ISLAMABAD: The outgoing ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), continues to face significant political challenges ahead of the general elections, prompting its leader and former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to warn the authorities not to rig the system because it will give rise to a major political storm in the country.
Sharif was barred from holding a public office in July last year when the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued its verdict in the Panama Papers case. Ever since, he has been subjected to a tough accountability process along with some of his other family members as a number of corruption references have been opened against them.
Despite these predicaments, the PML-N performed significantly well in the by-elections that followed Sharif’s ouster as prime minister. However, the party was nearly disenfranchised before the Senate polls earlier this year when another apex court verdict not only prevented Sharif from heading his own political faction but also declared all the decisions he had taken in that capacity after his disqualification as null and void. Subsequently, all PML-N candidates, who were bracing for the Senate elections, had to participate in the contest as independents.
It was against this backdrop that the PML-N leader issued his warning to the powers-that-be while interacting with a group of journalists in London on Saturday. According to local news outlets, he claimed that some of his party candidates had been threatened -– and even manhandled -– while urging the caretaker prime minister and chief election commissioner to look into the matter and provide a level playing field to all political parties.
Local media also reported on Sunday that seven PML-N candidates from Dera Ghazi Khan district in south Punjab turned down their party tickets on the last day of symbol allotment and announced that they would contest the polls independently. The eleventh-hour move implies that the party is no longer in a position to field other candidates from the vacant constituencies.
Outgoing ruling party bemoans system rigging, warns of political storm ahead
Outgoing ruling party bemoans system rigging, warns of political storm ahead
- The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has faced significant predicaments since the disqualification of its leader as the country’s prime minister in July last year, though it has continued to perform well in by-elections
- Nawaz Sharif warns the authorities not to rig the system because it will give rise to a major political storm in the country
Pakistan warns of heightened glacial lake flood risk as temperatures rise
- NDMA says early heatwave conditions could accelerate glacier melt in northern Pakistan
- Authorities urge contingency planning, early warnings and evacuations in at-risk areas
PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s disaster management authority warned on Thursday of an elevated risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) starting next month as rising temperatures threaten to accelerate snow and glacier melt in the country’s northern regions.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said seasonal forecasts point to higher-than-normal temperatures and possible early heatwave conditions that could destabilize glacial lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
GLOFs occur when water from melting glaciers breaches natural barriers and is suddenly released, triggering fast-moving floods downstream.
“Increasing temperatures during March to June 2026 may accelerate snow and glacier melt in Gilgit Baltistan and Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, heightening the risk of GLOF incidents,” the NDMA said in a statement. “Such events can trigger flash floods, causing damage to homes, infrastructure, agriculture, communication networks and may result in human casualties in vulnerable downstream communities.”
The advisory identified several potentially exposed areas, including valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan such as Ishkoman, Gulkin and Gulmit, as well as parts of Chitral and Upper Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The NDMA urged provincial and local authorities to review contingency plans, strengthen early warning systems and prepare evacuation arrangements where necessary.
Communities living near glacial streams were advised to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary movement in high-risk zones and follow official instructions.
Climate change has become a major concern for Pakistan, which is frequently ranked among the world’s most vulnerable countries to global warming despite contributing less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent years, the country has endured devastating floods, prolonged droughts and record-breaking heatwaves that have killed thousands of people, damaged critical infrastructure and deepened food security challenges.
