Category: 1. Pakistan

The Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) has launched an investigation into back-to-back incidents involving three foreign aircrafts that remain temporarily grounded at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.

A cargo plane operated by an international courier company was struck by a loader truck during ground handling operations late Sunday night. The collision damaged the aircraft’s left wing lights and affected three sections of the fuselage.

The incident occurred after rainfall left the airport’s tarmac wet and slippery, leading to a suspected brake failure on the loader truck. No repair work has started yet. A team of experts is expected to arrive from abroad to conduct repairs.

The PAA has launched a thorough investigation and directed the ground handling provider, Gerry’s dnata, to submit a detailed report on the incident.

Read: Three major Pakistan airports to get e-gates

Bird strike

Prior to this, an international flight bound for Istanbul was grounded for over 15 hours after a bird strike damaged its engine. The flight was taxiing for takeoff early Friday morning when the bird collision occurred. Passengers were shifted to the airport lounge while engineers carried out repairs.

Officials noted that bird activity surges after rain, increasing risks around the airport’s funnel zone. The PAA had issued warnings earlier this week and increased the number of bird shooters to mitigate risks during the rainy season.

Engine trouble

A third incident involved a gulf airlines flight en route to Jeddah that made an emergency landing minutes after takeoff due to an engine fire warning. The pilot promptly contacted Karachi Air Traffic Control (ATC) and requested permission for a technical landing.

ATC cleared runway 25L for the emergency landing of the aircraft. The pilot dumped fuel and turned the flight back towards Karachi as a precaution. All 218 passengers were safely disembarked. Initial inspections found no actual engine malfunction. Engineers are currently handling the repairs.

Passengers on the affected International flights have been rebooked on alternative aircraft.

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ISLAMABAD, Jun 30 (APP):Leading experts, diplomats, and policymakers unanimously urged on Monday to embrace a shift toward human-centered, integrated development for Balochistan under Phase-II of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to establish the latter as gateway to sustainable growth and development.

The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) under its Monday Seminar Series organized a high-level policy seminar titled “Balochistan’s Gateway to Sustainable Development: Market Opportunities and Investment Pathways under CPEC” moderated by Engineer Ubaid-Ur-Rehman Zia, Head of SDPI’s Energy Unit, said a press release.

Opening the session, Dr. Hassan Daud Butt, Senior Advisor, Energy China and former project director CPEC, emphasized that “Gwadar is not just a port, it’s Pakistan’s gateway to Eurasia.” Highlighting Balochistan’s untapped economic potential, he pointed out the province accounts for 44% of Pakistan’s landmass and 40% of the country’s livestock, while also possessing one of the largest wind energy corridors in South Asia. By 2050, Balochistan’s population is expected to grow to 24 million, further amplifying the urgency for sustainable development planning, he added.

He noted that Chinese and Kazakh investors have shown interest in Balochistan’s rail infrastructure, with Kazakhstan alone willing to invest $500 million. “Projects like ML-1 and the establishment of an oil city in Gwadar are long-term, but we need sustainable growth along the coast immediately,” said Dr. Hassan Butt, adding that Gwadar is strategically positioned to become a petrochemical and industrial base.

Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President of the Institute of Regional Studies, noted that Balochistan holds one of the largest reserves of critical earth minerals—making it pivotal to global supply chains. “Pakistan can become a $40 billion transit economy by 2035 if Gwadar is developed effectively,” he remarked, also calling attention to Balochistan’s agricultural strengths including high-value fruits and vast livestock reserves.

However, he strongly criticized governance inefficiencies, corruption, and lack of basic amenities in Balochistan, urging a re-evaluation of CPEC to ensure it benefits local communities. “Without focusing on vocational training, technology transfer, and grassroots engagement, CPEC will fail to deliver,” he warned.

Ahad Nazir, Head of Policy at SDPI, stressed that without institutional reform, CPEC’s connectivity gains won’t translate into development. “Balochistan is mineral-rich but human-poor. Policy inconsistency, lack of coordination, and political interference are key barriers,” he said. He outlined five strategic levers including the establishment of an Investment Facilitation Unit and agro-business clusters.

He also cited international models, like Chile’s royalty reinvestment in mineral-rich regions, as pathways Balochistan could follow. Nazir also cautioned that public distrust, water scarcity, and security gaps pose risks to investor confidence.

Dr. Faiz Kakar, former provincial minister for Health, and Environment pointed out that despite ambitious plans, not a single motorway under CPEC runs through Balochistan. While Gwadar boasts a new international airport, major SEZs remain underdeveloped due to bureaucratic deadlock. “Chinese firms have proposed $2 billion investments, but demand a unified and streamlined one-window operation,” he said, stressing the need for urbanization and climate resilience planning.

Renowned anthropologist Dr. Quratulain Bakhteari, Founder and Director, Institute for Development Studies and Practice (IDSP) raised a unique cultural lens to the debate, cautioning that reducing Balochistan to minerals and trade ignores its people. “Business and trade do not unite nations—people do. Development must be rooted in the community,” she urged.

In his closing remarks, Ambassador Saleem appreciated the “diverse, timely, and out-of-the-box” perspectives shared at the seminar. He underscored the importance of cultural understanding, community participation, and policy consistency to realize Balochistan’s role as a true gateway to regional development.

He concluded that Balochistan’s future under CPEC must go beyond infrastructure to invest in its people, environment, and institutional capacity.

A new eco-friendly initiative has been launched in Lahore aimed at tackling plastic pollution by incentivising citizens to recycle used plastic bottles, it emerged on Monday. 

Under the programme, residents can deposit empty plastic bottles into Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) and earn up to Rs1,000 in “Green Credit” per kilogram of plastic — roughly 20 one-and-a-half litre bottles.

The project, led by ISP Environmental Solutions with support from the Intratech Group and the World Bank, is part of Punjab’s Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Credit Program. The project aims to transform how urban waste is managed and perceived by offering financial incentives in exchange for used plastic.

Lahore produces about 500 tons of plastic waste daily, much of which pollutes waterways and landfills, according to Intratech Group Chairperson Gulfam Abid.

“These new Reverse Vending Machines will collect single-use plastic items, including bottles, cups and plates,” he explained. “The collected material will be repurposed into raw materials for footpaths, road repairs and environmentally sustainable bricks.”

Read: Tariff cut on chemicals, plastic stokes concerns

Each RVM is capable of storing up to 25kgs of plastic and is equipped with weight-sensitive sensors that reject non-plastic materials. Users simply insert the bottles into a designated slot, press button “A,” enter their mobile number, and press button “B” to view their credit details on the screen. The same information is also accessible via a dedicated mobile application.

The app not only tracks credit but also connects users directly with waste dealers. Citizens can sell their plastic through the platform, and company representatives will collect the items from their location. More than 18,000 local scrap dealers have been onboarded into the system, and they too can earn green credit in addition to their regular profits.

In the initial phase, the machines are being installed at four private universities in Lahore. Later, the project will expand to both public and private spaces.

While the machines are locally manufactured in Pakistan, they incorporate advanced Chinese technology. Each unit costs around Rs800,000 to produce.

An “Eco Bricks Plant” has also been established in the Sundar Industrial Estate as part of the program. It will manufacture construction-grade bricks using the collected plastic. The plant’s inauguration is scheduled for July.

Officials emphasize that the project goes beyond just installing machines — its broader goal is to instill a sense of environmental stewardship among the public. “We want people to view plastic not as waste, but as a valuable resource that can be reused for environmental and economic gain,” one official said.