Saudi ambassador visits flood-hit areas in Pakistan’s Sindh, calls it ‘human tragedy’

Saudi Arabia's Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki visited flood-hit areas in Pakistan's southern Sindh province to observe flood devastation on September 15, 2022. (Twitter/AmbassadorNawaf)
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Updated 16 September 2022
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Saudi ambassador visits flood-hit areas in Pakistan’s Sindh, calls it ‘human tragedy’

  • Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki urges Saudi citizens to participate in national campaign for Pakistan
  • Saudi Arabia this week also dispatched two flights carrying tons of humanitarian relief aid to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki on Thursday visited flood-hit areas in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, saying what he witnessed there could in short be termed a “human tragedy.”

Unprecedented rains and glacier melt in the north triggered massive floods in Pakistan that have killed over 1,500 people since mid-June, according to authorities.

The deluges have swept away livestock, standing crops, homes and key infrastructure, directly affecting some 35 million people across the South Asian nation.




Pakistan Army official briefs Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki on flood devastation in Sindh, Pakistan on September 15, 2022. (Twitter/AmbassadorNawaf)

“Today, what I myself have witnessed in the Sindh province is a human tragedy in short,” Ambassador Al-Malki said on Twitter.

“I also request my Saudi brothers to participate in the [Saudi] national campaign ‘Sahem’ which was launched on the instructions of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Highness the Crown Prince to help the flood victims.”

Saudi Arabia this week launched a fund-raising campaign to help flood-hit people in Pakistan. A Saudi aid fund, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), said donations could be made to the appeal through its Sahem platform.

The Kingdom on September 13-14 also dispatched two flights carrying tons of humanitarian aid to Pakistan.

Ambassador Al-Malki further prayed for the protection of Pakistan and its people.




Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki distributes relief packages among flood-affected people during his visit to flood-hit areas in Sindh, Pakistan on September 15, 2022. (Twitter/AmbassadorNawaf)




Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki distributes relief packages among flood-affected people during his visit to flood-hit areas in Sindh, Pakistan on September 15, 2022. (Twitter/AmbassadorNawaf)

 


Pakistan rejects Amnesty claims of Israeli spyware use, calls reports ‘disinformation’

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Pakistan rejects Amnesty claims of Israeli spyware use, calls reports ‘disinformation’

  • FO denies any link with Israel, says Pakistan has “absolutely no cooperation” on surveillance tools
  • Islamabad accuses India of delaying clearance for relief aircraft bound for flood-hit Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected an Amnesty International report alleging the use of Israeli-made invasive spyware in the country, calling the findings speculative and misleading.

Amnesty’s investigation, published Thursday under the title Intellexa Leaks, cited the case of a Pakistan-based human rights lawyer who reported receiving a suspicious WhatsApp link in 2025. According to Amnesty International’s Security Lab, the link bore signatures consistent with Predator, a spyware product developed by Israeli manufacturer c

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed the suggestion that Islamabad had deployed the tool or maintained any technological cooperation with Israel.

“These are all media speculations. These are all rumor-mongering and disinformation. There is absolutely no cooperation between Pakistan and Israel on anything, let alone a spyware or these kinds of tools. So, I would reject it quite emphatically,” he said at a weekly briefing.

Andrabi also accused India of obstructing humanitarian operations, saying New Delhi delayed flight clearance for a Pakistani relief aircraft carrying aid to flood-affected Sri Lanka.

“The special aircraft carrying Pakistan’s relief goods had to wait for 48 hours, in fact more than 48 hours, around 60 hours, while the flight clearance from India was delayed,” he said.

He added that the eventual conditional flight window was too narrow to be workable.

“The partial flight clearance which eventually was given after 48 hours was operationally impractical, time-bound just for a few hours and hence not operable, severely hindering the urgent need for the relief mission for the brotherly people of Sri Lanka,” Andrabi stated.

“Humanitarian assistance is like justice, if it is delayed, it is denied.”

Responding to India’s claim that clearance was granted within four hours, he said Pakistan has documentary proof contradicting New Delhi’s version.

On a separate question about reported delays in the arrival of a Turkish delegation aimed at mediating between Islamabad and Kabul, Andrabi said Pakistan welcomed Ankara’s initiative but was unaware of the cause of postponement.

“We stand ready to receive the Turkish delegation. That delegation has not arrived as yet. And I’m not aware of any schedule. Pakistan is ready to hold negotiations, discussions,” he said, adding that the delay may be linked to coordination with the Afghan side.