ISLAMABAD: After the hottest March in 61 years, a Pakistani regional monitor on Friday warned of a severe heatwave in the country’s northwest, asking people to avoid unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight.
Pakistan has been under an intense heat wave since late last month, with temperatures soaring as high as 47 degrees Celsius (116.6 Fahrenheit) in parts of the country.
Scientists have warned more than a billion people have been at risk of heat-related impacts in South Asia, linking the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, while for the first time in decades, Pakistan has gone from winter to summer without the spring season.
The regional met office in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar has informed of a “high pressure system” to prevail in the region over the next week.
“Under the influence of this system the day temperatures are likely to increase gradually in most parts of the province, especially in the southern parts from Sunday,” it said.
“Day temperatures (maximum temperatures) are likely to remain 7-9°C above normal in most districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).”
Pakistan recorded the month of March to be the hottest since 1961, cording to the country’s climate change minister Sherry Rehman.
The provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said very hot and dry weather conditions could cause heat stroke, and stress on water reservoirs, crops and orchards.
It asked health services, paramedics and the rescue department to set-up heat stroke centers in the province. In case of any occurrence, the PDMA said, updates could be shared on its helpline 1700, which was active round the clock.
Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in the number of heatwaves in recent years.
In 2015, an intense heatwave had perished over 1,100 people in the country, mostly around the port city of Karachi during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.
After hottest March in 61 years, Pakistan monitor issues heat warning for next week
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After hottest March in 61 years, Pakistan monitor issues heat warning for next week
- Pakistan has been reeling under intense heatwave with temperatures rising up to 47°C
- People asked to avoid unnecessary exposure to sunlight, take precautionary measures
Two Pakistani men indicted in $10 million Medicare fraud scheme in Chicago
- Prosecutors say defendants billed Medicare and private insurers for nonexistent services
- Authorities say millions of dollars in proceeds were laundered and transferred to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani nationals have been indicted in Chicago for allegedly participating in a $10 million health care fraud scheme that targeted Medicare and private insurers, the US Justice Department said on Thursday.
A federal grand jury charged Burhan Mirza, 31, who resided in Pakistan, and Kashif Iqbal, 48, who lived in Texas, with submitting fraudulent claims for medical services and equipment that were never provided, according to an indictment filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Medicare is the US federal health insurance program primarily serving Americans aged 65 and older, as well as certain younger people with disabilities.
“Rooting out fraud is a priority for this Justice Department, and these defendants allegedly billed millions of dollars from Medicare and laundered the proceeds to Pakistan,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
“These alleged criminals stole from a program designed to provide health care benefits to American seniors and the disabled, not line the pockets of foreign fraudsters,” he added. “We will not tolerate these schemes that divert taxpayer dollars to criminals.”
Prosecutors said that in 2023 and 2024, the defendants and their alleged co-conspirators used nominee-owned laboratories and durable medical equipment providers to bill Medicare and private health benefit programs for nonexistent services.
According to the indictment, Mirza obtained identifying information of individuals, providers and insurers without their knowledge and used it to support fraudulent claims submitted on behalf of shell companies. Iqbal was allegedly linked to several durable medical equipment providers that filed false claims and is accused of laundering proceeds and coordinating transfers of funds to Pakistan.
Mirza faces 12 counts of health care fraud and five counts of money laundering. Iqbal is charged with 12 counts of health care fraud, six counts of money laundering and one count of making a false statement to US law enforcement. Arraignments have not yet been scheduled.
Three additional defendants, including an Indian, previously charged in the investigation, have pleaded guilty to federal health care fraud charges and are awaiting sentencing.
An indictment contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
