Category: 1. Pakistan

Glaciers across northern Pakistan have been melting at an accelerated pace as a result of record-breaking summer temperatures, leading to deadly flash flooding and landslides.

The floods and heavy monsoon rains have caused devastation across the country this summer, killing at least 72 people and injuring more than 130 since the rains began in late June.

In the country’s mountainous region of Gilgit-Baltistan, temperatures have risen as high as 48.5C (119.3F), which local officials described as unprecedented in a region that is more than 1,200 metres above sea level and famous for its snow-capped mountains. The previous record was 47 degrees, set in 1971.

The region, which spans the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram mountain ranges, has witnessed an acceleration in the melting of its glaciers in the past week.

It has led to the swelling of the local rivers and the formation of unstable lakes that have burst, triggering flash floods and landslides that have washed away villages and roads, cutting off some communities entirely and leaving others without power or drinking water.

The head of Gilgit-Baltistan’s disaster management authority, Zakir Hussain, said the region was facing a “very serious situation” and described the fast formation of volatile glacial lakes as “highly hostile” to people’s safety.

He said those in some areas close to the glaciers were being evacuated from their homes. “We are facing a flood situation in many areas,” he said. “The rise of temperature has sent a shiver down our spines. We have never before witnessed such weather here.”

He said it could be just the beginning and that the region remained on high alert as warnings of high temperatures continued.

There are about 7,200 glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan, though their number and size has diminished over recent years as a result of the climate emergency. The glaciers feed vital river basins and are an essential part of Pakistan’s water supply.

Tariq Ali, a resident in Gilgit, said the flash floods and high temperatures had devastated swathes of agricultural land, which most people relied on for their livelihoods.

“It is like hell,” said Ali. “There has been no rain for quite some time, we are only seeing heatwaves and are witnessing very serious ice-melting. I personally have never witnessed such summer conditions in Gilgit.”

Pakistan, with a population of 240 million, is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of the climate crisis, facing erratic rains and a high risk of floods and severe heatwaves. . Devastating flash floods in 2022 killed at least 1,700 people and affected more than 33 million.

Experts say the country may be facing a repeat of the 2022 floods. Punjab province has recorded heavy rainfall in recent days, resulting in urban flooding. The authorities have said above-average rainfall will continue in the coming days.

A family died while on holiday last month after they were swept away by the Swat River in northern Pakistan after heavy rains and flash floods.

Pakistan’s former climate change minister Sherry Rehman said not enough was being done to prepare and protect the country. “We are at the epicentre of a global climate polycrisis,” she wrote on X. “Pakistan is now number one in 2025 as the most climate-impacted country. That’s huge. But do you see alarm bells ringing? I don’t.”

KARACHI: Representatives of the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, have initiated a series of pre-marketing investor meetings in Beijing, China, from July 7 till 11, 2025, as part of a non-deal investor roadshow (NDR) in preparation for Pakistan’s debut Panda Bond issuance.

The MoF delegation has held technical discussions with potential investors, underwriters, prospective guarantors, Chinese Rating Agency, and Chinese legal counsel.

Khurram Schehzad, advisor to the finance minister, said on Wednesday in a post on X that meetings were focused on Pakistan’s macroeconomic review and outlook, ongoing debt management reforms, and the structure and progress of the proposed Panda Bond transaction.

The discussions also covered regulatory processes, credit enhancement arrangements, and investor interest in the forthcoming issuance.

The NDR drew strong initial interest, signaling investor confidence in Pakistan’s reform trajectory and its growing credibility in international capital markets, according to the X post.

“The visit reflects the government’s commitment to proactive investor engagement and diversification of funding sources through access to China’s onshore capital market.”

The inaugural Panda Bond is expected to be launched this year, following the completion of documentation and required approvals, including credit guarantees from multilateral development partners.

Panda Bond: govt to raise $200m from Chinese investors: Aurangzeb

“This milestone marks Pakistan’s strategic move to tap China’s deep and diversified onshore bond market, expand its investor base, and diversify funding sources through local currency instruments backed by multilateral partners.

“The successful NDR so far reflects the government’s commitment to innovative and forward-looking financial diplomacy – and sends a clear message: Pakistan is ready to enter new capital frontiers with confidence and credibility.”

Earlier, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said that the size of the Panda Bond issuance would be around $300 million.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Wednesday accused Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval of being the “chief architect” of terrorism in Pakistan.

The interview comes amid tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries in the wake of their recent military confrontation, sparked by New Delhi’s baseless allegations against Islamabad over a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

During an exclusive interview with Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera, the military’s spokesperson branded Doval the “evil chief architect of India’s terror enterprise” and accused him of being responsible for not only acts of terrorism in Pakistan, but also terrorism within the region and transnational killings.

“Do you think it’s happening on its own? This terror enterprise cannot be sustained without the sponsorship of India,” the DG ISPR said. “Who is the chief architect? Mr Ajit Doval.”

According to the ISPR chief, India provided funding, planning, intelligence and technical support to terrorist groups within Pakistan, such as Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan.

In July last year, the government designated the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as Fitna-al-Khawarij, while mandating all institutions to use the term khariji (outcast) when referring to the perpetrators of terrorist attacks on Pakistan.

In May this year, the government designated all terrorist organisations in Balochistan as Fitna al Hindu­stan — a new phrase aimed at framing India’s alleged role in terrorism as a deliberate destabilisation strategy, potentially to galvanise domestic support.

“The strategy of India is to keep Pakistan embroiled in this menace of terrorism, so that its true power … potential is not realised,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said. “The power differential between the two countries keeps increasing, so that India can act as a regional hegemon, a bully and can dictate its own terms.”

He added that this strategy of supporting terrorists in the region went as far back as 1971, when India supported the Mukti Bahini in East Pakistan.

“Indians have acknowledged it — PM [Narendra] Modi went on record not only acknowledging but boasting about it.”

The military’s spokesperson then added that terrorist commanders who had surrendered or been captured confessed that they received support from New Delhi, citing press conferences by captured Fitna-al-Hindustan commanders and the case of captured Indian Navy Officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.

“This evidence is all public. It is RAW,” he said, referring to India’s spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing.

“And not only are they using men, they are also exploiting the Baloch women for these nefarious purposes.”

‘A reckless and irresponsible state’

Lt Gen Chaudhry further said that Pakistan was “not a reckless and irresponsible state like India”, blaming external actors for internal issues.

“We must understand that terrorism is an internal problem of India as a result of the continuous oppression which India does to its minorities as part of its policy,” he said. “Rather than addressing these grave injustices, inequalities, and doing soul searching, it (India) is very quick to put all the blame on Pakistan.

“Because of this senseless blame game that the Indians are resorting to, it is bringing the thresholds between India and Pakistan to dangerously low levels, to such levels that where one incident of terrorism or an act of violence can be turned into an act of war.”

The ISPR chief warned that such an approach was putting the lives of over 1.6 billion people “in the hands of non-state actors” who had an interest in Pakistan and India going to war.

“We are an established and declared nuclear power, and the world has no experience of going to or even attempting to go into a misadventure against an established nuclear power,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said.

“If such a misadventure is taken or attempted, then it will lead to horrific consequences which the world may not be able to endure.”

In a week marked by diplomatic choreography across South Asia, Turkey has intensified its strategic outreach with high-profile visits to both Pakistan and Bangladesh, signalling Ankara’s deepening interest in the region’s defence and geopolitical landscape.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defence Minister Yasir Guler landed in Islamabad on Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with a focus on bilateral relations, regional dynamics, and particularly, defence industry collaboration. The visit, described by Pakistan’s state media as emblematic of “brotherly ties rooted in shared history, culture and trust,” underscores growing convergence between the two nations on security and strategic matters.

According to officials, the ministers are expected to explore defence industrial cooperation, an area Turkey has prioritised in recent years through increased military exports and joint production deals. The visit follows Ankara’s overt backing of Pakistan during military tensions with India in May, a move that drew ire from New Delhi but reinforced Turkey’s positioning as a steadfast partner for Islamabad.

Meanwhile, across the subcontinent, Turkey’s top defence industry official, Haluk Gorgun, held high-level meetings in Dhaka just a day prior. Gorgun met Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Chief of Army Staff General Waqar-us-Zaman, as both sides discussed expanding defence collaboration and enhancing technological cooperation. The visit was billed as a reciprocal engagement following earlier trips by senior Bangladeshi military officials to Turkey.

The discussions centred on opportunities for defence technology transfers and domestic production of modern military equipment in Bangladesh, as part of the country’s “Forces Goal 2030” vision for self-reliance in defence. With Turkey’s growing reputation in unmanned aerial vehicles, missile systems and artillery, Dhaka appears keen to tap into Ankara’s capabilities to diversify away from its traditional defence supplier, China.

Bangladesh emerged as Turkey’s largest arms customer in 2022, reflecting a notable shift in Dhaka’s defence procurement strategy. The closer ties also mirror Turkey’s broader ambition to strengthen its footprint in South Asia, a region long shaped by India’s security influence.

While neither Islamabad nor Dhaka may present an immediate security challenge to New Delhi, the growing sophistication of their defence ties with Turkey could recalibrate regional strategic dynamics. Turkey’s simultaneous engagement with both countries raises questions about its evolving role in South Asia and whether its expanding military diplomacy might eventually alter power equations in a region where India has long enjoyed primacy.

With Pakistan and Bangladesh now both deepening defence ties with Ankara, Turkey’s calibrated outreach suggests more than symbolic diplomacy. It may well mark the beginning of a more assertive Turkish pivot into South Asia’s strategic architecture.

ISLAMABAD, JUL 9: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Wednesday that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has provided no evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in Pahalgam attack.

Talking to Indian journalist Karan Thapar, the former foreign minister said, “Our [Pakistan] hands were clean that is why we offered a transparent probe into the Pahalgam attack. Why don’t the names of the terrorists surface if they were Pakistanis?”

“I don’t want to see the youth of both the nations [Pakistan and India] remaining stuck in the past. The roots of the terrorism in the subcontinent trace back to Afghanistan’s past,” said Bhutto-Zardari.

He said, “Pakistan has not allowed any one of the groups to attack India. Pakistan is battling the world’s biggest war against terrorism. About 92,000 Pakistanis embraced martyrdom in the war against terrorism.”

Bhutto-Zardari added, “Over 1,000 Pakistanis lost their lives only in a previous year. We [Pakistan] ourselves have been affected by terrorism; that is why we can feel the pain of the Pahalgam attack.”

Bhutto-Zardari said, “The international community has acknowledged the measures taken by Pakistan in ending the menace of terrorism.”

Recalling the 2007 Samjhauta Express incident, Bhutto-Zardari said, “I would like you to revisit what happened in 2007 and the 40 Pakistanis killed on Indian soil.”

“India not only failed to bring the culprits of the incident to justice. But the confessing statements made by the accused had also been tampered with,” he said.

Subsequently, taking to X (formerly Twitter), Bhutto-Zardari said: “My interview with Karan Thapar should be out later today. We are not afraid of putting our case to the Indian public via Indian media. I chose to give an interview to Indian media, not because I expected a fair platform, but because I believe in the people of India, especially the youth.”

“The case for peace in our region is not just a Pakistani cause, it is a shared mission for both our peoples. I believe the new generation of Indians and Pakistanis can chart a new destiny. We will be the generation that breaks the shackles of history, that defies the war-mongers, the cynics, and the peddlers of hate,” he said.

The former foreign minister said, “Together, we will face the real challenges of our time together, from terrorism to climate change to inequality. This is my promise to the young people of both India and Pakistan: our future will be defined not by the conflicts of the past, but by a new destiny defined by peaceful co-existence, cooperation and prosperity.”

India is using state-sponsored terrorism as a policy against Pakistan, especially in Balochistan, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Wednesday.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera TV, the military spokesperson said India’s support for terrorist activities is aimed at destabilising Pakistan’s security, particularly in the volatile region of Balochistan.

“These nefarious designs of India are a systematic conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan, especially in Balochistan,” he said. He added that India had admitted multiple times to supporting terrorism within Pakistan.

Lt Gen Chaudhry reiterated that Pakistan views any aggression against its sovereign territory as a direct threat to regional stability. 

“India’s political leadership has repeatedly admitted to supporting terrorism in Pakistan,” said Gen Chaudhry, naming Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor, as the mastermind behind New Delhi’s network of state-sponsored terrorism. 

Read: Doval Doctrine: India’s trail of terror

The military spokesperson also referred to the recent attack in Waziristan, claimed by the proscribed TTP, which martyred 16 Pakistani soldiers and injured over 20 others.

Pakistan has consistently maintained that India is directly involved in such attacks. “India is supporting and financing terrorist activities in Pakistan,” reiterated Gen Chaudhry while speaking to Al Jazeera TV.

The term ‘Khawarij’ has been widely used by Pakistan’s military and media recently to refer to armed groups that attack the state and its military forces. 

“The current Fitna al-Khawarij is a continuation of the misguided ideology that has historically led to the killing of Muslims under a false religious narrative,” he said.

In Islam, only the state has the authority to wage holy war (jihad) or engage in combat, and no individual, organisation, or group has this power, he said. 

Read More: COAS warns of crippling response to aggression

“The Khawarij have no relation to Islam, humanity, Pakistan, or Pakistani traditions,” maintained Gen Chaudhry.

DG ISPR added that the term Fitna al-Hindustan was used in Pakistan to describe terrorists supported by India. “Fitna al-Hindustan is particularly active in destabilising the country, especially in the province of Balochistan,” he said.

He emphasised that several countries, including the United States and Canada, have acknowledged Indian state-sponsored terrorism on their soil.

Referring to the country’s nuclear capability, the senior army general maintained that Pakistan was a responsible and declared nuclear power and its nuclear program was completely secure. “Our nuclear capability is invincible and no one can dare to target our nuclear programme,” he added.

The army spokesperson also spoke about broader geopolitical issues, reaffirming Pakistan’s support for Iran in the face of Israeli aggression. “Pakistan stands firmly with Iran in these challenging times.” 

Model and actor Hira Tareen is opening up about crumbling community and family structures in light of the deaths of actor and model Humaira Asghar Ali and veteran actor Ayesha Khan, who both passed away alone in their homes and were found days later, something that Tareen found “beyond disturbing.”

Ali’s body was found in an apartment in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority on Tuesday, police confirmed. South DIG Syed Asad Raza told Images that Ali’s body was recovered from a flat in Ittehad Commercial in Phase-VI. In a statement, the Gizri police identified the body as that of the 32-year-old actor and said she had died around two weeks prior to the discovery.

In June, Khan was found dead in her apartment in Karachi’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal area. The deceased’s remains indicated that she may have died a few days before she was found, and police discovered she lived by herself.

In a note posted to her Instagram story, Tareen addressed Ali’s passing and said she met her at a few fashion weeks when she was modelling, adding, “People can be really cruel in the fashion industry at times.”

“But what we’re witnessing these days is something heartbreaking, something we don’t talk about enough. The way community and family structures are crumbling right in front of us. Hearing about people found dead days later, alone in their homes, is beyond disturbing.”

Tareen continued that this was a sign of how disconnected people were and that everyone assumed someone would be okay in real life if they appeared alright on social media. “We forget most people only show their best side here.

“We don’t talk to each other. We turn to acquaintances who tell us what we wanna hear or AI who is programmed to tell us we are always right,” she wrote.

The Ishq Murshid actor said people constantly consume content that tells them they’re better off alone and everyone else is toxic. She clarified that she was not implying that this happened in Khan and Ali’s cases, but was a reminder of where things were heading.

“Prayers for those we lost. May they rest in peace.”

After Ali’s passing, many celebrities took to social media to urge people to check on their friends. Model Saheefa Jabbar Khattak highlighted the complexities of showbiz life. “The industry often looks glamorous from the outside, but navigating it can be deeply challenging. I won’t claim to have known her well… but please have respect for the departed. Be gentle, be sensitive, and be mindful of what you say in the comment section.”

Actor Hina Altaf reflected, “She lived alone. She passed away alone. And days went by before anyone even noticed. This isn’t just a loss, it’s a wake-up call. Check in on your friends, and also people who never ask.”

Mawra Hocane asked friends and acquaintances to reach out to her without any judgment. “If you’re in trouble or caught in spiralling thoughts, if I have known you briefly or extensively, if you’re a friend or an acquaintance, if you’re from my fraternity and you feel I will understand your pressures, please reach out!” Hocane wrote.

BANNU, JUL 9: One person was killed while three were injured after militants carried out two quadcopter attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district on Wednesday, according to police.

The incident comes following reports of multiple quadcopter and drone attacks in KP and Balochistan over the past year. In March, at least 11 people were killed in Mardan in what locals insisted was a drone strike, while in May, a suspected quadcopter munitions drop claimed the lives of four children and injured five others in North Waziristan District’s Mir Ali tehsil. The military clarified that security forces were “falsely implicated” in the incident and that it was carried out by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Bannu District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Abbas Kulachi told Dawn.com, “Two quadcopter incidents occurred in the district today. In the first quadcopter attack by militants, one woman was killed while three children were injured, including two of the woman’s children.”

The woman’s body and the injured people were taken to the hospital for medical assistance, he added.

DPO Kulachi said that another quadcopter attack occurred where terrorists attacked the Meryan police station, damaging the station’s solar panels on the rooftop.

He said, “The police personnel remained safe in the attack,” adding that it was the third such militant attack on the same police station.

“A search operation was underway in the area to track down the terrorists,” he added.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities recently, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the banned TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.

Bannu has seen several militant attacks over the past several months.

On Saturday, one person was killed and three others were injured after armed assailants attacked a jirga in the district.

In March, 16 terrorists were killed while five soldiers were martyred as security forces responded to a terrorist attack on the Bannu Cantonment.

The incident resulted in the deaths of 13 civilians and injured 32 others after “severe destruction” of a mosque and a residential building due to the suicide blasts, causing the perimeter wall to partially collapse.