Category: 1. Pakistan

Schools shut and villages swept away as Pakistan reels from monsoon devastation.

At least 21 people have died in monsoon rain-related incidents in Pakistan, authorities said, pushing the nationwide death toll over the last week above 400 as floods and landslides continue to devastate large parts of the country.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Wednesday that 11 people were killed in Gilgit-Baltistan in the north and 10 others died in Karachi, Pakistan’s financial hub, where heavy rain triggered electrocutions and house collapses.

Schools in Karachi, a city of more than 20 million, remained closed as forecasters warned of further downpours until Saturday. Sindh’s chief meteorologist, Amir Hyder Laghari, blamed “weak infrastructure” for the severe flooding in urban areas.

The city’s ageing pipes and drains struggled to handle the deluge, leaving entire neighbourhoods submerged. Residents were seen scooping murky water from their homes as power and phone outages added to the disruption.

Provincial officials reported 40 to 50 houses damaged in two districts. “Another (rain) spell is to start by the end of the month,” NDMA chairman Inam Haider Malik said.

The northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been hardest hit, with more than 350 people killed since last Thursday. Authorities and army units are searching for dozens of missing villagers in areas struck by flash floods and landslides. Excavators have been deployed to clear debris clogging rivers and drainage systems.

“We have established relief camps where we are providing medical assistance. We are also giving dry rations and tents to all the people,” army Colonel Irfan Afridi told the AFP news agency in Buner district, where more than 220 people have died in recent days.

“The children are scared. They say we cannot sleep at night due to fear,” said Anjum Anwar, a medical worker at a relief camp. “The flood … has destroyed our entire settlements.”

The monsoon season, which runs from June to September, often brings destruction to Pakistan’s mountainous north and flood-prone south. Authorities warn the current rains may last until mid-September.

Nearly 750 people have died since this year’s monsoon began, officials said. Pakistan, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, has faced increasingly extreme weather in recent years. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country, killing about 1,700 people.

In the increasingly polarised global landscape, where the United States and China are locked in a multi-dimensional rivalry, Pakistan finds itself in a delicate, high-stakes balancing act. The formal launch of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC-II) during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s upcoming visit to China in August 2025 comes at a time when Islamabad appears to be re-engaging with Washington, signalling a recalibrated foreign policy that seeks to balance old loyalties with emerging strategic opportunities.

CPEC-II: Reinforcing the China-Pakistan axis

The original CPEC, a flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), symbolises Beijing’s long-term strategic investment in Pakistan. Connecting Gwadar Port in Balochistan to China’s Xinjiang region through a network of roads, energy projects and special economic zones, the $60 billion project has provided Pakistan with much-needed infrastructure development and energy support over the past decade.CPEC-II, expected to expand into sectors like agriculture, SEZs, digital economy, mining, and green energy, signals a deepening of that commitment. It underscores that despite growing concerns in the West over China’s influence, Beijing is not retreating from its strategic bet on Pakistan. The timing of the launch is crucial. It sends a clear message: China views Pakistan as an indispensable partner in its regional strategy. Amid dire economic challenges Pakistan faces, CPEC-II can create jobs and provide a boost to several sectors of the economy.

China has invested in various power projects and road networks in Pakistan under the $60 billion CPEC plan. However, the implementation of various projects had slowed last year following terror attacks on Chinese personnel working on the ventures.

Warming up to America

Pakistan’s recent outreach to the United States marks a pivot of equal significance. Following a period of estrangement, especially after the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan is once again engaging with the US. Trump, who was critical of Pakistan during his first term, has hosted the Pakistani army chief Asim Munir at the White House, indicating a renewed interest.
Behind this renewed US interest lie two key drivers. The US is eyeing Pakistan’s vast untapped reserves of rare earth minerals, especially in Balochistan, which are critical for green technologies, defense, and electronics. With rising tensions with China, the US is scrambling to secure alternative sources for these strategic materials. Also, Trump’ appears to be exploring crypto partnerships. In a bid to gain leverage, Pakistan has reportedly offered Trump’s son, Eric Trump, cryptocurrency-related deals, as well as other undisclosed business ventures.

Pakistan’s strategic dilemma
The reality is that both the US and China are now wooing Pakistan, albeit with different agendas. China offers long-term economic infrastructure and strategic alignment against India, while the US brings potential access to high-tech investments, global financial networks, and the broader Western economic order. For Pakistan, the stakes are high. Economically fragile, politically unstable, and facing pressing developmental challenges, Islamabad needs both Beijing’s capital and Washington’s clout. But it also risks antagonising one power while engaging the other too closely.
This tightrope walk is fraught with challenges. Washington still harbours deep suspicions about Pakistan’s military-intelligence links with non-state actors and its alignment with China while Beijing may be wary of Pakistan’s deepening engagement with the US, especially in strategic sectors like mining.
Speaking at an Atlantic Council event in the US last month, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said while the US is a “long-standing friend” to Pakistan, Dar said, China is a “strategic partner”. “Our foreign policy is not a zero-sum game,” he said. “We hope to see friendly relations between the US and China and do not wish to embroil in bloc politics.”

“It’s a matter of who gives a better deal,” he further said. “We should not be seeing the relationship through the lens of other [countries]. It has to stand alone.”

Why Pakistan can’t ditch China for the US
Many experts believe Pakistan can’t afford to ditch China for the US even as Trump’s volatile behaviour does not guarantee lasting warmer relations.

“The United States cannot match the investments China has made in Pakistan or the way it meets our defense and economic interests,” Maleeha Lodhi, a former Pakistani ambassador to the US and the UN, told The New York Times recently. “The relationship between the United States and Pakistan has never been consistent.”

“There are benefits to being in Trump’s good papers — you praise him, he praises you,” Husain Haqqani, another former Pakistani ambassador to the US, told NYT. “But can America be a reliable ally with anybody? Modi had invested in his relationship with Trump, and look at now,” Mr. Haqqani added, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. “Why would it be different with Pakistan?”

Two Chinese senior strategic experts have outlined to PTI for the first time China’s view on the emerging Washington-Islamabad strategic paradigm in the broader context of Trump’s geopolitical strategy.

“Pakistan will not develop its relations with the US at the cost of its relation with China,” Hu Shisheng, Director of the Institute for South Asian Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told PTI early this month. “Pakistan will not be that easily hooked by Trump,” Hu, regarded as an expert on South Asian politics, said.

Jesse Wang, a research fellow at Huaxia South Asia Economic and Cultural Exchange Centre of China, told PTI that “on the surface, Trump’s candy to Pakistan looks like a disturbance to China, but actually, cannot affect the structural stability of the Sino-Pak relationship”. He said, “The US intervention has created short-term geopolitical noise but is unlikely to shake the foundation of China-Pakistan dependence.”

“For Pakistan, ‘make profits both ways’ economically is a rational choice, but its security and infrastructure lifelines are tied to China closely, and the strategic balance has not tilted,” Wang said.

“Of course, the Trump team expects to see Pakistan getting away from China but Pakistan will not buy the story,” Hu said. “Pakistan’s strategic value or bargaining position with the US depends on Pakistan’s close relations with China.”

The Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education has officially declared the Class 9th results for 2025, with over 250,000 students participating in the annual exams.

According to the published gazette, a total of 251,395 students appeared out of 257,445 registered candidates. Of those, 113,431 students passed, resulting in an overall pass percentage of 45.12%.

Detailed Breakdown of Class 9th Results

• Science Group: 199,176 students appeared, with 97,609 passing. This results in a pass rate of 49.01%.
• Humanities Group: 52,219 students appeared, and 15,822 passed, translating to a pass percentage of 30.30%.

Government vs. Private Institutions

• Government Institutes: 93,779 students appeared, of which 37,502 passed. This gives a pass rate of 39.99%. Male students in science from government schools recorded a 30.55% pass rate.
• Private Institutes: 80,925 students appeared, and 53,692 passed, yielding a pass percentage of 66.34%. The best-performing group was female science students in private institutes, with a pass rate of 72.48%.
• Private Candidates: 76,691 appeared for the exam, and 22,237 passed, showing a pass percentage of 29.00%. The lowest-performing subgroup was males in humanities, who had a 20.19% pass rate.

Gender-Wise Performance

• Boys: 117,383 appeared, and 40,161 passed, resulting in a pass percentage of 34.21%.
• Girls: 134,012 appeared, and 73,270 passed, marking a pass rate of 54.69%.

BISE Rawalpindi Class 9th Results 2025

Category	Appeared	Passed	Pass %
Total Candidates	251,395	113,431	45.12%
Science Group	199,176	97,609	49.01%
Humanities Group	52,219	15,822	30.30%
Govt. Institutes	93,779	37,502	39.99%
Private Institutes	80,925	53,692	66.34%
Private Candidates	76,691	22,237	29.00%
Boys (Overall)	117,383	40,161	34.21%
Girls (Overall)	134,012	73,270	54.69%

BISE Rawalpindi 9th Class Gazette 2025 PDF

To view detailed student-wise results, download the complete gazette from the link below:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited the flood-affected districts of Swat, Buner and Shangla in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as 14 more bodies were recovered from debris in Swabi’s Dalori.

Record rains in KP, which started on August 15, have wreaked havoc across the province. Last week, the provincial government declared an emergency as torrential rains ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and beyond.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by federal ministers and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, visited the flood-affected districts of Swat, Buner, Shangla, and Swabi,” the Press Information Department said in a press release.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, while speaking to the media in Peshawar, also expressed gratitude to the federal and provincial governments, Pakistan Army, political parties, and their organisations, as well as all individuals and institutions that came forward to provide aid during the floods.

Fourteen bodies were recovered from the debris in Dalori, a cloudburst-hit region in KP’s Swabi district, bringing the number of recovered bodies to 37, according to rescue officials.

According to the latest data from the KP PDMA, 385 people have died in rain-related incidents since August 15, with Buner reporting the highest toll at 228. Another 182 people were injured, including 145 men, 27 women and 10 children.

The prime minister and COAS also received a comprehensive briefing on ongoing rescue and relief operations in KP, the PID added.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam, and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal accompanied PM Shehbaz.

During their interaction with flood victims, the prime minister assured them of the government and the army’s unwavering commitment to extending maximum support to them “in this critical hour”.

PM Shehbaz appreciated the tireless dedication of the armed forces and civil administration, reaffirmed solidarity with the flood-affected population and assured them of all possible assistance, according to the PID.

The prime minister emphasised that every available national resource will be mobilised to accelerate recovery efforts and restore normalcy in the affected areas.

Encroachments on riverways condemned

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister also drew attention to illegal encroachments, the timber mafia, and stone crushing activities, especially in the region’s waterways, which have contributed greatly to the loss of lives and damages.

“After the 2022 floods, I saw with my own eyes that on the sides of nullahs, rivers — In fact, even inside the rivers — that hotels and houses had been made. There is no law in the entire world that allows you to construct dangerous hotels in such places,” he regretted.

He said Pakistan must act as a ‘hard state’ where no one is above the law and necessary actions are taken against violators without distinction, according to the PID.

Field Marshal Asim Munir also interacted with the troops, police and civil administration personnel involved in rescue efforts, lauding their selfless commitment in assisting victims of floods and torrential rains.

The COAS directed ground formations to approach the responsibility with utmost devotion and to spare no effort in alleviating the hardships of flood-stricken families, the PID said.

“He underscored that the safety and relief of fellow citizens remain the foremost priority, commending the forces and civil administration for their untiring service,” the PID statement added.

The prime minister and participants earlier also offered prayers for those who lost their lives in the floods.

On Tuesday, the premier had ordered a week-long, uninterrupted supply of electricity to the flood-hit areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and KP, while road and power supply were being restored in these areas.

Tragedy in Dalori

Dalori, the site where the bodies were recovered from on Wednesday, is a far-flung village in the mountainous regions of Gadoon Amazai, Topi, a sub-tehsil of Swabi.

Dalori was hit by a cloudburst on Monday morning, resulting in complete destruction of 12 houses and people were buried under the debris. By Tuesday, the death toll in the Gadoon Amazi area had surged to 24, including eight children.

According to the KP PDMA, the number of dead in Swabi rose to 41 on Wednesday.

Swabi Deputy Commissioner Nasarullah Khan told Dawn.com, “With the recovery of 14 more dead on Wednesday, we have completed the task and all 37 dead bodies from the debris at Dalori village have been recovered.”

The district administration has completed the task, satisfying the local people who assisted them and monitoring the entire operation, which was continued round the clock since Monday, he added.

“Eight dead bodies were recovered on Monday, 15 more were extracted on Tuesday and 14 on Wednesday,” he said.

Officials in hospitals said that a total of seven people were injured in Dalori village and they were provided free health services.

DC Nasarullah said: “Now we will shift to relief operation to rehabilitate the locals affected by the cloud burst.”

In a separate incident, four people were killed in Sarkoi Bala village. The dead bodies from there were recovered on the very first day of the incident.

“So far, a total of 29 dead bodies, including children, women and men, have been recovered from the debris in this ill-fated and natural calamity-hit village,” District Emergency Officer (DEO) Rescue 1122 Swabi Muhammad Awais Babar had told Dawn.com earlier.

DEO Babar said the district administration has decided to continue its search operation in the area till the task is completed, with locals assisting and monitoring the efforts, which have been ongoing since Monday.

A total of 110 rescue staff had been deployed at the Dalori village site, as per the DEO. “Rescue 1122 of Nowshera, Haripur and Mardan districts have been assisting them in the continued operation for the last three days.”

Pakistan army soldiers, civil defence volunteers, members of Al-Khidmat Foundation and various locals from different villages in the Gadoon Amazai belt participated in the operation.

However, Topi Mayor Rahim Jadoon said the exact number of missing people was still unknown, but confirmed that the cloudburst had destroyed 12 houses.

Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said yesterday his government would provide all possible assistance to flood-hit people to help them pick up the pieces.

UK’s King Charles condoles death of flood victims, extends solidarity

Also on Wednesday, the United Kingdom’s King Charles condoled the death of flood victims and expressed solidarity with those affected by the flooding.

“My wife and I have been desperately saddened to learn of the tragic loss of life and widespread devastation caused by the recent monsoon flooding in Pakistan, and of the horrendous helicopter crash during rescue operations,” the British monarch said in a statement.

“The scale of suffering is truly heart-rending, and our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with all those who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods,” the statement quoted Charles as saying.

The British monarch also extended “heartfelt condolences to those affected and stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan during this most difficult time.”

The statement added that he was especially mindful of the enduring bonds between the two nations, and of the many families in the United Kingdom with close ties to Pakistan.

He also commended the commitment of the emergency services, volunteers and local communities, “who are working so hard and against such overwhelming odds to rescue those in danger and to provide vital relief to those whose lives have been so cruelly disrupted.”

Massive, sudden downpours of rain known as cloudbursts have struck Pakistan and India during this monsoon season, killing hundreds of people in the flash floods and landslides they have triggered.

Why are cloudbursts and why do they occur?

By a widely accepted definition, a cloudburst means more than 100 mm (4 inches) of rainfall in one hour, over a small area.

This year, the monsoon, which originates in the Bay of Bengal and then sweeps westwards across northern India to Pakistan every summer, has brought deadly cloudbursts.

Weather studies say cloudbursts typically occur in South Asia when warm, monsoon winds, laden with moisture, meet the cold mountain air in the north of India and Pakistan, causing condensation. With a warming planet, the monsoon has hotter air, which can carry more moisture.

India’s weather department data shows cloudbursts are most common in the Himalayan regions of Indian Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Fahad Saeed, a senior climate scientist at Berlin-based Climate Analytics, said that in the mountains of northern Pakistan, the warm monsoon system coming from the east was meeting colder air coming from the west, from the subtropical jet stream — a high-altitude weather system that originates in the Mediterranean.

Global warming is pushing this jet stream further south in summer, he said, where it can now combine with the lower-level clouds of the monsoon in Pakistan, forming a tower of clouds which then generates intense rain.

Similar intense rainfall, though triggered by different local factors, takes place around the world, such as the floods in Texas in July, when more than 300 mm of rain fell in less than an hour, sending a wall of water down the Guadalupe River.

Why is the region being hit so badly by cloudbursts?

This monsoon season has so far seen at least four major deadly cloudbursts, including in Uttarakhand, India, where video captured the moment when village buildings were swept down a mountain, and in Buner, in the Hindu Kush mountain range in Pakistan, where more than 200 people died after at least 150 mm of rain fell within an hour.

S.D. Sanap, a scientist with the India Meteorological Department’s Pune office, said such cloudburst events were becoming more frequent in the western Himalayas, which run across India and into Pakistan, but pinning the rise on a single cause was not easy.

The cloudburst events on both sides of the border were triggered the same way: very moist monsoon air, upslope winds, and storms that stalled over valleys, said Moetasim Ashfaq, a weather expert based in the US.

If a cloudburst happens over flat land, the rainfall spreads over a wide area, so the impact is less severe, said Pradeep Dangol, a senior hydrology research associate at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, based in Nepal.

But in steep mountain valleys, the rain is concentrated into narrow streams and slopes, with the potential to trigger flash floods and landslides, he said.

Can cloudbursts be predicted?

Forecasting such events days in advance is nearly impossible, though radars can track the build-up of dense cloud formations and give short-term warnings of intense downpours, Sanap said.

To strengthen monitoring, the India Meteorological Department has installed new radars across the Himalayas and set up observatories aimed at improving early warnings and understanding of these extreme weather events.

Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah, who leads risk assessment at Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, said that it was possible to warn about the general area, but not possible to pinpoint the exact location in advance where a cloudburst will happen.

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Header image: Residents attend the funeral of the victims of a cloudburst that triggered heavy rains and flooding in Naryan Behak village on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir on August 15, 2025. — Reuters

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has unveiled a sweeping crackdown on mobile applications facilitating illegal betting, forex, binary trading, and unauthorized data access across Pakistan.

NCCIA Cracks Down

NCCIA’s public announcement spotlighted 46 apps under its radar for violating national laws by enabling unlawful wagering, casino-style games, unregulated financial activities, and suspicious data practices. Popular platforms named in the crackdown include familiar betting apps like 1xBet, Aviator Games, Chicken Road, Dafabet, 22Bet, Casumo, Rabona, 10Cric, Plinko, Bet365, and others.

More alarming for consumers were apps trading in personal information. The PTA flagged apps such as SIM Owner Details, Pak SIM Data, Sky SIM Data, and SIM Tracker for misusing sensitive user data, including SIM card details and mobile numbers, raising serious privacy and identity theft concerns.

The authority also banned unregulated foreign exchange and binary trading platforms, including Binomo, IQ Option, Pocket Option, Deriv, Olymp Trade, OctaFX, and Quotex, citing their lack of regulatory oversight and the risks of financial loss and fraud for users.

What Happens Next

To enforce the ban, NCCIA has formally urged the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block these applications nationwide. Officials emphasized that developers or promoters of these illegal platforms could face legal consequences.

Established in May 2024 under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, NCCIA serves as Pakistan’s primary agency investigating cybercrimes and orchestrating such enforcement efforts.

The crackdown aligns with the PTA’s recent actions, which saw the blocking of 184 gambling-related websites and apps following joint directives from federal law enforcement agencies. It also reflects growing government resolve to eliminate cyber threats that endanger both financial security and personal privacy.

NCCIA and PTA officials encourage citizens to stay vigilant. Avoid downloading or using unverified apps and always confirm the credibility of financial platforms. If you suspect fraud or data misuse, report it immediately to the relevant authorities.

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has moved against online gambling platforms, declaring 46 mobile applications illegal across Pakistan.

Officials revealed that these apps, operating in violation of national laws, were facilitating widespread online betting and casino-style gaming.

According to NCCIA, the crackdown includes some of the most widely used gambling applications such as 1xBet, Chicken Road, Aviator Games, Dafabet, 22Bet, Casumo, Rabona, 10Cric, Plinko, and Bet365. The agency stated that such apps not only promote betting but also encourage unregulated financial activities through digital platforms.

In addition to gambling software, the list also features unregulated forex and binary trading platforms. These platforms, according to authorities, were functioning without proper oversight, raising concerns of financial scams and illegal money transfers. The agency underscored that these services pose a major threat to financial security.

NCCIA also highlighted the presence of applications that provide citizens’ personal information, including SIM card and mobile number details. Officials warned that such apps could lead to privacy breaches, misuse of sensitive data, and potential identity theft. The inclusion of these apps on the illegal list underscores the risks of unauthorized data collection.

The agency has officially approached the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to ensure immediate blocking of these applications. Authorities urged citizens to remain vigilant and avoid downloading or engaging with unverified apps that could compromise both their financial security and personal data.

BUNER, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan issued a flood alert Wednesday for some southern districts, warning of torrential rains, as rescue teams continued searching for missing people in the country’s northwest, where severe floods killed hundreds over the past week.

The new warning is for the same southern regions struck by climate-induced catastrophic deluges in 2022 that killed thousands of people.

The National Emergencies Operation Centre said expected rainfall of up to 100 millimeters (about 4 inches) over the next 24 hours could submerge highways, disrupt transport, and damage power and telecommunications networks in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, and Sukkur in the southern province of Sindh.

At least 41 people have been killed in rain-related incidents nationwide over the past 24 hours, the disaster management agency said, mostly in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region and in the city of Karachi, where torrential rains on Tuesday flooded streets and disrupted daily life. Schools in Karachi remain closed.

Pakistan has suffered above-normal monsoon rains, killing at least 746 people since June 26.

Meanwhile, rescuers in the northwest pressed on with a grim search for nearly 150 people missing in the district of Buner, where floodwaters carrying massive boulders and mud swept through villages, flattening homes and leaving piles of rubble. Search teams aided by army sniffer dogs pulled more bodies from the debris as anxious relatives looked on.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited flood-hit areas in Swat Valley and Buner later Wednesday. Sharif promised, in a televised speech, financial compensation for the survivors and quick repairs of the damaged infrastructure, while warning residents to avoid building structures near river banks.

Mohammad Suhail, a spokesman for the emergency services, said the death toll in Buner has climbed to 290 after more bodies were recovered. Rescue teams managed to distribute tents, blankets, cooking utensils, ready-to-eat food, and clean drinking water in the area, he said, as others worked on restoring power in the devastated zone. Most of the damaged roads have been reopened in Buner.

Survivors recounted horrific stories of sudden floodwaters that carried boulders and barely allowed people to run to safer grounds. Many residents have blamed the government for not issuing an early warning.

Zarin Gul, 45, told The Associated Press he saw dark clouds bursting with rain over the mountains as he worked his fields early on Aug. 15 in the village of Gokand in Buner when “a wall of rain” headed toward where his aunt and cousins lived. He called to warn them, but she couldn’t make it in time

“Huge boulders, some the size of rooms, tumbled like straws in the torrent, crushing houses that had never seen flooding before,” he said.

In the village of Malik Pura, hopkeeper Raza Khan, 50, said everything was so sudden “that we didn’t even realize when everything was being swept away,” expressing grief over the loss of loved ones.

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Associated Press writer Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report.