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Five of a family killed in roof collapse amid storm in Pakistan’s northwest

Update Five of a family killed in roof collapse amid storm in Pakistan’s northwest
In this file photo, taken on August 30, 2024, residents gather at the site of a landslide owing to heavy monsoon rains in the remote area of Patrak, in Upper Dir district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. (AFP/File)
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Updated 14 September 2024
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Five of a family killed in roof collapse amid storm in Pakistan’s northwest

Five of a family killed in roof collapse amid storm in Pakistan’s northwest
  • Authorities forecast more rains in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast Punjab and Kashmir
  • The South Asian country has seen erratic weather changes in recent months which have been blamed on climate change
Updated 14 September 2024
KASHIF IMRAN
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ISLAMABAD: Five people were killed after roof of their house collapsed amid a storm in parts of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, rescue officials said on Saturday, with the nationwide monsoon death toll exceeding 350.

The incident occurred in KP’s Charsadda district and the deceased included father, mother and their three children, according to a Rescue 1122 service spokesperson.

Rain-related incidents had killed at least 347 people across the country since the monsoon season began in July, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said last week.

The latest deaths took the countrywide monsoon death toll to 352, according to an Arab News tally.

“[KP] Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has expressed sorrow over the incident,” Gandapur’s office said in a statement, adding he had announced financial compensation for the bereaved relatives. “The chief minister directed concerned officials to do the needful in this regard.”

Weather authorities have forecast more rains in upper parts of Pakistan on Saturday, Pakistani state media reported.

“Rain-windstorm/thundershower is expected in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast/upper Punjab and Kashmir during the next twelve hours,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster said.

“Partly cloudy weather with rain-windstorm and thundershower may also occur at isolated places in lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, north Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan.”

Pakistan has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns in recent years that scientists have blamed on climate change. This year, the South Asian country recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall, while some areas of the country faced deadly heat waves in May and June.

In 2022, unusually heavy rains triggered floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting economic losses of around $30 billion, and affecting at least 30 million people.

Topics: Monsoon in Pakistan Pakistan Floods

ADB to provide $410 million package for Barrick-run Pakistan mine, sources say

ADB to provide $410 million package for Barrick-run Pakistan mine, sources say
Updated 21 August 2025
Reuters
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ADB to provide $410 million package for Barrick-run Pakistan mine, sources say

ADB to provide $410 million package for Barrick-run Pakistan mine, sources say
  • Reko Diq mine is expected to produce copper, gold from 2028 and generate about $70 billion in free cash flow over its lifespan
  • Financing composed of two loans totaling $300 million to Barrick, a $110 million financing guarantee for Pakistan’s government
Updated 21 August 2025
Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank will provide a $410 million financing package to help develop Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper mine, one of the world’s largest untapped deposits, which will be operated by Barrick Gold, two sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Islamabad hopes the project will serve as a springboard to draw more foreign interest to its mineral sector, particularly to exploit rare earth deposits. Pakistan has already attracted interest from the Trump administration and offered future concessions to US companies.

The loans and a financing guarantee will support development of Reko Diq, which is expected to produce copper and gold from 2028 and generate about $70 billion in free cash flow over its lifespan.

The financing is composed of two loans totaling $300 million to Barrick and a $110 million financing guarantee for the government of Pakistan, both sources said ahead of the official announcement.

The $6.6 billion project in Balochistan is 50 percent owned by Barrick, with the other half held by the federal and provincial governments.

ADB, the petroleum ministry and Barrick did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The project aims to raise upwards of $2 billion and has a previous agreement for $700 million in financing from the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank’s private investment arm.

The project’s developers are in talks with other prospective financiers, including the US Export-Import Bank, Export Development Canada and Japan’s JBIC and expect to sign term sheets this quarter, project director Tim Cribb told Reuters in April.

Reko Diq, delayed for years by a legal dispute that was settled in 2022, will produce 200,000 metric tons of copper annually in its first phase, rising to 400,000 tons after an expansion.

Barrick says the mine could operate beyond its 37-year life through upgrades and further exploration.

Topics: Reko Diq Copper mine ADB

Explosion at fireworks warehouse in Pakistan’s Karachi injures 34

Explosion at fireworks warehouse in Pakistan’s Karachi injures 34
Updated 38 min 16 sec ago
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Explosion at fireworks warehouse in Pakistan’s Karachi injures 34

Explosion at fireworks warehouse in Pakistan’s Karachi injures 34
  • At least four critically injured in blast at fireworks storage facility located in Karachi’s Saddar area, say police surgeon
  • Explosions at fireworks storage facilities are common in Pakistan, with one in January injuring 6 in Mandi Bahauddin city
Updated 38 min 16 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: An explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi left at least 34 people injured on Thursday, triggering a fire that engulfed the building, officials and rescue workers said. 

The blast occurred in a firecracker warehouse located within a building in the densely populated Saddar area of the metropolis. Flames and smoke could be seen billowing from the site and nearby streets littered with shattered glass in videos widely shared on social media. The intensity of the blast was so severe it was reportedly heard several kilometers away.

Dr. Summaiya Syed, a police surgeon Karachi, said 34 injured persons were brought to the city’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) and Civil Hospital after the blast. 

“Of the 34, four are critical, two each now under treatment in these two hospitals,” Dr. Syed told Arab News. 

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire following an explosion at a fireworks storage facility, in Karachi, Pakistan, on August 21, 2025. (AP)

Rescue officials confirmed that the fire was extinguished after several hours of firefighting. 

“Ten fire tenders and a snorkel unit were involved in extinguishing the blaze,” Hassaan Khan, a spokesperson of the Rescue 1122 emergency service, said.

An 'Edhi life guard' volunteer wearing a mask looks out of a window after a fire that broke out at a firecracker warehouse in Karachi on August 21, 2025. (AFP)

The cause of the blast was immediately not clear. Police said the warehouse was owned by two brothers, both of whom were injured in the incident. 

“We have recorded an initial statement from one of the owners, both will be included in the investigation,” said Deputy Inspector-General South Asad Raza said. 

He added that the explosion had damaged several nearby vehicles and shattered the windows of surrounding buildings.

“Police will thoroughly investigate how the blast occurred,” the police official said. “Once the cause is determined, appropriate action will follow.”

Firefighters work to douse a fire that broke out at a firecracker warehouse in Karachi on August 21, 2025. (AFP)

Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar has sought a detailed report from police on the incident. He also directed police to verify whether the warehouse owners had a valid license to store fireworks. 

The minister told reporters that such warehouses are not allowed to exist in residential areas, assuring that those responsible would face legal action.

People look at a car destroyed by an explosion at a firecracker warehouse in Karachi on August 21, 2025. (AFP)

Explosions at fireworks facilities have taken place in Pakistan in the recent past. In January this year, six people were killed in a similar blast at a fireworks storage site in Mandi Bahauddin, a city in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province.

Topics: Pakistan Karachi firecrackers

Pakistan forecasts more rains till Aug. 29 as monsoon floods kill 458 since Aug. 15

Pakistan forecasts more rains till Aug. 29 as monsoon floods kill 458 since Aug. 15
Updated 36 min 29 sec ago
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Pakistan forecasts more rains till Aug. 29 as monsoon floods kill 458 since Aug. 15

Pakistan forecasts more rains till Aug. 29 as monsoon floods kill 458 since Aug. 15
  • Met Office warns of torrential downpours across multiple provinces
  • PM Sharif reaches out to political leaders across party lines as death toll rises
Updated 36 min 29 sec ago
Waseem Abbasi & NAIMAT KHAN

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Pakistan’s Meteorological Department on Thursday forecast more heavy rains across the country until Aug. 29, as the nation reels from devastating monsoon downpours and flash floods that have killed at least 458 people since Aug. 15.

Torrential rains that started last week have inundated large swathes of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and caused hill torrents and flash floods, with 394 people killed since Aug. 15. Gilgit-Baltistan reported 26 deaths, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 20, and Sindh 14 over the same period. Karachi, the financial hub and southern port city, recorded 17 deaths between Aug. 19 and 20 as flooded roads and underpasses left thousands of commuters stranded.

Cumulatively, since the start of the monsoon season on June 26, at least 771 people have died and 993 have been injured nationwide. KP has reported the highest number of casualties at 465, followed by Punjab with 165, Gilgit-Baltistan with 45, Sindh with 42, Balochistan and Azad Kashmir with 23 each, and Islamabad with eight.

In its latest advisory, the Met Office said strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal were likely to penetrate upper parts of the country from Aug. 22. A westerly wave was also expected to reach the same regions by the night of Aug. 22.

“Torrential rains with wind/thundershower predicted in upper and central parts from 23rd to 27th with occasional gaps,” the Met Department said. “Heavy rains expected in Sindh and eastern/southern Balochistan from 27th to 29th August.”

The advisory warned of flash floods in local streams of Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Charsadda, Nowshera, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, northeastern Punjab, Azad Kashmir and the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan between Aug. 23-26.

It also cautioned of possible urban flooding in low-lying areas of Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Peshawar, Nowshera, and Mardan from Aug. 23-27. 

“Landslides/mudslides may cause roads closure in the vulnerable hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan Murree, Galliyat and Kashmir during the forecast period,” the advisory said.

Pakistan is one of the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world, despite contributing less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Annual monsoons are vital for agriculture and water needs but in recent years have unleashed destructive flooding and landslides. In 2022, unprecedented rainfall and glacier melt left more than 1,700 people dead and inflicted an estimated $30 billion in losses, according to the government.

PM’S OUTREACH 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reached out to leaders across the political spectrum to discuss the flood emergency, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which governs Sindh province. 

“The prime minister expressed grief over torrential rains, urban flooding, and the loss of precious lives in southern Sindh, particularly Karachi,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “The prime minister offered the federal government’s full support to the Sindh government in dealing with the emergency situation.”

Sharif directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to remain in close contact with the Sindh government, extend all possible assistance to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, and ensure advance warnings to residents about potential risks.

The premier also spoke to Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, and Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, head of the Karachi-based Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and federal education minister, regarding the flood situation and relief operations.

Topics: Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif Monsoon 2025

50th International Seerat Conference in Islamabad to focus on youth, social media — ministry 

50th International Seerat Conference in Islamabad to focus on youth, social media — ministry 
Updated 21 August 2025
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50th International Seerat Conference in Islamabad to focus on youth, social media — ministry 

50th International Seerat Conference in Islamabad to focus on youth, social media — ministry 
  • Annual Seerat-un-Nabi Conference to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s life will focus on guiding youth in positive use of social media
  • Government says events during Rabi-ul-Awwal aim to promote awareness of prophetic teachings among younger generations
Updated 21 August 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

Islamabad: The 50th International Seerat-un-Nabi Conference will be held in Islamabad this year, focusing on the role of the state in guiding young people on the positive use of social media in light of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the country’s religious affairs minister said on Thursday.

The Seerat-un-Nabi Conference is Pakistan’s largest annual religious gathering dedicated to discussions on the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Organized each year by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, it coincides with the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, which Muslims commemorate as the month of the Prophet’s birth. This year’s edition carries added significance as it will be the 50th conference and part of nationwide observances to mark the 1500th year since the Prophet’s birth.

Rabi’ Al-Awwal 2025 is expected to begin on Aug. 24, 2025, depending on the sighting of the moon. The 12th of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, which is the date of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (the Prophet’s birthday), will be on Sept. 4. The Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles, so the exact dates can vary based on moon sightings.

“The conference’s theme is ‘State responsibilities in the teaching and training for the beneficial use of social media in the light of the Seerat-un-Nabi,’” Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office. 

The minister made the remarks while chairing an inter-provincial meeting in Islamabad attended by representatives from federal and provincial religious affairs departments, as well as secretaries from Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

At the meeting, officials also finalized plans for the Ashra Rehmat-ul-lil-Alameen (Decade of Mercy to the Worlds), to be marked from 1–12 Rabi-ul-Awwal with events nationwide.

Yousaf said the purpose of the Ashra was to promote greater awareness of the Prophet’s life and guidance: 

“Students of modern educational institutions and religious seminaries will hold joint programs where young people can express their views.”

He added that efforts must be made to find solutions to contemporary challenges by following prophetic teachings: 

“We must protect our education, economy, social values, and family system from being affected in the present age. The deterioration in society is due to not following the Uswa-e-Nabavi (the exemplary life of the Prophet).”

The minister emphasized that it was the collective duty of Muslims to spread the Prophet’s message. 

“In today’s era of social media, it has become even easier to spread the message of Islam,” Yousaf added.

 

Topics: 50th International Seerat Conference

Pakistan gets offers in 200,000 tons sugar tender, traders say

Pakistan gets offers in 200,000 tons sugar tender, traders say
Updated 21 August 2025
Reuters
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Pakistan gets offers in 200,000 tons sugar tender, traders say

Pakistan gets offers in 200,000 tons sugar tender, traders say
  • Lowest offer in tender quoted at $560 per ton c&f, with bids still under review
  • Pakistan plans to import 500,000 tons overall after retail sugar prices surged sharply
Updated 21 August 2025
Reuters

HAMBURG: The lowest price offered in an international tender from Pakistan to buy 200,000 metric tons of sugar on Thursday was believed to be $560 a metric ton cost and freight included (c&f), European traders said in initial assessments.

Offers in the tender from the state trading agency Trading Corporation of Pakistan are still being considered and no purchase has yet been reported, they said.

The TCP can negotiate for several days in tenders before deciding whether to purchase.

The lowest offer was said to have been submitted by trading house Bare for small grade sugar. Bare also offered $580 for medium grade sugar, with a total 187,000 tons offered.

Three tender participants all offered 25,000 tons of small grade sugar: Sucden at $579, Dreyfus at $581.50 and Cofco at $592 all per ton c&f.

ED&F Man offered 32,000 tons of small grade at $579 a ton c&f and also 27,400 tons of small grade at $569 a ton c&f.

Al Khaleej Sugar was believed to have offered 60,000 tons of small grade at $572.30 and 30,000 tons of medium grade at $582.30 a ton c&f.

The TCP’s tender seeks price offers for fine, small and medium grade sugar, all for arrival in Pakistan by October 31.

Pakistan’s government has approved plans to import 500,000 tons of sugar to help to maintain price stability after retail sugar prices in the country rose sharply.

The TCP bought a total of 105,000 tons in its previous sugar tender reported on August 14.

Reports reflect assessments from traders and further estimates of prices and volumes are still possible later. 

Topics: Pakistan sugar Arab News Pakistan

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