Efforts on to douse another fire on Margalla Hills as experts warn of environmental hazards

Efforts on to douse another fire on Margalla Hills as experts warn of environmental hazards
A Pakistan's military helicopter carrying water try to extinguish a fire that erupted few days back in Margalla Hills forest near Faisal Mosque amid rising temperatures during a hot summer day in Islamabad on May 31, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 02 June 2024
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Efforts on to douse another fire on Margalla Hills as experts warn of environmental hazards

Efforts on to douse another fire on Margalla Hills as experts warn of environmental hazards
  • Part of the Himalayan foothills, Margalla range in Pakistan experiences bush fires relatively often in summer months as temperatures soar
  • Experts say these annual fires are detrimental to the environment as they hinder biodiversity and disrupt natural habitat of birds, animals

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad administration on Sunday prevented the spread of another forest fire on Margalla Hills into its territory, but the blaze that erupted in part of the hills located in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province had yet to be fully extinguished, officials said, with experts warning of several environmental hazards of these annual fires.
The Margalla range, part of the Himalayan foothills, frequently experiences bush fires during the summer months. This month, several fires have occurred, largely due to the extreme heat wave affecting the South Asian region.
The latest fire incident occurred on the hills in KP on Saturday after authorities extinguished similar fires at three locations in Islamabad. Officials said the blaze in KP had a very “low intensity” and efforts were on to completely douse it.
“The latest situation is that the fire on the KP side is diminishing with each passing hour and getting less and less in intensity,” Shahzad Khalil, a Capital Development Authority (CDA) official who was supervising the firefighting operation, told Arab News.
He said CDA teams were working day and night to control fires, whenever they erupted on the hills, and the spread of the latest fire into Islamabad’s territory was prevented because of effective response by firefighters who remained on site through the night.
“It is a tough job because of the dense forest and they cannot take heavy equipment with them,” Khalil said. “They made fire lines to control the fire flow, and on the KP side, efforts are also underway to control the fire as we are helping them with all our resources.”
Fire lines, also known as firebreaks or fireguards, are gaps created to stop or slow the spread of a wildfire by removing the fuel that a fire needs to continue burning, thereby creating a barrier. Firefighters position fire lines around a wildfire’s perimeter to contain it and protect critical areas, or to redirect the fire to more manageable areas.
“All other institutions, including army and the National Disaster Management Authority, also take part in this effort as and when required,” he said.
More than 20 fires erupted on Margalla Hills from May 17 to May 31, but things were under control in the CDA’s territory, according to the official
These incidents could have resulted from accidental ignition due to dry conditions as well as “intentional arson by mischievous individuals.”
“We have filed around 15 police reports and have also apprehended three individuals on suspicion,” he said. “The law enforcement agencies are investigating all aspects.”
He said there were around 28 villages on Margalla Hills and the CDA had temporarily hired locals from these villages to assist in firefighting and safeguarding the area by increasing vigilance and providing additional security.
“We have hired 450 local people from the month of April for three months as a quick response force and our trained staff keep on guiding the locals in 37 pickets which we have established in this whole area,” Khalil said.
The future strategy will be to increase the number of pickets to enhance vigilance and promptly control fire in the event of an eruption, according to the CDA official.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon said the administration had sensitized the local community to report any “mischievous elements” involved in such incidents.
“We have conducted meetings with people in nearby villages, gaining their trust and confidence, and we are hopeful that locals will report any individuals involved in fire incidents,” Memon told Arab News. “Our personnel are stationed at the pickets around the clock, ready to dispatch teams immediately to control any fires in the affected area.”
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL GROUP ON FOREST FIRES
Meanwhile, Romina Khurshid Alam, the prime minister’s coordinator on climate change, has established an inter-departmental working group (IWG) on forest fires in the Margalla Hills National Park, headed by Inspector General of Forests Ghulam Qadir Shah. The body comprising Islamabad Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mustafa Tanveer, the CDA director-general of environment and other officials will coordinate rapid response efforts across relevant departments and report directly to Alam.
“The idea was to ensure coordination among the most relevant agencies for an effective response to the fires, including CDA, NDMA, Rescue 1122, police, and the fire department,” Shah, the working group head, told Arab News.
During this dry season, he said, forest fires occur worldwide because the grass below is dry, and fires can start from anywhere at any time.
“Mainly, there is a human element involved, such as tourists making tea or warming food during picnics, discarding cigarette butts, and intentional acts by those involved in timber theft,” he said, adding the Ministry of Climate Change had developed standard operating procedures (SOPs) in 2022 for relevant departments to remain on alert during the season and prevent fires at the earliest.
“Due to this, our forestry departments have updated their mechanism, and created more fire lines, improving vigilance and so on, which has contributed to effective control of fires this year.”
The forest fires have occurred at a time when Pakistan has seen temperatures as high as 52.2 degrees Celsius (126°F) as South Asia swelters in a hot summer this year — a trend scientists say has been worsened by human-driven climate change.
TWO-FOLD IMPACT’
Experts say these annual fires are detrimental to the environment as they hinder biodiversity and disrupt the natural habitat of birds and animals.
“These fires have a two-fold impact on the environment. Firstly, they clear the vegetation of trees taking at least 10 years to regrow, and secondly, they generate smoke, leading to carbon dioxide emissions that degrade the environment,” Dr. Ghulam Rasul, head of the Climate Change Program’s International Union for Conservation of Nature, told Arab News.
He said this phenomenon was likely to exacerbate problems for the local population and lead to the suffering of biodiversity. To control these incidents, he said, the civic agencies should initiate an aggressive awareness campaign before the start of every summer season, targeting locals and tourists by involving academics, media and social media influencers.
“The campaign should highlight the damages caused by visitor negligence, emphasize the importance of environmental conservation, and stress the need for vigilance against criminals involved in starting fires and engaging in wood theft,” he added.
Maryam Shabbir, another environmental expert, said these fires adversely impacted the air quality, humans, wildlife residing in forests and birds along with disrupting hiking and other recreational activities on Margalla Hills.
“It is inevitable during summer to not have forest fires. However, proper and timely arrangements can save biodiversity,” she said, urging authorities to monitor the forest and use helicopters to control a fire as soon as it erupts.
Pakistan is seen by global organizations as one of the most vulnerable countries to extreme weather and climate change. In 2022, floods wreaked havoc in the country, killing over 1,700 people and displacing millions.


Pakistan says over 20,000 Hajj applications received today

Pakistan says over 20,000 Hajj applications received today
Updated 25 November 2024
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Pakistan says over 20,000 Hajj applications received today

Pakistan says over 20,000 Hajj applications received today
  • Saudi Arabia has allotted Pakistan a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage
  • Quota of 5,000 has been allocated this year for overseas Pakistanis on “first-come, first-served basis”

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani religious affairs ministry has said over 20,000 Hajj applications had been received by Monday, as the nation prepares for the annual pilgrimage slated to be held in June next year.

Saudi Arabia has allotted Pakistan a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage, to be divided equally between the government and private schemes. Around 15 designated Pakistani banks started receiving applications for Hajj 2025 from intending pilgrims on Monday. 

“20,170 Hajj applications received till Monday,” a spokesperson for the Religious Affairs Ministry said on Monday, saying applications were continuing to be filed at designated banks across the country. 

“Reception of applications under the government Hajj scheme will continue till December 3.”

A quota of 5,000 has been allocated for overseas Pakistanis on a “first-come, first-served basis,” the ministry said, adding that the lottery for the government Hajj scheme would be held on Dec. 6

Pakistan’s religious affairs minister this month announced the country’s Hajj 2025 policy, according to which pilgrims can pay fees for the annual Islamic pilgrimage in installments for the first time.

Under the government scheme, the first installment of Hajj dues, amounting to Rs200,000 ($717), has to be deposited along with the Hajj application, while a second installment of Rs400,000 ($1,435) must be deposited within ten days of the balloting. The remaining amount has to be deposited by Feb. 10 next year.

On Sunday, Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry said it had launched the “Pak Hajj 2025” mobile application to guide and facilitate pilgrims. The app is available for both Android and iPhone users.


Naval chief says Pakistan’s economic future ‘inextricably linked’ to maritime security

Naval chief says Pakistan’s economic future ‘inextricably linked’ to maritime security
Updated 25 November 2024
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Naval chief says Pakistan’s economic future ‘inextricably linked’ to maritime security

Naval chief says Pakistan’s economic future ‘inextricably linked’ to maritime security
  • Admiral Naveed Ashraf says challenges in Indian Ocean Region requires greater vigilance
  • He says Pakistan’s socio-economic prosperity can be assured by harnessing blue economy 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf on Monday emphasized the importance of maritime security for the country’s economic future, calling for robust measures to address “unprecedented challenges” in the Indian Ocean Region.
In a message issued to mark the Seventh Maritime Security Workshop, scheduled to run from November 26 to December 5 at the Pakistan Navy War College in Lahore, Ashraf highlighted the need to harness the country’s maritime potential while ensuring a secure environment for trade and economic growth.
He noted the Indian Ocean Region faced significant challenges, including geopolitical competition, nuclearization and transnational threats, compounded by rapid technological advancements.
“The country’s economic future is inextricably linked to the sea, which serves as mankind’s last reservoir for sustenance,” he said. “Securing our maritime domain is not merely a national priority but a necessity, requiring cooperation, innovation and vigilance.”
Ashraf stressed the potential of Pakistan’s maritime resources to drive socio-economic prosperity through the exploitation of the blue economy, enabled by a secure maritime environment.
His comments come at a time when Pakistan has made a strategic offer to landlocked Central Asian economies for access to its ports, allowing them to conduct trade via sea routes.
The initiative underscores Pakistan’s ambition to position itself as a critical hub for regional economic activity.
“Our rich maritime resources offer great potential for economic prosperity,” the naval chief maintained.
“Let us work toward a secure and stable maritime environment that benefits not only our nation but the global community at large,” he added.


One policeman killed, over 100 injured in clashes with Imran Khan supporters leading Islamabad protest 

One policeman killed, over 100 injured in clashes with Imran Khan supporters leading Islamabad protest 
Updated 25 November 2024
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One policeman killed, over 100 injured in clashes with Imran Khan supporters leading Islamabad protest 

One policeman killed, over 100 injured in clashes with Imran Khan supporters leading Islamabad protest 
  • Punjab inspector general says 119 officers wounded in violence by Khan’s supporters, party says scores of its followers also hurt
  • Protest ‘long march’ has coincided with visit of Belarus president, with government accusing PTI of trying to sabotage economic recovery

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials said on Monday one police constable had been killed and nearly 120 were wounded in violence by supporters of jailed former premier Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which is leading a protest march to the federal capital of Islamabad. 

Thousands of rallygoers reached the edges of Islamabad on Monday evening after protest caravans set out from various parts of the country a day earlier to call for the release of political prisoners, including Khan, among other demands.

The protesters set out despite the government refusing to grant the PTI permission to enter Islamabad for a sit-in. Last week, the district administration also imposed a two-month ban on public gatherings in the capital, citing security challenges and inconvenience to the public. 

Authorities have closed all schools in Islamabad and the adjacent garrison city of Rawalpindi, while the Internet and WhatsApp messaging services have also slowed as the protest march continues. All routes connecting Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been completely shut for the last two days, as are highways and roads from other cities leading to the federal capital. 

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said one policeman had been killed in clashes with PTI supporters. 

“Constable Mubashir has lost his life. Five people remain in critical condition,” the minister said. 

She added that 70 people had been wounded in clashes with the protesters just outside Islamabad, while there were reports of several other clashes elsewhere in the province. It was unclear if the 70 people were all policemen.

Inspector General (IG) Punjab, Dr. Usman Anwar, said 119 cops had been injured. 

“Four of them sustained firearm injuries caused by a weapon,” he told reporters. “Our forces could also use firearms but to avoid any mishap we kept them without firearms.”

He said several police officers had critical head injuries. 

“More than 22 police vehicles have been damaged. Despite this, the Punjab Police remains on duty, with 22,000 personnel still actively performing their responsibilities.”

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said those who had given the call for the Islamabad protest were responsible for those who had been killed and injured.

“We have clearly communicated to all the Inspector Generals of Police, Islamabad Police, and everyone involved that those who issued this call [for protest] and incited people to gather will be held fully responsible for these actions and we will not leave anyone,” Naqvi said at a press conference after attending the funeral prayers of the policeman who was killed during the protests.

“FIRs [police report] will be registered against all of them. The protesters have fired live bullets, and our security forces could also do the same, but they only answered with rubber bullets.”

Khan’s party said scores of its workers were also hurt.

“TILL MY LAST BREATH”

The PTI march started on Sunday but could not reach Islamabad as shipping containers placed by the government on key points on major highways slowed the pace of the caravans. The PTI says its final destination is D-Chowk, a high-security area in the capital’s Red Zone that houses key government buildings and is a popular site for protests. Heavy contingents of police and other security forces have been stationed across Islamabad and at entry and exit points. 

The largest PTI protest caravan began its journey from Peshawar, the provincial capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province where Khan’s party is in power. It is being led by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan’s wife Bushra Khan, who was released on bail in October after nearly nine months in detention. 

Khan has been in jail since August last year and faces a slew of charges he says are politically motivated. 

On Monday evening, the PTI said in a text to reporters that the rally had “broken through one of the biggest barrages of containers and is at the gate of Islamabad.”

“Until Khan does not return to us, we will not end this march,” Bushra said to supporters from atop the protest caravan as the PTI edged closer to Islamabad. “I will stand there till my last breath, you people have to stand by me. I will keep standing even if nobody does because this does not concern just my husband but the country and its leader.”

Islamabad police confirmed over 400 arrests related to the protest in the past few days, saying the detainees were being held in different police stations. The PTI said over 3,500 of its leaders and supporters had been arrested in connection to the protests.

PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai, who is part of the caravan, told Arab News over the phone the march would carry on until it reached D-Chowk. 

“We will only return from D-Chowk when Imran Khan and other innocent party workers are released from Pakistani prisons,” he said. 

The PTI also said key leaders Gohar Khan and Ali Mohammad Khan had been allowed to meet the PTI flounder at Adiala jail, but no details were shared about the focus or outcome of the discussions. A second meeting with Khan was also reported late on Monday night. 

The PTI’s march has coincided with a visit to Islamabad by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and a 68-member delegation to discuss investment deals. The government has accused the PTI of trying to sabotage the foreign visit in a bid to destabilize its economic recovery efforts. 

Yousafzai rejected this criticism, saying his party had called the protest well before the Belarusian delegation’s arrival was announced. 

“We have not blocked the roads,” he added. “The government has blocked the roads, creating a situation like this. The government should have held talks with the PTI instead of blocking the roads.”


Wheel-jam strike paralyzes Balochistan highways amid protest over kidnapped schoolboy

Wheel-jam strike paralyzes Balochistan highways amid protest over kidnapped schoolboy
Updated 25 November 2024
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Wheel-jam strike paralyzes Balochistan highways amid protest over kidnapped schoolboy

Wheel-jam strike paralyzes Balochistan highways amid protest over kidnapped schoolboy
  • 11-year-old Muhammad Musawir Khan was kidnapped by armed men in Quetta on Nov. 15
  • Government says law enforcement agencies are working for the kidnapped boy’s recovery

QUETTA: A wheel-jam strike paralyzed highways in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Monday as protests over the kidnapping of an 11-year-old schoolboy entered their 11th consecutive day in Quetta.
Muhammad Musawir Khan, a third-grade student, was kidnapped from a school van by unknown armed men while on his way to school on November 15.
The family has not received any ransom call from the kidnappers in all these days since his abduction. They have also categorically said they will not pay a single penny to the kidnappers.
“Today, all national highways connecting Balochistan with the rest of the country are closed against the kidnapping of my son,” Raz Muhammad, the boy’s father, told Arab News. “We will continue our protest until he safely returns home.”
Muhammad urged Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir to consider Khan as their own child and play a role in his recovery.
Other family members echoed the sentiment, saying it was the state’s responsibility to ensure the boy’s recovery and improve the general environment of insecurity.
“We have been sitting here for the last 11 days to seek protection for all children like Muhammad Musawir Khan from these kidnappers,” Hajji Malang, the boy’s uncle, told Arab News. “Whoever kidnapped our child, we will not bargain with them for his release.”

Demonstrators are protesting over the kidnapping of an 11-year-old schoolboy in Quetta, Pakistan, on November 25, 2024. (AN photo)

The kidnapped boy belongs to a prominent tribal family involved in the gold trading business in Balochistan for decades. According to the family, he was abducted from Patel Bagh, a busy neighborhood in Quetta.
Political and religious parties, traders, transporters, lawyers and civil society members have all been visiting the protest camp to express solidarity with the family and demand the immediate and safe recovery of the boy.
Speaking to the media outside the provincial assembly, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti said he thought of the kidnapped child like his own son.
“We are utilizing our full capacity and the government is making serious efforts to ensure his safe recovery,” he said.
Commissioner of Quetta Division Hamza Shafqaat shared the same update while speaking to Arab News.
“The government, along with all law enforcement agencies, is working diligently for the recovery of Muhammad Musawir Khan,” he said.
“We have shared our report on the progress in the recovery of the kidnapped boy to with the Balochistan High Court, chief minister and the provincial assembly, and they have all expressed satisfaction that the investigation is heading in the right direction,” he added.
However, Shafqaat declined to divulge details of the ongoing investigation.
Malik Muhammad Sadiq Kakar, senior member of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, said that highways in Balochistan’s Quetta, Mastung, Khuzdar, Killa Abdullah, Chaman, Zhob, Killa Saifullah and Loralai districts were closed to protest the kidnapping of the child.
“We are sitting with the family of the kidnapped boy to express solidarity because we want peace in Balochistan,” he told Arab News.
Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, which shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran, has been the site of a low-level insurgency by separatist militants for over two decades.
Other extremist factions, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Daesh’s Khorasan chapter, also have a presence in the region and frequently attack security forces and civilians.
Last week, Pakistan approved a “comprehensive military operation” in the province, targeting ethnic Baloch separatist groups attacking security forces and Chinese nationals working on the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).


COMSTECH, Pakistani conglomerate announce internship program for OIC member countries

COMSTECH, Pakistani conglomerate announce internship program for OIC member countries
Updated 25 November 2024
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COMSTECH, Pakistani conglomerate announce internship program for OIC member countries

COMSTECH, Pakistani conglomerate announce internship program for OIC member countries
  • International program hosted by Gourmet Industries, the largest food processing complex in Pakistan
  • Selected candidates will receive accommodation, meals, and return economy-class air ticket to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), in collaboration with Pakistan’s Gourmet Industries, has announced the COMSTECH-Gourmet Industrial Internship Program for its first batch in January 2025, state news agency APP reported on Monday.

Hosted by Gourmet Industries, the largest food processing complex in Pakistan, the program offers 10 internships lasting four weeks. Selected candidates will receive accommodation, meals, and return economy-class air ticket to participate in the program, which aims to promote innovation, research, and skill development across various industrial sectors, offering participants practical training and exposure to advanced technologies and industrial processes.

The program will focus on key areas in food industry operations including bakery, dairy, and beverages, plant utilities, recycling through innovative RPET methodologies, shrink-wrap production, sugar mill logistics, and media training in journalism and broadcasting. Participants will gain hands-on experience in supply chain management, production processes, and sustainability practices also.

“The internship is open to applicants from OIC member countries holding a BS/BSc or MS/MSc in relevant fields and under the age of 40,” the report said. 

“The objective of the COMSTECH-Gourmet Industrial Internship Program is to foster innovation and research and development (R&D) across diverse industrial sectors, including food processing, engineering, plant operations, recycling, and so forth.”

The program will provide interns hands-on experience and exposure to cutting-edge technologies and methodologies, thereby enhancing their practical skills and theoretical knowledge.

“By engaging in real-world projects, interns will contribute to the advancement of industrial processes and the development of sustainable solutions, ultimately driving technological innovation and improving operational efficiencies in the fields of human nutrition and value addition,” APP added. 

“This initiative underscores COMSTECH’s mission to empower youth in OIC nations and advance technological development for socio-economic progress.”

Applicants have to complete an application form and upload requested documents (CV, Research Proposal, etc.) at: (https://form.jotform.com/243101366016444) till Nov, 30. Applicants can contact [email protected] for further information.