Ten killed, 21 injured as rain, thunderstorms lash northwest Pakistan

Pakistani residents collect belongings at their home after it was damaged in heavy rain and winds in Peshawar on April 27, 2015. (AFP/ File)
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Updated 15 June 2021
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Ten killed, 21 injured as rain, thunderstorms lash northwest Pakistan

  • Pakistan Met Department says Karachi and other parts of Sindh province likely to get more than usual rainfall this monsoon season
  • Every year, many cities in Pakistan struggle to cope with annual monsoon deluge, drawing criticism about poor planning

ISLAMABAD: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said on Tuesday 10 people had been killed and at least 21 were injured in rains and strong winds that lashed the region since June 11. 
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has also said the port city of Karachi and other parts of the southern Sindh province are likely to receive more than usual rainfall this monsoon season, with the onset of the rainy season expected between June 27 and 30.
“PDMA releases damage reports from rains, strong winds and thunderstorms in last 24 hours,” the authority said on its Twitter page. “Rains, strong winds kill four, injure 12, partially damage 3 houses.” 

The rest of the deaths had occurred in different incidents in the province since June 11, the authority’s latest report showed. 
The director general of the authority has directed the district administration “to expedite the relief operations.”
Every year, many cities in Pakistan struggle to cope with the annual monsoon deluge, drawing criticism about poor planning. The monsoon season runs from July through September.
Last year, record-breaking heavy rain in Karachi in August killed over 100 people and disrupted the lives of many of the city’s more than 15 million residents as water flooded main roads and homes.
The city received its largest-ever-recorded rainfall total in a single day on August 24, when 230 mm (9 inches) of rain fall in just 12 hours, according to the Pakistan Meteorology Department.
Over the month, Karachi received 484 mm (19 inches) of rain, the highest total in at least 90 years.
After the havoc last year — with main roads submerged, sewage spewing from manholes and into homes, and power cuts lasting for hours — Prime Minister Imran Khan tasked the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) with sorting out the city’s drains.
The winds that drive Pakistan’s annual monsoon, which arrives from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, appear to be altering as a result of climate change, which could push more rainfall to Karachi — and less to key agricultural regions, climate scientists have said.


World Bank approves $700 million for Pakistan’s economic stability

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World Bank approves $700 million for Pakistan’s economic stability

  • Of this, $600 million will go for federal programs and $100 million will ⁠support a provincial program in Sindh
  • The results-based design ensures that resources are only disbursed once program objectives are achieved

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has approved $700 million in ​financing for Pakistan under a multi-year initiative aimed at supporting the country’s macroeconomic stability and service delivery, the bank said on Friday.

The funds will be released under the bank’s Public ‌Resources for Inclusive ‌Development — Multiphase ‌Programmatic ⁠Approach (PRID-MPA) that ‌could provide up to $1.35 billion in total financing, according to the lender.

Of this amount, $600 million will go for federal programs and $100 million will ⁠support a provincial program in ‌the southern Sindh province. The results-based design ensures that resources are only disbursed once program objectives are achieved.

“Pakistan’s path to inclusive, sustainable growth requires mobilizing more domestic resources and ensuring they are used efficiently and transparently to deliver results for people,” World Bank country director Bolormaa Amgaabazar said in a statement.

“Through this MPA, we are working with the Federal and Sindh governments to deliver tangible impacts— more predictable funding for schools and clinics, fairer tax systems, and stronger data for decision‑making— while safeguarding priority social and climate investments and strengthening public trust.”

The approval ‍follows a $47.9 ‍million World Bank grant ‍in August to improve primary education in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province.

In November, an IMF-World Bank ​report, uploaded by Pakistan’s finance ministry, said Pakistan’s fragmented ⁠regulation, opaque budgeting and political capture are curbing investment and weakening revenue.

Regional tensions may surface over international financing for Pakistan. In May, Reuters reported that India would oppose World Bank funding for Pakistan, citing a senior government ‌source in New Delhi.

“Strengthening Pakistan’s fiscal foundations is essential to restoring macroeconomic stability, delivering results and strengthening institutions,” said Tobias Akhtar Haque, Lead Country Economist for the World Bank in Pakistan.

“Through the PRID‑MPA, we are launching a coherent nationwide approach to support reforms that expand fiscal space, bolster investments in human capital and climate resilience, and strengthen revenue administration, budget execution, and statistical systems. These reforms will ensure that resources reach the frontline and deliver better outcomes for people across Pakistan with greater efficiency and accountability.”

In Sindh, the program is expected to increase provincial revenues, enhance the speed and transparency of payments, and broaden the use of data to guide provincial decision making. The program will directly support the increase of public resources for inclusive development, including more equitable and responsive financing for primary health care facilities and more funding for schools.