Category: 1. Pakistan

ISLAMABAD:

The PML-N and the PPP on Sunday refused to sign a declaration adopted by an All Parties Conference (APC) that among other things demanded immediate halt to all military operations and described terrorism, extremism, and lawlessness as an outcome of poor government policies.

The APC convened in the federal capital by the ANP was attended by all major political parties.

Speaking on the occasion, ANP chief Aimal Wali Khan said there are people in Waziristan — a district that has witnessed a number of military operations in the past two decades — who have not returned home for 12 years. He said such a situation could not be called development.

Khan said his party is not against Punjab and is pro-Pakistan. “But Pakistan does not give us equal rights. Asking for our rights should not be seen as being against Pakistan,” he added.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said there is a question mark on the political and parliamentary system of the country as the present government is not representative of the people but a government of the establishment. “Our peaceful protests and marches are branded as rebellion — this is what pushes movements toward revolt,” he said.

QWP chief Aftab Khan Sherpao said the government, not the establishment, should conduct negotiations with the opposition. “If direct talks are held, it will bypass parliament. The PM should convene a meeting and include representatives of the establishment.”

PML-N leader Irfan Siddiqui supported Fazl’s call for a national dialogue, adding that martial laws and dictators have hollowed out the state. However, he questioned if politicians’ hands were also clean.

“This same army has defeated an enemy five times its size. If martial law was truly in place, such conferences would not even be possible.

“Pakistan will survive, the four provinces will endure, and no one will be allowed to undermine the Constitution. The army sees Pakistan from a Pakistani perspective,” he said.

A joint communiqué presented at the APC, however, caused a split among political parties. The PML-N and the PPP opposed the declaration, refused to sign it, and boycotted the press conference.

The communiqué termed the ongoing unrest, terrorism, and violation of rights in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Balochistan as a result of failed state policies, stressing that sustainable peace and progress in Pakistan could not be achieved without democracy, supremacy of the Constitution, and provincial rights.

It demanded immediate halt to all military operations in the K-P and Balochistan and establishment of a Truth Commission under judicial supervision to investigate human and financial losses.

The declaration described terrorism, extremism, and lawlessness as outcomes of poor government policies, calling for comprehensive measures to eliminate them. It called for disbanding all alleged “death squads” and illegal armed groups, ensuring the protection of citizens’ lives and property.

It called for recognition of provinces’ rights over minerals and resources in line with the 18th Constitutional Amendment and rejected the proposal to merge the Levies Force into the police in Balochistan, calling instead for its modernization.

The declaration also called for transfer of all powers in the merged tribal districts to the civil administration and abolition of laws like “Action in Aid of Civil Power”.

It described enforced disappearances as blatant violations of the Constitution, demanding the recovery and production of all missing persons before courts.

It also called for release of all “political prisoners” and provision of a free environment for political activities. The APC also demanded immediate dissolution of unconstitutional bodies, “particularly the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC)”.

It also called for repealing unjust laws such as 3-MPO and the Fourth Schedule and condemned the government over its failure to arrest the killers of ANP leaders Maulana Khanzeb, Mufti Munir Shakir, and other martyrs.

It demanded rehabilitation of terrorism- and operation-affected areas, along with the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and provision of compensation, jobs, and business opportunities.

PPP’s Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, PML-N’s Irfan Siddiqui and Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry all declined to sign. “These are your demands, not ours and we cannot endorse them,” Siddiqui said. The MQM, the PML-Q, and other parties, however, supported the declaration.

Participants also expressed sorrow over the natural disasters and devastating floods in the K-P. In light of the situation, the Islamabad “Peace March” scheduled for August 23 against terrorism and military operations in K-P was postponed.

 

 

ISLAMABAD:

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will arrive in Islamabad this week to lead his country in the Pakistan-China strategic dialogue and hold meetings with the civil and military leadership to discuss bilateral ties along with key regional and international developments.

Official sources told The Express Tribune on Sunday that the top Chinese diplomat will undertake a two-day visit beginning on August 21, flying in directly from New Delhi, where he starts a crucial tour on Monday.

In Islamabad, the Chinese foreign minister will review the current state of bilateral ties between the two countries and discuss key regional and international developments.

His visit comes against a backdrop of a host of developments, including the India-Pakistan military conflict in May, the Iran-Israel war in June and the recent warming of ties between Pakistan and the United States.

China’s support played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s victory over India during the four-day conflict. Although Beijing did not participate directly, Chinese J-10C fighters and PL-15 beyond-visual-range missiles (BVR) helped Pakistan shoot down six Indian fighter jets, including French-made Rafales.

China also extended diplomatic backing to Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack, supporting Islamabad’s call for a third-party investigation into the incident that brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours to the brink of full-scale war.

Given the current geostrategic environment, both sides are expected to explore ways to further deepen cooperation. Contacts between the two countries have increased markedly in recent months.

During Wang’s visit, the agenda of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s upcoming trip to China is also expected to be finalised. The prime minister is likely to travel later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and hold bilateral meetings with the Chinese leadership.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to visit Dhaka on August 23, in a trip that was twice postponed due to regional tensions. Dar was initially scheduled to visit Bangladesh in April, but the Pahalgam attack and ensuing Pakistan-India military escalation delayed the trip.

The forthcoming visit highlights the steady improvement in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations. Since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina Wajid a year ago, ties between the two countries have undergone a dramatic shift.

The former Awami League government maintained minimal engagement with Pakistan. However, the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Younus moved to restore ties by lifting restrictions on Pakistani exports and diplomats, and by commencing direct sea trade.

Dar’s trip is part of efforts to consolidate the rapprochement, with formal talks scheduled with his Bangladeshi counterpart and Chief Advisor Muhammad Younus.

Ahead of the visit, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal will be in Dhaka this week for discussions on trade and commercial ties.

It is expected that Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb may follow in September to attend the first Pakistan-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission meeting in 20 years.

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday issued a grave warning of intensified monsoon activity, alerting that Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa face severe risks of cloudbursts, urban flooding, and river inundation as three major weather systems converge over Pakistan.

According to the NDMA, this year’s monsoon rainfall is expected to be 50–60pc higher than normal, with three more heavy spells likely through early September. Urban flooding threats loom large over Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Gujranwala, while northern areas face the additional dangers of landslides and flash floods. Besides KP and GB, districts in Sindh such as Tharparkar, Sujawal, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Badin are likely to experience intensified monsoon activity.

Meanwhile, search was still on for many of those missing as Rescue 1122 officials said they had recovered 373 bodies from the flood-hit areas across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with majority of them from Buner district. Rescue and search operation was underway in the affected areas in Buner and other districts where many people spent nights under the open sky after their homes were destroyed and their loved ones were killed by the floods after cloudburst and rains.

Sources said that death toll till Sunday night had risen to 540.

“The Rescue 1122 has recovered 373 bodies from all the flood-hit districts of the province till Sunday while rescue and search operation was still underway,” spokesman for Rescue 1122 Bilal Ahmad Faizi told The News. As many as 316 wounded were shifted to hospitals or provided emergency treatment.

The official said that around 5,212 people were rescued and shifted to safe places during the operation in which 1,778 personnel and 132 vehicles took part.

Moving scenes were witnessed when people buried their entire families in Pishunai and other most affected villages in Buner. Over 50 people were laid to rest in a single graveyard in the area.

According to the report of the PDMA, a total of 336 houses were damaged or destroyed due to rains and flash floods. Out of these 230 houses were partially destroyed and 106 houses were completely destroyed.

These incidents occurred in different districts including Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla and Battagram.

There was a forecast of heavy rains from August 17 to 19, while the current series of rains was likely to continue intermittently until August 21.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday announced that the provincial government would fully compensate the people for the losses they had suffered in the floods.

“Unlike in the past, our government will fulfill every promise made to the flood victims,” he assured while speaking at a meeting in Swat after visiting Buner as part of his tour of flood-affected districts.

He chaired a meeting at the Malakand Division Commissioner’s office to review the situation caused by the recent floods.

The meeting was attended by provincial cabinet members Arshad Ayub Khan, Fazal Hakim Khan, Dr Amjad Ali, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, and other senior officials.

The chief minister announced that the provincial government had released Rs3 billion for the Communication and Relief departments.

On the instructions of the chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the supply of relief goods consisting of 89 trucks to the affected districts was completed.

The relief goods included tents, mattresses, beds, kitchen sets, tarpaulins, mats, mosquito nets, generators and other daily life items.

The PDMA has released Rs800 million as a relief fund for the district administrations of the affected districts.

A relief fund of Rs500 million was released to the administration of the most affected district Buner. The government officials were busy supervising the operations in the affected areas. Many organisations and individuals were busy providing food items, medicines, tents and other required essentials to the affected areas in Buner, Swat, Shangla, Bajaur, Dir, Mansehra and other districts. People were asked through social media to collect donations and provide it to the people in the flood-hit areas.

“All those coming to help the affected people should contact the government officials, reliable organisations or do it themselves on the spot to discourage the fraudsters that emerge during such times,” said an elder of Buner, Syed Saadat Jahan.

In Buner, the additional deputy commissioner was made focal person for the relief and rehabilitation activities and a cell was established under the official. The same was done in other districts.

The flood-affected residents staged a protest on Sunday to resent the denial of relief, non-cleaning of streets and lack of electricity and gas supply.

The people from Lundikx and Makanbagh in Mingora gathered on the Saidu Sharif Road and blocked the main thoroughfare to register their anger.

The protesters raised slogans against the government, saying that even after three days, they had received neither relief assistance nor cleanup of the streets and lanes.

They complained that their neighborhoods were without electricity and gas, while there was also an acute shortage of drinking water.

“Mud and sand have accumulated inside and outside our houses and streets, leaving us with nowhere to go,” said one of the protesters, adding that the administration and government had failed to provide relief or carry out cleaning work.

NDMA spokesperson Dr Muhammad Tayyab Shah cautioned the public against unnecessary travel in mountainous regions and said that all provincial departments were on high alert under the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast persistent heavy rainfall until August 22, with the monsoon remaining strong into September.

NDMA Chairman Lt-Gen Inam Haider revealed that torrential rains and flash floods have already caused over 400 fatalities across the country, including 313 deaths in Buner, Bajaur, and Battagram alone. Widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure and roads has left many families stranded, particularly in Gilgit-Baltistan and KP.

Authorities have imposed Section 144 in high-risk zones, including Rawalpindi’s Nullah Lai, to prevent casualties. Emergency teams and flood warning systems have been mobilised as water levels continue to rise in major rivers and reservoirs, with moderate flooding reported at Kalabagh, Chashma and stretches of the Indus River.

General Inam confirmed that the prime minister has ordered a nationwide damage survey and directed immediate relief operations, with food and aid supplies to reach affected districts from Monday. Restoration of communication links and roads remains the top priority, while rehabilitation efforts will follow once the monsoon subsides.

He stressed that the devastation reflects the impact of climate change, urging the nation to remain united in facing the crisis.

Also, on the directives of PM Shehbaz Sharif, the NDMA issued an advisory on Sunday restricting tourist activities in mountainous regions due to intensified monsoon activity.

The authority directed provincial administrations to impose curbs in disaster-affected areas to protect visitors from possible floods, landslides and other monsoon-related hazards. It said restrictions under Section 144 could be enforced where required, with law-enforcement agencies tasked to ensure strict implementation.

Separately, a mother and her daughter were killed on Sunday when a cloudburst triggered flash floods in Kateshu village of Kharmang district, bringing the overall death toll from torrential rains and floods across Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) to 14. Another woman was critically injured in the incident and shifted to hospital by locals, taking the toll of injured to 30 in flood related incidents.

Officials confirmed that Ghizer valley remains the worst affected, with Dain village completely washed away, while agricultural land, irrigation channels and water supply lines in multiple districts have suffered severe damage.

In Diamer district, a brother and sister remain missing after being swept away by a flood in Bonar Nala. Separately, eight volunteers sustained injuries in a landslide in Diamroi.

The natural disaster has also trapped groups of domestic tourists in Naltar valley near Gilgit, where road blockades caused by landslides cut off access. Rescue teams and locals have been mobilised to clear the route and provide assistance.

Meanwhile in Gilgit city, residents endured a third consecutive day of complete load-shedding on Sunday, prompting road blockades and street protests in several parts. Demonstrators demanded immediate restoration of power supply.

In Skardu, the civil administration and Pakistan Army restored the Skardu-Jaglot road at Bagicha within 18 hours of a bridge collapse, reconnecting the valley with the rest of the region. The ISPR said the operation, initially estimated to take days, was completed overnight.

Government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said relief and rehabilitation efforts are being jointly carried out by the provincial administration, Pakistan Army, GB Scouts, NDMA, Rescue 1122, and tourist police. Clean drinking water, power supply and irrigation restoration have been declared top priorities.

Faraq added that Rs970 million have been released for rehabilitation under the chief minister’s directives, while emergency projects worth Rs500 million are underway to restore damaged schemes.

Meanwhile, on the instructions of Federal Minister for Communications, the National Highway Authority (NHA) mobilised all resources for rehabilitation of national highways damaged by recent rains in the country’s northern regions. As part of this effort, NHA Chairman Shehryar Sultan spent three days in the field, leading relief and restoration operations. He is overseeing rehabilitation activities in KP, where multiple roads have been affected by rains and flooding.

The NHA chairman on Sunday visited Buner and held a meeting with deputy commissioner in his office along with senior NHA officers. He extended full support in restoration work and directed NHA officers to mobilise more machinery to accelerate pace of work. During his visit, he inspected the Nowshera-Chitral Highway (N-45) and issued on-site directives for its swift and complete restoration. He also visited the Chakdara-Khwazakhela Highway (N-95), viewed the flood-affected sections and instructed teams to expedite repair work.

In addition, he toured the Khwazakhela-Bisham Highway (N-90), reviewed the extent of damage and issued immediate instructions for its full restoration.

Meanwhile, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chalked out a plan to cope with any unexpected situation arising out of ongoing heavy rains spell in low-lying areas of Islamabad.

On the directions of Chief Commissioner Islamabad/CDA Chairman, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), along with DG Rescue 1122 Islamabad, Director Machinery Pool Organisation (MPO), representatives from Solid Waste Management Directorate and Road and Marketing, conducted visits to low-lying and critical areas including Saidpur Village and Chattha Bakhtawar in view of the forecast monsoon rain spell.

Meanwhile, the Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan, under the supervision of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, dispatched a consignment of relief goods loaded in 21 trucks worth Rs100 million for flood-affected areas of Buner, Bajaur and Swat on Sunday.

LAHORE: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has disclosed that Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir likened Pakistan’s confrontation with India to a collision between a “shining Mercedes” and a “dumper truck loaded with stones,” during his remarks to a visiting Saudi delegation following the May 2025 Pak-India war.

Naqvi quoted Field Marshal Asim as telling the Saudi delegation, “India is like a shining Mercedes, but we are like a dumper truck, loaded with stones; imagine what happens when the two collide.”

According to Naqvi, the Army Chief made the statement while meeting the Saudi delegation, which visited Pakistan to help de-escalate border tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

Speaking at a seminar held under the aegis of Waris Mir Foundation at Aiwan-e-Iqbal on Sunday, Naqvi said he had been witness to many key events that happened in the wake of the war between the two countries.

Recalling a meeting of a Saudi delegation comprising Saudi prime minister and deputy prime minister to the Field Marshal, Naqvi told the gathering that Filed Marshal Asim Munir conveyed to the visitors to imagine what level of loss India could suffer as it was like a shining Mercedes while Pakistan was like a dumper loaded with stones.

The seminar was titled as ‘Global Impact of Pakistan’s Military and Diplomatic Victories Over India.” He also said that the delegation members had no reply to the views expressed by the Field Marshal. Naqvi added that for the first time in Pakistan’s history, the Army, Air Force, and Navy jointly devised and executed a single strategy. He added that, in contrast, the Indian Air Force Chief, Army Chief, and Naval Chief were holding separate meetings with Prime Minister Modi, each presenting a completely different viewpoint — a division that ultimately led to the outcome now visible to all.”

Naqvi said, “Because of our intelligence agencies, every move India made would reach our institutions well in advance. Whenever they planned something or whenever their jets took off, our agencies had already intercepted that information. The officers of our intelligence services are unsung heroes whose role was absolutely vital in that war,” he said.

He said he personally witnessed many events during the Pakistan-India war and was directly involved in several matters. He paid glowing tribute to the officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy, adding that the country’s intelligence agencies also played an unforgettable role during the conflict. He went on to say that people often blame Modi but in reality, two men are running the Indian government and orchestrating this entire drama, Ajit Doval and Amit Shah. These two figures, he said, were dragging both India and Modi toward disaster. “You will see in the coming days what destruction awaits them,” he said.

Senator Naqvi said that unlike India’s divided leadership, all political parties in Pakistan were united during the war. “Whether it was the prime minister, opposition leaders, or religious figures like Maulana Fazlur Rehman, everyone stood together, fully supporting one another. The Indian delegation tried to lobby the United States but failed. Our PPP Chairman outweighed all their efforts,” he added.

He accused India of openly sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. “Since 9/11, India has benefited the most from terrorism. They used the war to suppress Kashmiris and tried, unsuccessfully, to portray their political movement as a terrorist campaign,” said Mohsin Naqvi. He concluded that after India’s attack, there was immense pressure on Pakistan not to retaliate. “Credit goes to both the Prime Minister and the Field Marshal, who bore that pressure and then gave India a fitting response,” said the interior minister.

Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani said Pakistan’s political and military leadership stood united in ensuring the country’s security, giving a strong and befitting response to India while continuing to promote peace in the region.

Speaking at the seminar, Gilani said Pakistan had not only defended itself militarily but also displayed restraint to prevent escalation. He noted that the international community rejected India’s false narrative on the Pahalgam incident, while the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces won global praise.

He said the parliament unanimously backed the armed forces, while the media effectively countered Indian propaganda abroad. Pakistan also received strong diplomatic support from Islamic countries, China, Britain, the European Union, and the United States. Gilani pointed out that Pakistan’s election to the UN Security Council reflected global confidence in its stance. He stressed that “democracy, justice, and the rule of law are the only guarantees of lasting peace.”

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan, also addressing the seminar, said Pakistan had long been the biggest victim of Indian state-sponsored terrorism. Referring to the Pahalgam attack, he questioned India’s claims, citing the presence of RAW networks inside Pakistan. He maintained that Pakistan had “crushed Indian arrogance in just four hours,” crediting Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for effectively neutralising enemy targets.

The speaker reiterated that Pakistan would defend its water rights at all costs and warned that Indian ambitions for regional dominance would never succeed.

The seminar, chaired by Faisal Mir, Secretary of the Waris Mir Foundation, was attended by political, social, and journalistic figures, including PPP leaders and senior journalists. On the occasion, souvenirs were presented to Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, Interior Minister, and Punjab Assembly Speaker.

Gilani also announced that Islamabad will host the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers Conference in November 2025, with speakers from over 45 countries expected to participate.

• Interior minister highlights intelligence agencies’ role in May conflict
• Insists key bases incurred no significant damage during Indian strikes
• Senate chairman says international community rejected India’s narrative on Pahalgam

LAHORE: Months after their flare-up, the India-Pakistan conflict from earlier this year continues to drive a blame game and claims of success from both sides.

A case in point was Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who said on Sunday that Pakistan has videos of the five Indian jets shot down during the May conflict.

Although many international experts have backed Pakistan’s claim of shooting down Indian aircraft, New Delhi had maintained official silence on its losses until recently, except for a number of officials offering their own separate perspectives.

Then, earlier this month, India’s air chief claimed shooting down six Pakistani aircraft sans evidence, ostensibly prompting the interior minister to respond.

Addressing a seminar on the ‘Impact of Pakistan’s Military and Diplomatic Victories on Inter­national Media’ at Aiwan-i-Iqbal, Mr Naqvi said that while radar data had confirmed the downing of Indian aircraft, the government chose to withhold public announcements until physical evidence was obtained.

He added that video clips from the sites were collected “within no time”, highlighting Pakistan’s intelligence capabilities.

In the immediate aftermath of the aerial battle, photos had emer­ged from Indian-held Kashmir of the mangled fuselage of a fighter jet, said to resemble an Indian Rafale aircraft. Other photos also circulated online, but many could not be verified at the time.

“Some people do not refrain from slandering intelligence agencies, but during the conflict, Pakistan’s intelligence agencies performed exceptionally well,” Mr Naqvi said.

“Our institutions had information on India’s (plans) well ahead of time. We knew whatever they (India) planned, what aircraft they would use,” he said.

The interior minister stated that no Indian missile hit the airbases where Pakistan had valuable assets, and there was no significant damage from the Indian missile attack on the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, either.

He said that only one airbase was damaged by an Indian attack, and a soldier was martyred, adding that he had been a witness to many events during the conflict.

He insisted that Field Marshal Asim Munir provided “excellent leadership during the conflict”, adding that Pakistan could have inflicted more damage on India, but New Delhi could not even handle the damage they had already received.

The minister said that two key figures of the Narendra Modi government — Ajit Doval and Amit Shah — were the key players in the “Pahalgam drama” and that they would be the undoing of India.

He praised local political parties for showing unity during the conflict with India, and emphasised that promoting dialogue among political parties was essential to resolving internal differences and ensuring national unity.

He stated that constructive dialogue among political parties was the need of the hour. “The political leadership should resolve its differences through talks. Dialogue is critical to resolving differences,” he added.

‘Demonstrated restraint’

Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, who presided over the event, said that all institutions played a key role in Pakistan’s victory against India, and the international community reject­ed India’s false narrative on the Pahalgam incident.

“Pakistan demonstrated restraint along with defence so that tensions in the region did not escalate, while the Pakistani armed forces impressed the world by demonstrating their professionalism and readiness,” he said.

The parliament supported the armed forces through unanimous resolutions and highlighted the national stance, he added.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muham­mad Ahmed Khan said that Pakistan had achieved remarkable success in both military and diplomatic spheres, leaving profound and far-reaching impacts at the global level.

“Pakistan has not only proven its military strength but has also consolidated its position on the diplomatic front, a fact acknowledged by the international community,” Mr Khan said.

He added that successful counterterrorism operations and an effective foreign policy had presented Pakistan as a responsible and strong nation on the world stage.

The speaker said that under the command of Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s military strategy had become even more effective, thwarting India’s aggressive designs and maintaining the balance of power in the region.

He further stated that exposing India’s aggressive attitude at the global level was a major achievement for Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2025

IT WAS a bright morning when I set out from Gilgit towards Sost, a town perched near the Khunjerab Pass on the Karakoram Highway (KKH), on the nation’s Independence Day.

The sky was a flawless blue, but the land bore fresh wounds: roads torn apart like paper, fields drowned beneath silt-laden water, bridges twisted and broken.

The KKH, a lifeline for the region, runs alongside the Hunza-Nagar river. But here, swollen waters had swallowed farmland and trees, in places spilling into homes across the Gilgit, Hunza and Nagar districts. Elsewhere, too, the landscape was a tableau of devastation.

You see, in Gilgit-Baltistan, death doesn’t announce itself. Even under spotless skies, clouds can gather around high peaks within minutes, unleashing furious rain and birthing floods that race down valleys.

The water changes its mind in an instant, giving people no time to escape, grab their belongings, or even hold onto each other.

As climatic disasters riddle the region, Dawn’s Gilgit correspondent recounts his own precarious journey from Sost to his hometown

When heatwaves grip the mountains, glacial lakes burst, sending walls of water thundering through sleeping villages.

Despite the mounting risks, no scientific studies have mapped these glaciers’ behaviour, and no functional early warning systems are looking out for vulnerable areas.

I reached Sost by threading through the Sas Valley — the main road had been eaten by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (Glof) from the Shishper glacier just days before.

The town greeted me with no electricity. The Khunjerab River had damaged transmission lines and a sudden flashflood from had blocked the KKH at Gulmit, an area I had just crossed.

Internet and mobile networks were down — the flood had severed the optic fibre cable connecting GB to the outside world.

As a journalist, the complete communication and electricity blackout made me nervous. I needed to file my story, but we were marooned. In our desperation, we drove to Misgar village, climbing higher as we searched for a signal, but found nothing.

By now, there was no way back to Aliabad, the district headquarters of Hunza.

At my hotel in Sost, a young waiter from Chipurson valley — a mere 40km away under normal circumstances — told me he hadn’t heard his family’s voice for a week.

“The road to Chipurson valley was eroded by the river a week ago, and mobile communication in my village is disconnected,” he said.

We returned to the blockade at Gulmit. Thousands of passengers, including those travelling to or from China via the Khunjerab Pass, were stranded on both sides, waiting for the road to reopen. The only way across was on foot, through the flooded zone, with the help of local volunteers.

There I met Saeed Jan, still trembling from what he’d witnessed. “Twenty floods in just hours,” he said. “Sweeping away everything in their path.”

I managed to cross the blockade and found a vehicle to take me towards Aliabad. But before the KKH could be fully restored, another wave of floodwaters roared down the mountain, halting work and making the passage impassable once again.

To help the stranded, locals started a boat service across Attabad Lake, where the flooded nullah now drains.

In Passu, families from Shimshal Valley sat on the roadside like refugees in their own land. Their village—Hunza’s last outpost — has been cut off from the world for a week as floods and river erosion destroyed its access road in multiple locations.

When I finally reached Aliabad, my hopes crumbled. There was no internet or phone service, and a Glof in Hassanabad had, once again, disconnected the optic fibre cable.

Here, a newly constructed bridge on the KKH was closed. It was dark, and volunteers blocked the path forward. The only sound was the roaring flow of glacier water. Everyone was in shock, uncertain about which way the glacier would turn.

“The uncertainty of Shishper glacier’s behaviour puts local residents at risk,” one said.

My own journey home to Nagar Khas felt perilous. Rocks pounded the road like bombs. The river lapped at what remained of the road, as if tasting it before deciding whether to swallow it whole.

In my village of Tokorkot, I found my neighbours fleeing as the Hoper nullah unleashed its fury.

“The flood intensity was too heavy. I have never experienced it in my life,” said Niyat Ali, 75, pointing towards the nullah. “In our times, floods occurred under special circumstances, either continued heatwaves or heavy rains, once or twice.”

August 14 was the most disastrous day for the region, particularly for Ghizer residents, as cloudbursts induced floods in 40 locations in a single day, killing ten people and destroying dozens of homes, bridges and roads.

“The devastation was sudden. People have no way to flee,” said Naeem Anwar, a resident of Ghizer. “Local residents have never experienced such horrific devastation.”

The geography that once blessed this region — dramatic peaks and pristine valleys — has now become a curse. The KKH lifeline lies broken in too many places to count. The Baltistan Highway and Ghizer-Shandoor road are also damaged, leaving much of the population stranded.

The local government, meanwhile, seems overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.

“We don’t have resources,” GB Home Minister Shams Lone confessed.

Even volunteers who rushed to help became part of the tragedy; nine died trying to restore what nature had undone—two on the Fairy Meadows road, and seven repairing a water channel in Danyore.

The over 8,000 glaciers of GB, which once supported around 70pc of Pakistan’s agriculture, are now rapidly melting.

If this is just the beginning, I shudder to imagine what the endgame may look like.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government is working on a priority basis to digitalise the economy and shift financial transactions to a cashless and digital system.

Chairing a review meeting on cashless economy in Islamabad on Sunday, he directed all the provincial chief secretaries to fully cooperate with the federal government in expanding the Raast digital payment system to the district level.

The prime minister expr­essed satisfaction over the progress made towards a cashless economy and digital financial systems.

The meeting was briefed that Pakistan will develop digital public infrastructure to create digital IDs for every citizen, integrating national identity cards, biometrics and mobile numbers.

These digital IDs will enable secure and efficient payments.

It was further said that the provincial governments have shown significant progress in linking government-to-public and public-to-government payments with the Raast system.

The meeting was info­rmed that the federal development agencies have granted right of way for fibre connectivity, while discussions are ongoing with Pakistan Railways and the National Highway Authority to expand digital infrastructure.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2025

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said the government was prioritising efforts to digitise the economy and shift all transactions to a cashless system.

He was chairing a review meeting on the cashless and digital economy in the federal capital.

The prime minister expressed satisfaction with the progress toward a cashless economy and directed chief secretaries to fully support the federal government in expanding the Raast system to district governments.

The meeting was briefed on the progress of measures to promote a cashless economy.

The participants of the meeting were informed that digital IDs will be created under the Pakistan Digital Public Infrastructure, integrating citizens’ national identity cards, biometrics, and mobile numbers to enable digital payments.

They were told that provincial governments had made significant progress in linking public-to-government and government-to-public payments with the Raast system.

On digital infrastructure, the Capital Development Authority has granted right-of-way for fiber connectivity, while talks are ongoing with Pakistan Railways and the National Highway Authority.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Tauqir Shah, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani and relevant senior government officials attended the meeting.