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Pakistan disaster authorities warn of heavy rains, floods over next two days

Pakistan disaster authorities warn of heavy rains, floods over next two days
Commuters drive across a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad on July 10, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 12 July 2024
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Pakistan disaster authorities warn of heavy rains, floods over next two days

Pakistan disaster authorities warn of heavy rains, floods over next two days
  • Parts of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eastern Punjab provinces received heavy showers this week
  • At least four people were killed and 31 others were wounded in rain-related incidents in KP, provincial official said
Updated 12 July 2024
KASHIF IMRAN
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned of heavy rains and flash floods in upper and central parts of the country over the next two days, Pakistani state media reported on Thursday.
Parts of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and eastern Punjab provinces received heavy showers this week, with rainwater inundating several low-lying areas.
The NDMA warned that if the rainfall exceeded 50-100 millimeter, it may lead to urban and flash flooding in local nullahs and river tributaries, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The areas likely to be affected include Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot and Rawalpindi [in Punjab], while Galiyat, Kashmir, Kohistan, Mansehra and Murree are prone to land sliding and flash flooding,” the report read.
The NDMA has asked provincial disaster management authorities and district administrations to closely monitor the situation and take appropriate measures to safeguard the people at risk, according to the report.
It has advised public to take precautionary measures while traveling to landslide-prone areas.
This week, at least four people were killed and 31 others were wounded in rain-related incidents in KP, a PDMA spokesperson said.
Earlier in April, heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods in Pakistan, leaving 92 people dead and another 116 wounded.
Pakistan’s eastern province of Punjab also reported 21 deaths from lightning and roof collapses while the country’s southwestern Balochistan province reported at least 15 deaths from torrential rains.
The NDMA this month launched a community engagement app for Pakistanis ahead of the monsoon season. The ‘Pak NDMA Disaster Alert’ mobile app generates alerts and updates guidance for organizations and individual responders in national and provincial languages.

Topics: Pakistan Floods Monsoon in Pakistan

Pakistani religio-political party expands anti-inflation sit-in to Karachi after stalled talks with government

Pakistani religio-political party expands anti-inflation sit-in to Karachi after stalled talks with government
Updated 10 sec ago
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Pakistani religio-political party expands anti-inflation sit-in to Karachi after stalled talks with government

Pakistani religio-political party expands anti-inflation sit-in to Karachi after stalled talks with government
  • Thousands of Jamaat-e-Islami supporters have already been demonstrating against rising cost of living in Rawalpindi
  • The party’s Karachi chapter began its sit-in in front of the Governor House in the Pakistani port city on Saturday
Updated 10 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: A Pakistani religio-political party protesting against the rising cost of living due to increased power tariffs and additional taxes in the federal budget expanded its sit-in to southern Karachi port city on Saturday, where people camped in front of the Governor House for an indefinite period.
Thousands of supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) started a protest demonstration last month in Pakistan’s garrison city of Rawalpindi, gathering at the historic Liaqat Bagh and demanding that the government review stringent economic measures that have financially burdened the people.
Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar announced the government had formed a committee to negotiate with the protesters and address their legitimate demands, though the talks remained inconclusive, prompting JI chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman to expand the sit-in to Karachi.
JI was scheduled to implement its decision on Wednesday but deferred it after the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in an attack believed to have been carried out by Israel in Tehran.
“Today’s protest is against inflation,” Monem Zafar Khan, the party’s Karachi head leading the protest, told Arab News. “It is against the oppressive billing practices of independent power producers and K-Electric, and the plundering of the public’s pockets that we will not accept under any circumstances.”
“Heavy taxes have been imposed on salaried individuals, taxes have been levied on children’s milk and essential goods are also being taxed,” he added. “These are the issues we have come out to protest today.”
The party’s information secretary, Zahid Askari, described Karachi’s sit-in as a continuation of Rawalpindi’s protest, adding that JI would continue until all issues raised by its leadership were resolved.
“Hafiz [Naeem-ur-Rehman] Sahib is leading the protest in Rawalpindi over the issues facing this nation, demanding an end to the oppression inflicted on the Pakistani people [by the government] and the removal of the new taxes imposed on salaried individuals,” he said.
“Our protest in Karachi is a continuation of the effort,” he added. “This protest will last until our demands are met.”

Topics: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Islamabad Protest karachi protest Inflation inflation in Pakistan

Pakistan to hold final auction for national air carrier in October — official

Pakistan to hold final auction for national air carrier in October — official
Updated 03 August 2024
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Pakistan to hold final auction for national air carrier in October — official

Pakistan to hold final auction for national air carrier in October — official
  • Government says all issues related to PIA privatization, including outstanding commercial loans, will be resolved
  • The national air carrier is among 88 state-owned enterprises that made collective losses of $2.61 billion in FY22
Updated 03 August 2024
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: The government is set to hold a final auction for the state-owned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in the first week of October, an official said on Saturday, adding all issues related to the privatization of the national air carrier, including outstanding commercial loans, would be resolved within a couple of weeks.
The government announced in June it had selected six companies qualified to bid for PIA out of a pool of eight after receiving expressions of interest. Pakistan plans to sell more than 51 percent of its stake in the loss-making airline as part of the economic reforms suggested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a fresh $7 billion loan program.
However, the country’s central bank refused earlier this week to grant a waiver or exemption to prospective buyers regarding PIA’s commercial bank loans of Rs268 billion ($971.1 million) and other financial guarantees in dollar terms, a development viewed as a setback to the privatization bid.
“It has been mutually decided with the pre-qualified bidders to hold final auction for the PIA in first week of October,” Dr. Ahsan Ishaq, a privatization ministry spokesperson, told Arab News. “We have been in touch with the central bank to resolve the issue regarding all outstanding commercial loans of the national carrier before its final bid.”
According to the ministry, the pre-qualified bidders for PIA include Air Blue, Arif Habib Corporation, Blue World City, Fly Jinnah, Pak Ethanol (Pvt) Consortium and YB Holdings Consortium.
The government initially planned to finalize the deal on the country’s Independence Day on August 14, but it was delayed following requests from bidders who were waiting for the airline’s latest audited accounts, aircraft lease agreements and clarity on flights to Europe, which are currently banned.
Official data available with Arab News reveal there are 88 commercially operated state-owned enterprises in Pakistan, with their collective losses reaching Rs730.258 billion ($2.61 billion) in the fiscal year 2022 (FY22).
In its five-year privatization plan ending in 2029, the government has approved 24 state-owned enterprises for sale, including PIA.
“This issue of the loans will be resolved in a couple of weeks,” Ishaq said. “Even if this issue of the commercial loans is not resolved, the final bidder may adjust this amount in its offer.”
The top ten loss-making Pakistani entities, including PIA with Rs97.5 billion, the National Highways Authority at Rs168.5 billion and the Peshawar Electric Supply Company Limited with Rs102.2 billion, accounted for a cumulative loss of Rs650.197 billion ($2.33 billion) in FY22, according to official data.
In contrast, the remaining enterprises reported combined losses of Rs80 billion ($286 million) during the same fiscal year.
Dr. Ishaq informed PIA’s cumulative losses alone had surpassed Rs800 billion ($2.86 billion), with the total asset valuation of the airline standing at approximately Rs160 billion ($572 million).
He said the government had categorized the entities to be privatized into first, second and third phases over five years, including PIA, First Women Bank, House Building Finance Corporation and various power generation and distribution companies.
“The government is fully focused on privatizing all state-owned enterprises to eliminate billions of rupees in annual losses,” he added. “Privatization is a time-consuming and complex process, but we are pursuing it diligently.”

Topics: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) PIA privatization

Pakistan and Turkish navies hold expert-level talks to discuss joint operations

Pakistan and Turkish navies hold expert-level talks to discuss joint operations
Updated 03 August 2024
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Pakistan and Turkish navies hold expert-level talks to discuss joint operations

Pakistan and Turkish navies hold expert-level talks to discuss joint operations
  • Turkiye is building fast and highly maneuverable corvette ships for Pakistan, typically used for coastal defense
  • A top Turkish official visits Pakistan’s Naval Headquarters, praises its role in the maritime security of the region
Updated 03 August 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan and Turkish navies held staff-level expert talks on Saturday, according to an official statement, to discuss matters of professional interest and cooperation.
The two naval forces have a robust and evolving relationship, particularly in defense production and military exercises.
Turkiye is building state-of-the-art corvette ships for Pakistan, which are fast and highly maneuverable vessels typically used for coastal defense, patrol and escort missions.
Additionally, the two navies engage in joint military exercises, exchange expertise and collaborate at the operational level, underscoring strong military ties.
“Chief of Staff of the Turkish Naval Forces, Vice Admiral Ibrahim Ozdem, visited Naval Headquarters in Islamabad,” said the military’s media wing, Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, adding he was received by Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami.
“The sixth staff-level expert talks between the Pakistan Navy and Turkish Navy were held,” it added. “During the talks, extensive discussions were held on joint operations, training and technical fields.”
The visiting Turkish official praised the Pakistan Navy’s efforts in maritime security in the region.
A day earlier, Pakistani and Turkish naval ships have conducted coordinated patrol and naval drills in the North Arabian Sea to enhance interoperability between the two forces.

Topics: Pakistan Navy Pakistan Turkey Ties

Pakistan backs Iran’s call for OIC meeting after Hamas leader’s assassination in Tehran

Pakistan backs Iran’s call for OIC meeting after Hamas leader’s assassination in Tehran
Updated 59 min 17 sec ago
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Pakistan backs Iran’s call for OIC meeting after Hamas leader’s assassination in Tehran

Pakistan backs Iran’s call for OIC meeting after Hamas leader’s assassination in Tehran
  • Iran’s foreign minister called Pakistan’s deputy PM after demanding the OIC session, requesting him to participate
  • Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran has led to fears of a broader regional war, with Iran vowing revenge
Updated 59 min 17 sec ago
Muhammad Ibrahim

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday his country supported Iran’s call for an extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) following the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh earlier this week.
The Hamas leader was targeted on July 31 in Tehran, where he had gone to attend the inauguration of newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian. His funeral prayer was led by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei the next day before his body was taken to Qatar and buried in Doha.
The strike that took Haniyeh’s life was widely believed to have been ordered by Israel, though the Netanyahu administration neither confirmed nor denied the allegation.
Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported earlier in the day its Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani had demanded an extraordinary meeting of OIC foreign ministers before contacting Dar with a request to participate.
“The Deputy Prime Minister fully supported this call and confirmed that Pakistan would actively participate in the important meeting,” the foreign office said in a social media post.
It mentioned that Kani shared Iran’s “deep anguish” over the assassination of the Hamas leader during his phone call.
Dar conveyed similar sentiments while also condemning the developments in Gaza where Palestinians have been targeted by Israel’s war machine since last October.

 Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel, which killed a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon hours before the Hamas leader was targeted.
The situation has created fears of a broader regional war, with the United States saying it will move additional warships and fighter jets toward the Middle East.
Top Pakistani parliamentarians, along with thousands of people, offered funeral prayers in absentia for Haniyeh during Friday congregations.
The National Assembly of Pakistan also passed a unanimous resolution expressing “unified grief and anger” over the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Israel launched its air and ground offensive targeting Gaza following a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostages.
The Palestinian group said the attack was in response to the deteriorating condition of Palestinian people living under occupation.
Israel’s response was widely viewed as disproportionate by the international community in which over 39,000 people, mostly women and children, have died.
Israel was taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by South Africa on the allegation of committing genocide where other nations joined the proceedings as well.

 

Topics: Pakistan Palestine War on Gaza Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

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Authorities warn of flash floods in Pakistan’s Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan amid heavy rains

Authorities warn of flash floods in Pakistan’s Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan amid heavy rains
Updated 03 August 2024
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Authorities warn of flash floods in Pakistan’s Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan amid heavy rains

Authorities warn of flash floods in Pakistan’s Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan amid heavy rains
  • Torrential rains killed at least 30 people in Pakistan this week, inundating the second-largest city of Lahore
  • In June, a UN official warned an estimated 200,000 people in Pakistan could be affected this monsoon season
Updated 03 August 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Authorities have issued a flood alert for parts of Pakistan’s Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan provinces, Pakistani state media reported on Saturday, amid heavy monsoon showers in the South Asian country.
Torrential rains in Pakistan have killed at least 30 people this week as the second-largest city of Lahore was drenched in the most rainfall it has received in more than four decades, according to authorities.
The arrival of the monsoon season has sparked floods and landslides across South Asia in the past week, with at least 200 killed and almost 200 missing in one disaster in neighboring India.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a flood alert for Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan division, Zhob, Sibbi, Naseerabad and Kalat in Balochistan, and Larkana and Hyderabad divisions in Sindh.
“Medium to High Level Flash Flooding is expected up to Monday,” the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported. “NDMA has issued instructions to all relevant departments to take necessary precautions to mitigate the possible effects of flooding and extreme weather.”
Rains pummelled Pakistan’s north, causing floods, building collapses and heightening the risk of electrocution this week.
“The 44-year-old rainfall record was broken in Lahore once again,” said utility officials in the eastern province of Punjab, where authorities tallied six deaths.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12 children were among the two dozen people who died in the last three days of rains and floods in the northwestern province, according to the provincial disaster management authority.
Pakistan is recognized as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change effects in the world. This year, the South Asian country recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters rainfall and at least 144 deaths in thunderstorms and house collapses, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the authorities.
In June, a UN official warned that an estimated 200,000 people in Pakistan could be affected by the upcoming monsoon season, which is expected to bring heavier rains than usual.
The United Nations, with help from local authorities, has prepared a contingency plan, with $40 million set aside to respond to any emergencies, said Mohamed Yahya, the newly appointed Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan.
Unusually heavy rains in June 2022 triggered flash floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting losses of around $30 billion, and affecting at least 30 million people.

Topics: flash floods monsoon rains

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