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Pakistan forecasts thunderstorms, heavy snowfall in northwest from January 1 to 6

Pakistan forecasts thunderstorms, heavy snowfall in northwest from January 1 to 6
A view of snow laden Pishmal Bazar in Kalam on March 4, 2024. (AFP/File)
Updated 21 min 14 sec ago
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Pakistan forecasts thunderstorms, heavy snowfall in northwest from January 1 to 6

Pakistan forecasts thunderstorms, heavy snowfall in northwest from January 1 to 6
  • KP’s top PDMA official has asked district administrations to take necessary precautionary measures
  • Pakistan has seen erratic weather patterns recently, with scientists attributing them to climate change
Updated 21 min 14 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: Weather authorities in Pakistan on Tuesday predicted thunderstorms and heavy snowfall in the upper districts of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province from January 1 to 6.

Pakistan has experienced erratic changes in its weather patterns in recent years, which scientists attribute to climate change. This year, the country recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall, while some areas endured deadly heat waves in May and June.

KP’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) forecast rain and snowfall in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Malakand, Buner, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Waziristan, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Bannu, Karak and Kohat.

“The forecast indicates that the rain and snowfall will continue from January 1 to 6,” the PDMA said in a statement, adding there was a likelihood of heavy snowfall on mountains from January 1 to 5.

The PDMA has notified all district administrations to undertake precautionary measures and ensure the availability of large and small machines to handle any emergencies.

The public has been advised to avoid power lines, decaying buildings, construction sites and billboards, while farmers have been urged to plan their activities accordingly.

DG PDMA Asfandyar Khattak directed the authorities to remain vigilant in case of any untoward incidents and advised tourists to contact relevant officials before traveling.

“Local administrations in sensitive districts should communicate weather-related messages in local languages to the community,” he added. “In case of any emergency, all relevant agencies should remain alert to restore road links and provide alternative routes for traffic in the event of road closures.”

Meanwhile, PDMA Balochistan said cloudy weather was expected in most districts, with light rain and snowfall likely in Chaman, Kalat, Zhob, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Pishin, Ziarat and Quetta in the southwestern province.

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: Pakistan snowfall

Blasts in northwest Pakistan leave 2 dead, 13 wounded including policemen

Blasts in northwest Pakistan leave 2 dead, 13 wounded including policemen
Updated 6 min 24 sec ago
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Blasts in northwest Pakistan leave 2 dead, 13 wounded including policemen

Blasts in northwest Pakistan leave 2 dead, 13 wounded including policemen
  • First attack targeted a funeral in Azam Warsak, the other was directed against a police van in Bannu
  • Such incidents have surged in recent years, contributing to an atmosphere of heightened insecurity
Updated 6 min 24 sec ago
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: Two people were killed and at least 13 others, including several police personnel, were injured in two separate bomb blasts in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Tuesday, police said.
KP, which shares a long and porous border with Afghanistan, has experienced a surge in militant violence in recent years. The region has been targeted by deadly suicide bombings and attacks on both civilians and security forces, contributing to an atmosphere of heightened insecurity.
Police spokesperson in the province, Habib Islam, told Arab News the first explosion occurred in Azam Warsak, a town on the outskirts of Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan district, as people dispersed from a funeral ceremony.
“The blast left two persons dead and eight others wounded. The explosion was triggered by a remote-controlled device, but it can’t be immediately confirmed who was the target of the attack,” he added.
Soon after the incident, a heavy police contingent rushed to the crime scene to evacuate the dead and wounded to the nearest medical facility.
Dr. Hammad Mehmood, a senior medical practitioner at the DHQ Hospital Wana, said the staff received a total of nine wounded, with two critically injured individuals referred to Dera Ismail Khan for treatment.
The second blast occurred in Bannu district, where a police mobile van was targeted with an improvised explosive device (IED), leaving five policemen injured, a senior police officer, Zahir Nawaz, told Arab News.
“Five policemen were injured in a blast triggered by a device planted in the Mamaskhel area of Bannu district,” he added.
Over 82 policemen have been killed in attacks, ambushes, and targeted killings in KP this year, according to official data.
Such attacks have been on the rise in northwestern Pakistan in recent months, with most being claimed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.
TTP fighters have targeted security forces’ convoys and check posts and carried out targeted killings, as well as kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials.
Earlier this month, two policemen were killed and three injured in an attack on a check post in the province’s Shangla district.
Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting the TTP and other militant groups, urging the administration to prevent its territory from being used by armed factions to launch cross-border attacks.
The Afghan Taliban deny the charge, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter.
 

Topics: KP militancy Bannu Pakistan police

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Karachi police deploy over 2,400 personnel for New Year’s Eve security at Seaview

Karachi police deploy over 2,400 personnel for New Year’s Eve security at Seaview
Updated 31 December 2024
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Karachi police deploy over 2,400 personnel for New Year’s Eve security at Seaview

Karachi police deploy over 2,400 personnel for New Year’s Eve security at Seaview
  • Youngsters step out on New Year’s Eve across Pakistan, where fatalities from aerial firing are common
  • Karachi police have also deployed intelligence teams, asking them to remain vigilant during celebrations
Updated 31 December 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Police in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Tuesday announced robust security measures for New Year’s Eve at the popular Seaview area, deploying over 2,400 officers and staff to ensure public safety and maintain order during celebrations, according to an official statement.
Young people traditionally step out to celebrate New Year’s Eve across urban centers in Pakistan, often resulting in road accidents or fatalities from aerial firing. Karachi’s Seaview remains a popular destination for such festivities, where police routinely ramp up precautions.
Amid a surge in street crimes in recent years, Karachi police are also on high alert to prevent potential incidents.
“To maintain law and order, six police platoons will be stationed at Seaview and adjacent areas,” Senior Superintendent Police Mahzur Ali was quoted in the statement as saying. “A total of 2,451 officers and personnel, including intelligence staff, have been deployed around Seaview, where hooliganism or aerial firing will not be tolerated.”
The statement highlighted that the security deployment includes several senior police officials and 80 mobile units along with 106 motorcycle patrols.
Mounted police, a specialized unit of law enforcement officers who patrol on horseback, will also monitor the area. Intelligence teams have been directed to stay vigilant.
The police have further implemented traffic management plans, converting both tracks from Seaview McDonald’s to Khayaban-e-Ittehad into one-way routes to ease congestion.
“No unlawful activities will be permitted,” added Ali.
The police also emphasized their commitment to ensuring a safe environment for citizens to celebrate responsibly.

Topics: New year Karachi

Former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister sentenced to 34 years for speech against state institutions

Former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister sentenced to 34 years for speech against state institutions
Updated 31 December 2024
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Former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister sentenced to 34 years for speech against state institutions

Former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister sentenced to 34 years for speech against state institutions
  • Muhammad Khalid Khurshid belongs to PTI and has been fined Rs600,000 by the court hearing his case
  • A PTI lawmaker slams the verdict, G-B spokesperson says ‘no one is above the law and the constitution’
Updated 31 December 2024
Nisar Ali

KHAPLU, Gilgit-Baltistan: An Anti-Terrorism Court in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) on Tuesday sentenced former Chief Minister Muhammad Khalid Khurshid to 34 years in prison and fined him Rs600,000 ($2,154) for delivering provocative speeches against state institutions and inciting public unrest, according to the court judgment.
Khurshid, a prominent member of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has alleged a sweeping crackdown following Khan’s ouster and imprisonment, was removed as G-B’s chief minister in 2023 over a fake degree scandal.
On July 26, 2024, he was accused of threatening security institutions, including the chief secretary and the election commissioner, during a public rally in Gilgit. He had been evading court hearings since then, leading to his absence during the trial.
The court instructed the region’s police chief to ensure Khurshid’s immediate arrest and transfer to prison. It also ordered the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to block his identity card.
“This is purely a judicial matter,” Faizullah Faraq, G-B’s spokesperson, told Arab News while confirming the verdict. “We won’t comment on it.”
Meanwhile, Col (r) Obaidullah Baig, a PTI member in G-B’s legislative assembly, said his party respected judicial processes but noted that the verdict did not “fully reflect the true circumstances and principles of justice.”
“We are currently evaluating all legal options and discussing the possibility of an appeal to ensure that the rights of the accused are upheld and that a fair trial is conducted,” he told Arab News. “As a matter of fact, the constitution remains suspended in Pakistan and after the controversial 26th amendment, the independence of judiciary in G-B and Pakistan is questionable.”
Baig maintained that the former chief minister had always been an advocate for democratic values, free speech, and peaceful discourse.
“The allegations that his speeches incited violence or undermined state institutions are completely baseless,” he said, adding that Khurshid had only asked the security establishment and intelligence agencies about “their meddling into the region’s political matters” in the context of his government’s downfall.
He maintained that the sentence would only serve to strengthen the ex-chief minister’s resolve and further energize his supporters across G-B and Pakistan.
“It is likely to galvanize his political career, as it highlights the ongoing political struggles and the misuse of state power to target opposition figures,” the PTI lawmaker added.
G-B spokesperson, Faraq, however, emphasized it was important to uphold the rule of law.
“I just want to say that we should respect our state institutions,” he added. “Everyone should follow the law. No one ... is above the law and the constitution.”

Topics: Khalid Khurshid

Pakistan-origin Sadiq Khan receives knighthood in King’s New Year honors

Pakistan-origin Sadiq Khan receives knighthood in King’s New Year honors
Updated 31 December 2024
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Pakistan-origin Sadiq Khan receives knighthood in King’s New Year honors

Pakistan-origin Sadiq Khan receives knighthood in King’s New Year honors
  • Khan grew up in south London as one of eight siblings in a working-class family
  • He calls it ‘the honor of my life to serve the city I love’ in a social media message
Updated 31 December 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the son of Pakistani immigrants, has been awarded a knighthood in King Charles’s New Year honors list, recognizing his contributions to public service and leadership in one of the world’s most dynamic cities, according to his social media post on Tuesday.
Khan, who grew up on a council estate in south London as one of eight siblings in a working-class family, faced numerous challenges on his path to becoming the capital’s mayor. His father worked as a bus driver and his mother was a seamstress, instilling in him a strong work ethic and a commitment to social mobility.
A trained lawyer, Khan entered politics as a Labour Party member and has been re-elected as London’s mayor three times, overcoming criticism over crime rates and housing issues in the city.
“Truly humbled to have received a knighthood in the King’s New Year’s Honours,” Khan wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “I couldn’t have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I’d one day be Mayor of London. It’s the honor of my life to serve the city I love.”
The King’s New Year honors list includes more than 1,200 individuals from various fields, including politics, sports, arts and community service.
Other notable recipients include Gareth Southgate, former England soccer manager, and Keely Hodgkinson, Paris Olympics gold medalist, who were also awarded knighthoods.
The honors, which date back to 1890, aim to celebrate contributions to national life, both from prominent figures and unsung heroes.

With inputs from Reuters

Topics: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan Mayor Sadiq Khan

Pakistan unveils National Economic Plan with $10 billion annual investment target

Pakistan unveils National Economic Plan with $10 billion annual investment target
Updated 31 December 2024
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Pakistan unveils National Economic Plan with $10 billion annual investment target

Pakistan unveils National Economic Plan with $10 billion annual investment target
  • PM Sharif emphasizes to adopt mechanisms driving the country to export-led growth
  • Pakistan has grappled with economic crises that brought it close to default last year
Updated 31 December 2024
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday launched Pakistan’s five-year homegrown National Economic Plan, targeting an annual investment goal of $10 billion as the country seeks to recover from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis.
Pakistan has faced a series of economic challenges in recent years, including a balance-of-payments crisis, dwindling foreign exchange reserves and a depreciating national currency. The new plan, titled “Uraan Pakistan,” or “Fly Pakistan,” aims to transition the country from its current macroeconomic stability to sustainable growth.
In July, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal announced the plan would be based on the 5Es framework — exports, energy, economic growth, education and equality — to foster stability and lay the groundwork for Pakistan’s future growth.
Speaking at the launch ceremony in Islamabad, Sharif emphasized that the government’s role was to promote business opportunities in the private sector and serve as a catalyst for economic progress.
“I want to tell you that our goal of investment will be $10 billion yearly,” Sharif said, urging the country’s affluent classes to also chip in and make sacrifices for the country.
Emphasizing the need to develop a strategy for an industrial and agricultural framework, he said the government must create a mechanism that drives people toward export-led growth.
“What we need is export-led growth,” he noted. “You have to create an environment for exports and also give incentives.”
The prime minister said the dollars needed to repay the country’s debt could only be earned through increased exports, urging people to withdraw money from banks amid declining interest rates to invest in the industrial and agricultural framework to boost exports and create productive employment.
He highlighted that Pakistan’s exports had grown by 11 percent, remittances by 24 percent and IT exports by 34 percent in the past five months.
Terming export-led growth as the pivot of “Uraan Pakistan,” he said tax reduction in the IT sector had helped the country strengthen digital economy.
Earlier, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told the gathering that the economic plan stood on a handful of pillars.
“Firstly, our growth will be driven by exports to avoid the boom-bust cycles we have experienced in recent years,” he maintained. “Secondly, the private sector must take the lead in driving the country’s progress.”
Pakistan agreed to a 37-month, $7 billion bailout program from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this year, promising the lender economic reforms in exchange. These reforms include increasing the tax base, regulating the energy sector and privatizing loss-making state-owned enterprises.
Aurangzeb hoped the five-year plan would put Pakistan on an upward economic trajectory in the next two to three years to ensure that this becomes the last IMF program the country would ever have to resorts to.
Pakistan is working actively to collaborate with regional allies in trade, defense, agriculture and other key sectors of the economy to attract foreign investment and brighten its economic prospects.
It has also enhanced bilateral trade and investment ties with close allies like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Central Asian states and other Gulf countries.
Last year, the country was on the verge of a sovereign debt default before Islamabad managed to clinch a last-gasp $3 billion IMF bailout to helped its economy stay afloat.
Pakistan’s finance minister has repeatedly said the country needs to undertake stringent economic reforms and develop itself as an export-led economy to achieve sustainable growth.

Topics: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Pakistan economy

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