ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is witnessing rising water levels in rivers due to monsoon rains, according to an official statement on Wednesday, with the country’s most populous Punjab province expected to experience additional rainfall in the next 24 hours.
The monsoon season is crucial for the region, providing essential water for agriculture, which is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.
However, unprecedented cloudbursts driven by climate change have increasingly turned this vital weather pattern into a threat, as seen in the devastating 2022 floods that caused an estimated $35 billion in losses and claimed over 1,700 lives.
“There is a likelihood of monsoon rains in most districts of Punjab in the next 24 hours,” the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab said in a statement. “Due to monsoon rains, the water levels in rivers, dams, and streams are rising.”
The statement informed the Indus River was experiencing a low-level flood situation at the Tarbela and Kalabagh points, adding a medium to high-level flood situation may develop in the Jhelum River at Mangla from August 1 to 4.
It said the monsoon rain spell was expected to continue until August 4 and may also cause flooding in the Chenab River at Marala, Khanki, and Qadirabad.
“Arrangements are complete in vulnerable districts in anticipation of potential flood threats,” PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia was quoted as saying in the statement. “Citizens are advised to take precautions during the rainy season and follow government instructions.”
Kathia said the provincial administration and all relevant departments were on alert to deal with the situation.
Pakistan braces for rising river levels as authorities predict more monsoon rains
https://arab.news/pe9gu
Pakistan braces for rising river levels as authorities predict more monsoon rains
- Water levels are expected to rise in Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, with current rain spell to continue until August 4
- Authorities advise citizens to take precautionary measures during the rainy season, follow government instructions
Pakistan, China to sign multiple MoUs at major agriculture investment conference today
- Hundreds of Chinese and Pakistani firms to attend Islamabad event
- Conference seen as part of expanding CPEC ties into agriculture, trade
KARACHI: Islamabad and Beijing are set to sign multiple memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to boost agricultural investment and cooperation at a major conference taking place in the capital today, Monday, with hundreds of Chinese and Pakistani companies expected to participate.
The conference is being billed by Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research as a platform for deepening bilateral agricultural ties and supporting broader economic engagement between the two countries.
“Multiple memorandums of understanding will be signed at the Pakistan–China Agricultural Conference,” the Ministry of National Food Security said in a statement. “115 Chinese and 165 Pakistani companies will participate.”
The conference reflects a growing emphasis on expanding Pakistan-China economic cooperation beyond the transport and energy foundations of the flagship China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into agriculture, industry and technology.
Under its first phase launched in 2015, CPEC, a core component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, focused primarily on transportation infrastructure, energy generation and connectivity projects linking western China to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan. That phase included motorways, power plants and the development of the Gwadar Port in the country's southwest, aimed at helping Pakistan address chronic power shortages and enhance transport connectivity.
In recent years, both governments have formally moved toward a “CPEC 2.0” phase aimed at diversifying the corridor’s impact into areas such as special economic zones, innovation, digital cooperation and agriculture. Second-phase discussions have highlighted Pakistan’s goal of modernizing its agricultural sector, attracting Chinese technology and investment, and boosting export potential, with high-level talks taking place between planning officials and investors in Beijing.
Agri-sector cooperation has also seen practical collaboration, with joint initiatives examining technology transfer, export protocols and value-chain development, including partnerships in livestock, mechanization and horticulture.
Organizers say the Islamabad conference will bring together government policymakers, private sector investors, industry associations and multinational agribusiness firms from both nations. Discussions will center on investment opportunities, technology adoption, export expansion and building linkages with global buyers within the framework of Pakistan-China economic cooperation.
