Category: 1. Pakistan

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday ordered the adoption of modern Japanese technology and methodology in managing sewage and waste treatment in the province.

Pakistan generates millions of tonnes of solid waste annually, but only a small fraction of sewage is treated. Inadequate sanitation in urban areas leads to recurring floods, waterborne illnesses and the resurgence of preventable diseases such as cholera, dengue and polio.

The chief minister is currently on a five-day visit to Japan. A statement from her office said CM Maryam issued the order during a visit to Japan’s largest wastewater treatment plant in Yokohama today.

“Japan’s modern technology and methods will be used for sewage and waste management in Punjab,” the statement quoted her as saying.

The statement added that she inspected the waste treatment systems of Asahi, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Washimaku and Yodogawa.

According to the statement, the chief minister was given a detailed briefing on methods of collecting garbage and wastewater, along with waste disposal systems of Japanese cities.

She was apprised by the authorities that Yokohama was “the second largest city in Japan in terms of population” and that its Solid Waste and Wastewater Treatment Plant treated 1.5 million litres of wastewater daily.

“Yokohama Waste Treatment Plant is also operating several plants that generate energy from waste. This energy is used for heating systems for the local population,” the statement cited the Japanese authorities as saying, adding that the plant was an “ideal institution for disposal of waste using modern technology and methods”.

“Despite being an industrial city, Yokohama is at the top of [the] highest environmental standards,” they said.

The chief minister was told that waste was separated into reusable components through a “modern plant and automated system”.

She said that this environmental and urban development model would be implemented in Punjab.

The chief minister also attended a briefing on urban development at Yokohama’s Town Hall, where she participated in a discussion on bringing the construction quality of roads and buildings in Punjab “to the level of Japan”.

“City-to-city” cooperation was also agreed on in various sectors between Yokohama and the province of Punjab, according to posts by the PML-N.

Under her leadership, Punjab has emerged as a frontrunner in environmental governance. The province recently launched Pakistan’s first Environmental Protection Force, implemented a ban on single-use plastics and equipped over 1,500 construction sites with dust suppression systems in Lahore.

An Islamabad research institute is set to host Afghan leaders and women activists this week to discuss the regional peace and stability, organisers said on Monday.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have witnessed an improvement in bilateral relations after taking steps to improve ties, such as the revival of the Joint Coordination Committee and upgrading diplomatic ranks.

The South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (Sassi) University will organise the dialogue on August 25 and 26, according to Dr Maria Sultan, the think tank’s chairperson and director general.

While both neighbouring countries have held bilateral engagements at the government level, this will be the first such Pak-Afghan dialogue since the 2021 Taliban takeover of Kabul.

Some Afghan TV channels and media run by Afghan journalists in exile contended that Pakistan has invited anti-Taliban leaders. However, the Sassi University chairperson denied that the dialogue was against the Taliban or other Afghan political parties.

Sultan said, “The main purpose is to discuss peace and stability. This will also provide an opportunity for Afghans to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and adopt a joint stance.”

The two-day conference will be a closed-door event, which will also mark the beginning of the Islamabad Process, according to Sultan. To a question, she said that the Taliban and other political parties have not been invited, but they would be in future meetings.

Former United States special representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad termed the meeting “unwise” due to the participation of some who oppose the Taliban. “Afghan citizens are entitled to their political views, but Pakistan’s seeming support of them by hosting their conference is hugely unwise and an intended provocation,” he wrote on X.

However, Afghan leaders slammed Khalilzad for opposing the gathering to discuss the situation in their country.

Former Afghan parliamentarian Fawzia Koofi, who confirmed to Dawn.com that she has been invited to the dialogue, noted: “Engagement with regional countries is key in influencing the situation in Afghanistan.

“If regional countries, including Pakistan, are willing to provide a space for such dialogue, this should be welcomed as a positive step towards building trust between the people of both countries.”

Responding to Khalilzad’s remarks, she said, “Some former diplomats object; is it because they want to be the Arctic of our country’s destiny forever? Isn’t it time to let us craft what is good for us?”

Koofi further said women’s groups, as well as political and civil society representatives, must be able to meet and discuss the future of their country and its women.

“Women and girls in my country are enduring one of the most repressive realities in the world today. We must collectively support any initiative that leads to a peaceful settlement and restoring women’s rights in Afghanistan,” Koofi stressed.

Sultan evaded questions about Khalilzad’s comments but highlighted that the former envoy had led the US in talks with the Taliban in Qatar, but now he opposes a meeting of Afghans to discuss the future of their country.

“The meeting would be Afghan-owned and will be attended by various segments of the society,” she said, adding that a meeting should not be a matter of concern for anyone.

Ambassador Asif Khan Durrani, Islamabad’s former special representative for Kabul, told Dawn.com that Pakistan should not take sides on Afghanistan’s matters.

“If it’s an academic exercise, then it’s okay. The purpose should be to appraise yourself with the overall political scenario in Afghanistan without taking sides. Since it’s an open event, the public should know its findings,” Ambassador Durrani noted.

When asked about the impression that Pakistan will host anti-Taliban leaders, he said, “As regards anti-Taliban composition, then the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are anti-Pakistan and enjoying the Afghan Taliban’s hospitality. So, any objections to the above lines are uncalled for.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Kabul in July, where an agreement was signed for the Pakistan, Uzbek­istan and Afghanistan railway project to boost regional connectivity. Later that month, Dar said Pakistan received “recent assurances” from Afghan authorities that the neighbouring country’s soil would not be used for terrorism.

Islamabad has repeatedly demanded that Kabul take action against the banned TTP. In January, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir noted that the only point of contention between the two countries was the presence of the TTP and cross-border attacks.

NEELUM VALLEY (Dunya News) – A tourist vehicle met with an accident in Neelum Valley, resulting in the deaths of five people.

According to rescue officials, the accident occurred near Shundas in upper Neelum Valley, claiming the lives of five individuals, including a woman, while a young girl was injured.

The accident was caused by the poor condition of the road.

Rescue authorities stated that six people, including the driver, were in the vehicle. The deceased were transferred to ADS Halmat.

 

QUETTA, Pakistan — Security forces in southwestern Pakistan arrested a university lecturer accused of planning a foiled suicide attack that would have targeted last week’s Independence Day celebrations in insurgency-hit Balochistan province, officials said Monday.

The suspect, Usman Qazi is claimed to have links with the outlawed Majeed Brigade, the suicide squad of the Balochistan Liberation Army, according to the province’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti.

During a press conference in the city of Quetta, Bugti showed video footage with Qazi admitting to planning the thwarted attack as well as aiding militants in recent years. It was unclear whether Qazi made those remarks under duress.

Bugti did not clarify when the arrest was made, and only said the man was still being questioned.

The arrest comes a week after the U.S. State Department designated BLA and the Majeed Brigade a foreign terrorist organization. The group is already banned at home.

Bugti said it was the first time security forces acting on intelligence had captured a senior member of the Majeed Brigade. He said Qazi confessed to involvement in past attacks, including last year’s railway station bombing in Quetta that killed 32 people.

There was no immediate comment from the BLA about the arrest.

Balochistan has long seen violence blamed on separatist groups, including the BLA. The province is rich in natural resources and home to projects tied to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, where Chinese nationals and Pakistani security forces have also been targeted by insurgents.

The separatists demand independence from Pakistan’s central government in Islamabad. Though the government said it had quelled the insurgency, violence persists there.

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Security forces in southwestern Pakistan arrested a university lecturer accused of planning a foiled suicide attack that would have targeted last week’s Independence Day celebrations in insurgency-hit Balochistan province, officials said Monday.

The suspect, Usman Qazi is claimed to have links with the outlawed Majeed Brigade, the suicide squad of the Balochistan Liberation Army, according to the province’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti.

During a press conference in the city of Quetta, Bugti showed video footage with Qazi admitting to planning the thwarted attack as well as aiding militants in recent years. It was unclear whether Qazi made those remarks under duress.

Bugti did not clarify when the arrest was made, and only said the man was still being questioned.

The arrest comes a week after the U.S. State Department designated BLA and the Majeed Brigade a foreign terrorist organization. The group is already banned at home.

Bugti said it was the first time security forces acting on intelligence had captured a senior member of the Majeed Brigade. He said Qazi confessed to involvement in past attacks, including last year’s railway station bombing in Quetta that killed 32 people.

There was no immediate comment from the BLA about the arrest.

Balochistan has long seen violence blamed on separatist groups, including the BLA. The province is rich in natural resources and home to projects tied to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, where Chinese nationals and Pakistani security forces have also been targeted by insurgents.

The separatists demand independence from Pakistan’s central government in Islamabad. Though the government said it had quelled the insurgency, violence persists there.

Sebastian Vandermeersch
BBC Verify journalist

We’ve verified footage showing the aftermath of an Israeli strike yesterday on the Haziz power plant in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on X it had targeted “energy infrastructure used by the Houthi terrorist regime” in response to the group continuing to fire missiles towards Israel.

The Houthis have previously said they will not halt such attacks until the war in Gaza ends.

The video shows the remains of a large structure destroyed at the site and firefighters spraying water over the debris.

According to local reports, the strike hit the plant’s central generators with the resulting fire spreading across the site.

We verified the footage by matching the distinctive electricity pylons on the site to those seen on Google Earth.

Damage from earlier strikes is also visible on Google’s satellite imagery from June.

New low-resolution satellite pictures also appear to show the results of yesterday’s strike.

Three previous strikes have been reported at this facility in December and January.

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (APP):In the aftermath of the devastating 2024 floods that swept away homes and halted education across Badin, Government Girls Primary School (GGPS) Chanri has emerged as a symbol of resilience.

The GGPS Chanri, once ill-equipped to handle repeated disasters, has been transformed into a safe space for learning and shelter through UK support under the BRAVE (Building Resilience and Addressing Vulnerability in Emergencies) programme.

The 2024 floods were not the first to batter Chanri village. Each time disaster struck, families sought refuge in the school, with up to 175 people crammed into its limited space. But conditions were dire. “There were no toilets, no clean water, no lights,” recalled teacher and activist Faheem Ali Memon. “Women and children suffered the most.”

That reality has now changed. Through the BRAVE programme, implemented with Concern Worldwide and the SAMI Foundation, the school has been upgraded with working toilets, handwashing stations, and a hand pump for clean drinking water. A 5KW solar power system keeps lights and fans running even during outages, allowing families to stay cool, safe, and connected in emergencies.

These improvements have gone beyond disaster response as they have revitalised education. Hygiene sessions led by the school’s Hygiene Club are instilling healthy practices in children, who in turn share them with their families. Enrollment has risen by 20 percent, with more girls attending regularly.

“This support has brought back our dignity,” said Mairaj, a local elder. “Now, when floods come, our women and children have a clean, private place to stay. It’s more than a shelter- it gives us strength.”

Talking to APP, Headmistress Ms. Reeta praised the changes, noting that the upgrades have strengthened both learning and disaster preparedness. “The UK-supported upgrades were a blessing. Now we have electricity, water, and sanitation all the time. We can even stay connected during disasters and receive early warnings.”

For the people of Chanri, GGPS is no longer just a school. It is a beacon of safety, a centre of learning, and a place where hope is rebuilt. In a district where floods often bring fear and displacement, the BRAVE programme has shown how targeted support can safeguard futures.

This year’s monsoon rains continue to threaten communities across the country, but BRAVE remains active, supporting vulnerable areas and standing ready to mobilise a national-level response if disaster strikes again.

GGPS Chanri’s journey reflects what is possible when immediate relief is paired with long-term planning: a community strengthened, dignity restored, and futures protected.