Pakistan says potential cyclone in Arabian Sea may affect coastal areas this month

Children play, with the rainbow and rain clouds in the background, following reports from the Pakistan Meteorological Department of a potential cyclonic storm that could develop over the Arabian Sea, at Clifton Beach in Karachi, Pakistan on August 30, 2024. (REUTERS/File)
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Updated 08 October 2024
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Pakistan says potential cyclone in Arabian Sea may affect coastal areas this month

  • The weather system is currently positioned near India’s Lakshadweep Valley and expected to move northwestward
  • Early forecasts suggest the possibility of landfall along the Pakistani coast, depending on its trajectory and intensity

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) said on Monday a low-pressure system was developing in the Arabian Sea that could transform into a cyclone and affect coastal areas of the country later this month.

The system is currently positioned near India’s Lakshadweep Valley and is expected to move northwestward, according to an early advisory issued by the NEOC.

Early forecasts suggest the possibility of landfall along the Pakistani coastline in the third week of October, depending on its trajectory and intensity.

“There is a chance that this low-pressure system may evolve into a full-fledged tropical cyclone, with the potential to affect the coastal areas of Pakistan,” the NEOC said in a statement.

“Citizens and stakeholders, particularly those residing in coastal regions, are advised to stay informed of official updates and adviseries as the situation evolves.”

The NEOC said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with relevant departments, was continuously monitoring the situation to provide timely updates and issue further adviseries.

In August, a cyclonic storm, ASNA, in the Arabian Sea caused heavy rains in coastal areas in Pakistan’s southern Sindh and southwestern Balochistan provinces.

Pakistan has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns which have led to frequent heat waves, untimely rains, cyclones and droughts in recent years. Scientists have blamed the events on human-driven climate change.
 


Pakistan expresses condolences as Bangladesh’s first female PM passes away

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Pakistan expresses condolences as Bangladesh’s first female PM passes away

  • Khaleda Zia passed away in Dhaka after prolonged illness at the age of 80, says her party
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif describes Zia as a “committed friend of Pakistan” in condolence message

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed condolences over the passing of Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, describing her as a committed friend of Islamabad. 

In a statement on Tuesday, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced its leader Zia had passed away at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. She died at the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where the former prime minister was admitted on Nov. 23 with symptoms of a lung infection, according to The Daily Star, a Bangladesh news website.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the BNP and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh,” Sharif wrote on social media platform X. 

“Her lifelong service to Bangladesh and its growth and development leaves a lasting legacy.”

Sharif said his government and people stand with the people of Bangladesh during this difficult time. 

“Begum Zia was a committed friend of Pakistan,” he added. 

Pakistan and Bangladesh used to be part of the same country before the latter seceded into the separate nation of Bangladesh after a bloody civil war in 1971. 

Ties between the two countries have remained mostly strained since then. However, Islamabad enjoyed better relations with Dhaka under Zia’s government compared to when Bangladesh was led by her arch-rival, Sheikh Hasina. 

Hasina was ousted after a violent uprising last year, leading to improved relations between Islamabad and Dhaka. 

Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia vowed in November to campaign in elections set for February 2026.

The BNP is widely seen as a frontrunner, and Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, who returned only on Thursday after 17 years in exile, is seen as a potential prime minister if they win a majority.

-With additional input from AFP