally enrolled foreigners in seminaries and other educational institutions.
The decision was taken after the province’s apex committee, the top security forum, was briefed earlier this week that one of the individuals involved in the 2023 Karachi Police Office (KPO) attack was a madrasah or seminary teacher. It was also pointed out during the meeting that a number of unregistered foreigners were studying in such institutions in different parts of Sindh.
The 2023 attack was launched by militants, armed with guns and grenades, who stormed the building, leading to a prolonged gunfight with security forces. This confrontation resulted in casualties among both police officers and civilians, along with substantial damage to the police facility. The KPO attack was claimed by the banned militant network Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose leadership is reportedly based in neighboring Afghanistan.
Speaking to Arab News, Maulana Talha Rehmani, spokesperson of Wafaq ul Madaris Al-Arabia Pakistan, said local seminaries had stopping enrolling Afghan nationals almost a year ago.
“Our madrasah used to offer admission to Afghan refugees who possessed proof of registration cards,” he said. “But that also stopped a year ago.”
“Different Pakistani intelligence agencies frequent seminaries for information,” he continued. “Nothing is hidden. The madrasas have a proper system of registration. We are ready to cooperate.”
Rehmani said the authorities had not shared any details with them about the identity of the seminary teacher involved in the KPO attack.
However, Dr. Aamir Tuaseen, former chairman of Pakistan Madrasah Education Board, noted seminaries lacked any coherent policy to develop “a monitoring system” for students.
“Admissions are granted to students without proper background checks,” he told Arab News. “The admission authorities also overlook which province or country does a student belong to, especially in case of Afghanistan.”
He added that boards of religious seminaries should take it upon themselves to grant admission only to students from the city where the seminary is located.
“This will help gather information about the background of every student,” he said, noting the current directorate of religious education did not seem to be fully functional.
The provincial information minister, Sharjeel Inaam Memon, did not respond to a request for comment, but a police official told Arab News on condition of anonymity the madrasah teacher involved in the KPO attack was a Pakistani national.
“The madrasah teacher was identified as Aryadullah who worked with a Karachi-based seminary,” the official said. “He was Pakistani citizen.”
Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud, a security expert who manages an online publication, The Khorasan Diary, said the Afghan nationals involved in militant violence in Pakistan mostly arrived from the neighboring state and were not residents of Pakistan.
“The involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism cannot be ignored, but in my opinion, the government’s assertion is overstated,” he said. “The individuals involved in recent acts of terrorism are primarily those who have arrived directly from Afghanistan to carry out attacks rather than Afghan refugees.”
He emphasized any measures related to the expulsion of Afghan students from seminaries should not be driven by a reactionary approach.
“It is critical to implement gradual [seminary] reforms in accordance with the national action plan,” Mehsud said.


Saudi business delegation to arrive in Pakistan Sunday to explore investment opportunities — minister

Updated 04 May 2024
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Saudi business delegation to arrive in Pakistan Sunday to explore investment opportunities — minister

  • Musadik Malik says Saudi investment will mainly benefit small technology firms run by young Pakistani students
  • He informs the two sides have also discussed a new refinery for export purposes that will help with foreign revenue

ISLAMABAD: A high-level Saudi business delegation is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan tomorrow to explore investment opportunities in various economic sectors by holding meetings with private sector organizations, said Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik during a media briefing held in Lahore on Saturday.
The two countries have witnessed a flurry of official visits in recent weeks, with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan traveling to Islamabad earlier in April, before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two-day visit to the kingdom to attend a World Economic Forum meeting and hold a number of meetings.
“The Saudi Deputy Investment Minister is visiting Pakistan tomorrow,” said Malik, who is also the focal person for Saudi-Pak bilateral collaboration. “He is bringing representatives from 30 to 35 companies whose CEOs are coming here.”
The Pakistani minister maintained his country had always cherished cordial ties with the kingdom, though it had not managed to turn this “relationship of friendship into a relationship of stability and progress.”
He said Pakistan mostly discussed its financial concerns with the Saudi authorities and requested their support. However, the present government wanted to change that by focusing its bilateral conversations on mutually beneficial progress and development, not aid and assistance.
The minister said the two sides discussed a new refinery project during the recent engagements that would be used for export purposes to earn foreign revenue. Additionally, food security was also discussed to further strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural sector.
He informed that Prime Minister Sharif wanted the country’s “private sector to take the lead on this path to progress.”
“That is why Saudi investors have been invited to come here,” he continued. “They will sit with Pakistani companies and figure out ways to connect the Pakistani talent with the capital and investment needed at the international level for the IT revolution.”
Malik said the bilateral collaboration would primarily benefit small businesses, particularly the technology companies established by young students who were likely to get significant amount of investment from Saudi entrepreneurs.
He expressed optimism that chemical, energy and agricultural companies would also gain advantage from the ongoing bilateral collaboration between the two sides.


Pakistan committee discusses development of border areas in inaugural session

Updated 04 May 2024
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Pakistan committee discusses development of border areas in inaugural session

  • The committee was formed to devise comprehensive strategies for holistic development in Pakistan’s border regions
  • Key topics that came under discussion at the inaugural session included tariff rationalization, employment creation

ISLAMABAD: A high-level committee tasked with development of Pakistan’s border regions on Saturday held its inaugural session in Islamabad to discuss the challenges facing communities based in the country’s frontier regions, the Pakistani commerce ministry said.

The inaugural session of the committee, which was formed to devise comprehensive strategies for holistic development in these areas, was presided over by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, according to the ministry.

Key topics that came under discussion at the meeting included tariff rationalization and employment creation, reflecting the committee’s commitment to addressing border communities’ challenges.

“The committee aims to present its recommendations to the Prime Minister within 10 days, signaling a promising start to collaborative efforts for socio-economic development in the region,” the commerce ministry said in a statement.

Pakistan shares a long, porous border with Iran and Afghanistan, with people live along it relying on cross-border trade with little or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies or prohibitions.

Islamabad last year announced restrictions on the informal trade to discourage smuggling of goods and currency in order to support the country’s dwindling economy.

Pakistan’s trade with China mostly takes place through formal channels, while the country’s trade ties with India, another neighbor it shares border with, remain suspended since 2019 over the disputed region of Kashmir.


Pakistan records ‘wettest April’ in more than 60 years — weather agency

Updated 04 May 2024
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Pakistan records ‘wettest April’ in more than 60 years — weather agency

  • Pakistan’s metrology department says April rainfall was recorded at 59.3 millimeters, ‘excessively above’ the normal average of 22.5 millimeters
  • There were at least 144 deaths in thunderstorms and house collapses due to heavy rains in what the report said was the ‘wettest April since 1961’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan experienced its “wettest April since 1961,” receiving more than twice as much rain as usual for the month, the country’s weather agency said in a report.

April rainfall was recorded at 59.3 millimeters, “excessively above” the normal average of 22.5 millimeters, Pakistan’s metrology department said late Friday in its monthly climate report.

There were at least 144 deaths in thunderstorms and house collapses due to heavy rains in what the report said was the “wettest April since 1961.”

Pakistan is increasingly vulnerable to unpredictable weather, as well as often destructive monsoon rains that usually arrive in July.

In the summer of 2022, a third of Pakistan was submerged by unprecedented monsoon rains that displaced millions of people and cost the country $30 billion in damage and economic losses, according to a World Bank estimate.

“Climate change is a major factor that is influencing the erratic weather patterns in our region,” Zaheer Ahmad Babar, spokesperson for the Pakistan Meteorological Department, said while commenting on the report.

While much of Asia is sweltering dure to heat waves, Pakistan’s national monthly temperature for April was 23.67 degrees Celsius (74 degrees Fahrenheit) 0.87 degrees lower than the average of 24.54, the report noted.