Pakistan warns Aug. 14-18 rains may trigger more floods as 154 killed in six weeks

People walk through a flooded road caused by heavy monsoon rainfall in Lahore, Pakistan, on August 11, 2024. (AP/File)
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Updated 13 August 2024
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Pakistan warns Aug. 14-18 rains may trigger more floods as 154 killed in six weeks

  • Pakistani authorities last week said torrential monsoon rains have killed at least 154 in last six weeks
  • Murree, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Azad Kashmir and other areas could be affected by rains, says NDMA 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday urged authorities to take necessary precautions ahead of a fresh spell of torrential rains from Aug. 14-18, warning it may trigger urban flooding in various parts of the country and increase water flow in rivers and streams. 

Pakistani disaster management authorities said last week that torrential monsoon rains in six weeks had killed at least 154 people. Most of the casualties took place in the eastern Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces of the country. 

Pakistan is recognized as one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change effects. Last month, a United Nations official warned that about 200,000 people could be affected by the ongoing monsoon season in Pakistan. In 2022, torrential rains and floods killed over 1,700 people and caused estimated losses of over $30 billion to the Pakistani economy.

“The National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) of the NDMA anticipated further rains in various parts of the country from August 14 to 18, 2024,” the NDMA’s statement read. “Moderate to heavy rains are expected in catchment areas of Ravi, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers, as well as in parts of southern Balochistan, and central and southern Sindh.”

The statement said areas that could be affected adversely due to torrential rains include Murree, Galiyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Chitral, Gilgit-Baltistan, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Nowshera, Swabi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It also said that streams and rivers in northeastern Punjab, Dera Ghazi Khan Division, Kalat, Khuzdar, Barkhan, Lasbela, and the hilly streams and torrents of Azad Kashmir could also be affected by floods. 

It urged authorities and the public to take necessary precautions to mitigate the potential impacts of flooding and landslides.

“NDMA issued instructions to all relevant departments to alert Emergency Response Teams and mobilized resources to ensure a swift response to any arising situations,” the disaster management body said. 

“Tourists are advised to avoid traveling to these areas during the forecasted period.”


Pakistan says China wants to build special economic zone in Gilgit-Baltistan

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Pakistan says China wants to build special economic zone in Gilgit-Baltistan

  • Mountainous territory is the gateway of the $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor infrastructure plan
  • CPEC project had aimed to bring development to the region but proposed projects have not taken off so far

ISLAMABAD: A high-level delegation of Chinese companies visiting Islamabad this week has shown “keen interest” in building a special economic zone (SEZ) in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Thursday.
GB is administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory and consists of the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947. The impoverished, remote and rugged mountainous territory borders Afghanistan and China and is the gateway of the $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure plan. But the region has so far reaped few rewards.
“Pak-China border region has significant economic and cultural importance, with trade and cultural exchanges between the two regions dating back centuries,” Pakistani Minister for Kashmir and GB Affairs, Amir Muqam, was quoted by Radio Pakistan as saying after he hosted the Chinese delegation led by renowned economist Yuan Jianmin Senior in Islamabad.
Muqam said investing in Gilgit Baltistan could benefit both China and Pakistan and foster economic growth, regional connectivity and a stronger partnership.
“The delegation showed keen interest in construction of a Special Economic Zone in Gilgit Baltistan,” Radio Pakistan added.
GB locals fought pro-India forces and opted to join Pakistan in 1948. But since then Gilgit-Baltistan has not been granted full inclusion by the Pakistani constitution over fears doing so would jeopardize Islamabad’s international stance that all of Kashmir is disputed territory.
The local assembly has few powers. Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate have no representation from Gilgit-Baltistan, and the region receives only a fraction of the national budget.
The CPEC project had aimed to bring development to the region but that has not happened, a consequence, many residents believe, of the lack of local representation at national levels.
New roads, two hydroelectric power plants, a fiber-optic Internet line, and a special economic zone to boost industrial activities have all been proposed as part of the CPEC project since 2013, but none have been materialized so far.
The only substantial project from the China-Pakistan partnership has been the construction of the Karakoram Highway, completed decades ago.


First-ever visit by UN maritime chief to Pakistan kicks off today

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First-ever visit by UN maritime chief to Pakistan kicks off today

  • Secretary-General Velasco will attend a three-day maritime sustainability conference, meet with top officials
  • Foreign office says the visit will give Pakistan opportunity to discuss maritime sector along with blue economy

ISLAMABAD: The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco, is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan today, Thursday, to attend the International Maritime Sustainability Exhibition and Conference, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.
The IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping and ensuring maritime safety, environmental protection and security on international waters. Established in 1948, its primary role is to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping, which includes standards for safety, pollution prevention and legal matters surrounding global maritime operations.
Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement this will be the first-ever visit to Pakistan by an IMO Secretary-General.
“The Secretary General’s visit will afford an opportunity for Pakistan and IMO to exchange views on maritime sector and blue economy,” the statement said.
“As a founding member of IMO, Pakistan is deeply committed to IMO’s vision of safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans,” it added. “Pakistan has served for five terms on the IMO Council and has consistently contributed in upholding the IMO objectives.”
The foreign office informed that Velasco will be visiting the country from September 12 to 14 and will hold meetings with Pakistani leadership and senior government officials.
He is scheduled to attend the international exhibition and conference arranged by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, which will begin in Islamabad today before moving to Pakistan’s port city of Karachi for the next two days.
Pakistan is actively working to increase its global trade through sea-lanes and improve port facilities in Karachi and Gwadar.
It is also positioning itself as a key transit hub for landlocked Central Asian states, receiving encouraging responses from countries like Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to use its ports for international trade.


One dead as rescue teams control fire at residential building in Karachi

Updated 11 September 2024
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One dead as rescue teams control fire at residential building in Karachi

  • Pakistan’s most populous city witnesses hundreds of fire incidents annually due to poor safety controls
  • Rescue 1122 says the firefighters used foam to put out the flames, helped people stranded on the roof

KARACHI: One man was killed and his body retrieved after a fire broke out at a residential building in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Wednesday, prompting authorities to deploy five fire brigade vehicles to control the blaze.
Karachi, Pakistan’s largest and most populous city, is home to hundreds of thousands of industrial units, residential neighborhoods and some of the country’s tallest buildings.
However, it suffers from a fragile firefighting system and poor safety controls, leading to hundreds of fire incidents annually.
Last month, a massive fire engulfed a plastic factory in the city, which took several hours to extinguish, though no casualties were reported.
“The fire was brought under control due to Rescue 1122’s quick response,” informed a statement released by the service, adding that its workers used foam to put out the flames.
“During the search, the body of a 55-year-old deceased man was recovered from the building,” it said.
The statement also mentioned that some people who were stranded on the roof were safely rescued.
“The final search operation will be conducted after the cooling process,” the statement continued.
The fire incident occurred at the Shah Faisal Colony, a densely populated neighborhood in the city.


Pakistan and European Union pledge joint efforts to tackle religious intolerance

Updated 11 September 2024
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Pakistan and European Union pledge joint efforts to tackle religious intolerance

  • Religious affairs minister tells a visiting EU official Pakistan is committed to protecting minority rights
  • Pakistan Ulema Council also urges religious scholars to highlight minority rights in Friday sermons

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain met with the European Union’s Special Envoy for the Promotion of Religion and Belief Frans van Daele in Islamabad on Wednesday, discussing the challenge of religious intolerance globally and agreeing to work together towards its eradication.

The EU has previously raised concerns over extremist violence perpetrated in the name of religion in Pakistan, specifically mentioning its blasphemy laws and forced conversions, which it says have marginalized religious minorities.

These concerns even prompted the European Parliament to consider reassessing Pakistan’s preferential trade status under the GSP+ scheme, which grants Pakistani exports duty-free access to the European market.

According to a statement circulated by the ministry after the meeting, they also discussed “terrorism, the eradication of sectarianism, the establishment of peace, and the promotion of interfaith harmony.”

“The participants [of the meeting] agreed to work together to reduce the trend of intolerance and achieve a peaceful common future,” it added.

Hussain told the EU official his ministry had formulated a policy on interfaith harmony and sent it to the federal cabinet for approval.

“Pakistan is committed to protecting the rights of minorities,” he said.

FRIDAY SERMONS

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Ulema Council urged religious scholars across the country to highlight the rights of women and minority rights in Islam during the Friday sermons.

“Like other sections of the society, women and minorities are entitled with due respect and honour in the teachings of Islam and all these rights play a pivotal role for the existence of an ideal society,” the council said in a statement.

The council said the teachings of Islam centered on human dignity and respect, urging prayer leaders across the country educate the public about this in the light the Qur’anic teachings.

 


Imran Khan says no more talks with military or government, announces rally on Sept. 22 - family

Updated 11 September 2024
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Imran Khan says no more talks with military or government, announces rally on Sept. 22 - family

  • Khan says the ‘establishment’ asked him to postpone Islamabad rally from Aug. 22 to Sept. 8 for security reasons
  • He maintains they promised to facilitate the rally in return, but instead blocked all roads leading to the venue

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced his refusal to engage with the “establishment or government,” according to a message from prison shared by his sister on Wednesday, warning that his party is ready to proceed with another public rally on September 22, even without official permission.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party held a rally on the outskirts of Islamabad on Sunday, demanding his release from prison after his arrest over a year ago on multiple charges, which he claims are fabricated to keep him out of power. Clashes broke out between his supporters and the police on the day of the rally, with a top PTI leader and Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, warning the government to release Khan within two weeks or his party would free him from jail on its own.
This was followed by a police crackdown on PTI lawmakers, who were arrested from the parliament building, prompting the party to announce a nationwide protest on Friday.
In his message, Khan said the “establishment,” a euphemism for the country’s powerful military, had previously asked to postpone his rally from August 22 to September 8, citing intelligence reports of security threats.
“They gave their reassurance for complete facilitation if the jalsa [rally] was shifted to 8th September,” the ex-premier’s message, shared by his sister Aleema Khanum on social media, said. “Instead, they placed thousands of containers across every entry point into Islamabad.”
Objecting to the dispersal of his party supporters with tear gas and the arrest of lawmakers from parliament, he said, “There will be no further talks with the establishment or government.”
“Rest assured,” he continued, “We will go ahead with the jalsa on [September] 22. NOC [no-objection certificate] or no NOC.”
Khan’s party had already announced a rally in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on September 22.
His message comes after PTI leaders held a news conference on Tuesday, saying they would take their party’s political struggle to the streets, apart from fighting legal and political battles in court and parliament.