Pakistan’s National Assembly expresses solidarity with Los Angeles fire victims as deaths rise to 24

Charred homes and burnt cars are pictured amid the rubble of the fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates in Los Angeles, California, on January 13, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 14 January 2025
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Pakistan’s National Assembly expresses solidarity with Los Angeles fire victims as deaths rise to 24

  • National Assembly passes resolution urging global organizations to come together to aid rehabilitation efforts in Los Angeles
  • At least a dozen people remain missing, while 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed as per official estimates

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly this week passed a resolution expressing solidarity with the victims of the raging Los Angeles wildfires, where the death toll has climbed to 24 in the last seven days, state-run media reported. 

The blazes in Los Angeles burned for a seventh straight day on Monday, reducing whole neighborhoods to ruins and levelling homes as firefighters continue to battle the flames. More than 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate from Los Angeles, while 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed as per official estimates. 

Pakistani lawmaker Naveed Jeeva moved the resolution in the National Assembly, Pakistan’s lower house of parliament, on Monday to extend his deepest condolences to families of the Los Angeles fire victims. 

“The National Assembly today passed a resolution expressing solidarity with the victims of Los Angeles fire,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Monday. “It called upon local and global organizations to come together in the spirit of humanity to aid in recovery and rehabilitation of Los Angeles.”

The wildfires have also dealt a huge economic loss to the city, with private forecaster AccuWeather estimating the damage and economic loss from the blaze at $135bn to $150bn.

Firefighters got a temporary break from the weather this weekend as the Santa Ana winds finally eased. However, weather experts on Monday forecast that the fierce winds are likely to return and threaten the progress made so far on the two massive infernos. 

Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump criticized local officials, saying that they had not dealt with the situation properly. 

“The fires are still raging in LA. The incompetent [politicians] have no idea how to put them out,” he wrote on his Truth Social media feed. “Thousands of magnificent houses are gone, and many more will soon be lost. There is death all over the place … they just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?“

Several celebrities residing in Los Angeles have said they lost their homes to the blaze. These include Leighton Meester, Adam Brody, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joshua Jackson, Anna Faris, Ricki Lake, Cary Elwes, Cameron Mathison, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag. 

Many others, including Tara Lipinski, Chrissy Teigen, Britney Spears and more said they have evacuated as the fire continues to spread.


Babar Azam dropped for scoring too slowly, says Pakistan coach Hesson

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Babar Azam dropped for scoring too slowly, says Pakistan coach Hesson

  • Shaheen Shah Afridi was left out after conceding 101 runs in three matches
  • Pakistan will now face New Zealand in the opening match of the second phase

COLOMBO: Batting great Babar Azam was dropped for Pakistan’s final T20 World Cup group game against Namibia for scoring too slowly, said head coach Mike Hesson on Friday.

Azam, who is the highest run-scorer in T20 international history with 4,571 runs, was left out for the must-win game against Namibia as Pakistan racked up 199-3 and secured a place in the Super Eights by 102 runs.

The 2009 champions face New Zealand in Colombo on Saturday in the opening match of the second phase.

“I think Babar is well aware that his strike rate in the power play in the World Cup is less than 100 and that’s clearly not the role we think we need,” Hesson told reporters after Pakistan’s final practice session on Friday was washed out by rain.

Pakistan left out Azam for the same reason at last year’s Asia Cup and even after dismal showing in the Big Bash League, he was still selected for the T20 World Cup.

“We brought Babar back in for a specific role post the Asia Cup,” said Hesson.

“We’ve got plenty of other options who can come in and perform that role toward the end.

“Babar is actually the first to acknowledge that.

“He knows that he’s got a certain set of skills that the team requires and there are certain times where other players can perform that role more efficiently.”

Hesson also defended dropping pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi after he conceded 101 runs in three matches, including 31 in two overs against India.

“We made a call that Salman Mirza was coming in for Shaheen, and he bowled incredibly well,” said Hesson.

“To be fair, he was probably really unlucky to not be playing the second and third games.”

Hesson was wary of Pakistan’s opponents on Saturday.

“New Zealand have played a huge amount in the subcontinent in recent times so we have to play at our best.”