Category: 1. Pakistan

When a young reporter went viral for squealing her way through “live coverage” on a rocking boat during floods, many thought BBC Urdu had found its quirkiest new correspondent.

But as it turns out, Mehrunnisa wasn’t holding a mic for the British Broadcasting Corporation at all — she was on duty for something entirely different: Bhai Bhai Channel.

Multiple rivers in Punjab, including Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab are witnessing increased water flow due to torrential rains coupled with the water discharge from India, killing at least 30 people.

Amid this devastation, social media users in Pakistan found a lighthearted moment in reporting of Mehrunnisa. It all started when the “BBC Urdu News Punjab TV” reporter was covering the Punjab floods from a rocking boat.

She kicked off her report with all the seriousness: “As you can see, the water pressure is rising.” But within seconds, the character broke, giving way to an unfiltered squeal: “Bohat dar lag raha hai, kabhi yeh iss side hoti hai kabhi uss — balance nahin ho raha humse (We’re terrified, the boat keeps tipping from one side to another, we can’t balance).”

And then came the sign-off that sealed her viral fame: “Bas aap hamare liye dua karein, guys” (Just pray for us, guys).

During this what some social media users say “cute reporting”, some identified the logo on her mic — which stated: “BBC Urdu” — resembling with an international media outlet’s one. However, this wasn’t the case.

After the video went viral, the BBC Urdu issued a statement to clear the air. “It has come to our attention that a digital media company called BBC Urdu News Punjab TV is operating in Pakistan while using the BBC’s name,” it stated.

“The BBC has no connection whatsoever with this organisation or its reporters, nor has it authorised the use of its name in this manner,” it said, distancing itself from the digital platform and the reporter.

The British broadcaster warned audiences to beware of impostors and requesting to “first verify the presence of any content published under the BBC’s name on the BBC’s official platforms.”

As expected, Mehrunnisa — now a viral sensation — didn’t back down and offered her own clarification.

“People say we copied BBC, but we didn’t. Their BBC stands for British Broadcasting Corporation, and our BBC stands for… Bhai Bhai Channel.” She squealed, she panicked, and she signed off proudly. 

‘Bhai Bhai Channel’ shuts down over BBC strike

Viral reporter Mehrunnisa has revealed that the British Broadcasting Corporation has struck down her social media platforms – YouTube and TikTok – by filing a copyrights complaint to the social media companies.

Speaking to Geo News, she said that her social media platforms have been shut down over copyrights complaints by the BBC. 

After her channels were shut down, Mehrunnisa appealed to the BBC to take back the strikes. She appealed: “It’s my appeal to the BBC to take back the strikes issued on my channels on youtube and TikTok.”

“Our accounts have been shut down over a copyright strike. We are a small, Lahore based channel. We have worked hard on it. We have no competition with you. Please restore us,” she added. 

Pakistan has received authorisation to extend the export of seafood products to the United States for another four years, Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced on Saturday.

Pakistan’s seafood exports rose to $465 million in FY25, reflecting a 13.4 per cent increase in value and an 8pc growth in quantity compared to last year, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) in July.

According to a press release by the maritime ministry, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) classified all Pakistani fisheries listed on its List of Foreign Fisheries as “comparable” under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

“This classification confirms that Pakistan’s fisheries meet US standards for protecting marine mammals from incidental mortality and serious injury during fishing operations,” Chaudhry was quoted as saying.

The MMPA required fisheries to “minimise marine mammal bycatch, adopt conservation practices, and sustainably operate measures” for supporting healthier marine ecosystems, the press release read.

“The decision reflects international recognition of the quality of Pakistan’s seafood and will provide long-term stability to the sector,” the minister said.

“The extension is expected to bolster our position in the global seafood market, securing access to one of the world’s largest seafood importers,” he added.

The maritime ministry further said that the current seafood earnings were about $2 per kilogramme in the global market, noting that “with this international endorsement of compliance, the price is projected to rise, potentially opening new markets in Europe and the Gulf.”

It stated that Pakistan exported 242,484 metric tons of seafood products worth $489.2 million at an average of $2 per kilogramme. “The same export volume next year could generate nearly $600 million.”

Chaudhry called the successful submission of a comprehensive compliance dossier to NOAA “a critical milestone”. “This acceptance validates Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to regulate its commercial fisheries, uphold sustainable fishing practices, and align with international environmental standards,” he added.

The minister highlighted that the approval was “vital” to protect multi-million-dollar seafood exports to the US market and enhance the country’s reputation for responsible and sustainable fisheries management. Chaudhry also emphasised “strengthening protective measures for marine mammal populations” to ensure the long-term health of marine biodiversity.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Commerce noted that Pakistan’s exporters were poised to gain a significant competitive advantage in the US market after the government successfully negotiated a reduction in reciprocal tariffs — from 29pc to 19pc — the lowest rate in the region.

Commerce Minister Jam Kamal had said the revised tariff structure presents a timely opportunity to boost exports and appreciated the coordinated efforts of the government’s economic team, along with private sector support, in achieving this milestone.

President Asif Ali Zardari has assented to the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as passed by Parliament.

“The Act strengthens measures against smuggling and illegal operation of petrol pumps. It empowers Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, and Customs Authorities to confiscate illegal petroleum products and vehicles, introduces IT-based tracking, and enhances penalties for violations,” President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release on Saturday.

The legislation is expected to modernize petroleum sector regulation, improve transparency, and strengthen the government’s efforts against smuggling and tax evasion.

KASUR: When floodwaters from across the Indian border surged into her village in eastern Pakistan this month, Shama knew what to do: gather her four children and prepare to leave. It was the second time this year she had to flee, after abandoning her home during cross-border fighting between India and Pakistan in May.

“How many times do we need to evacuate now?” the 30-year-old mother said, her husband away ferrying their 10 cows to higher ground on a boat. “We lost out on so much during the war like school days for the children, and now the water is forcing us out again. Trouble is trouble.”

Shama’s ordeal is echoed across flood-hit Kasur, where families say they are exhausted by repeated displacements within months, first from the fighting, now from nature.

“The floods started earlier this month and only got worse,” said 27-year-old mother Bibi Zubaida, who lives with seven relatives in a three-bedroom house opposite a mosque that now broadcasts evacuation calls.

From the mosque loudspeakers, usually reserved for the call to prayer, came a different message: boats were ready for anyone who wanted to leave.

“When you live here, you choose to live with the threat of war and the threat of floods. Where does one go?” Zubaida said.

Kasur lies just a few kilometers from the Indian border. From their rooftops and rescue boats, residents said they could see Indian checkposts across the horizon, a reminder of how closely their fate is tied to decisions made on the other side. The nations share rivers that were regulated for more than six decades under the Indus Waters Treaty. That agreement was suspended by India earlier this year, following the shooting of 26 people by militants that New Delhi said were backed by Islamabad, which Pakistan denies.

That attack triggered brief but intense cross-border battles between the nuclear-armed neighbors, driving villagers like Shama from their homes. Then came the monsoon, and the rivers turned to flood.

On narrow wooden boats, families balanced motorcycles, belongings, and bleating goats alongside their children, as rescue workers steered them through fields now turned into rivers.

Rescue worker Muhammad Arsalan said many villagers hesitated to evacuate.

“People don’t always want to leave because they’re scared of thieves stealing what they’re leaving behind. They’re reluctant because they’ve done it so many times already,” said Arsalan, who has ferried more than 1,500 people to safety by boat in recent days.

“They love their goats and sheep, and sometimes refuse to leave without them,” he added, pausing to clear leaves stuck in the motor before restarting another run.

The Punjab provincial disaster management authority said flows in the Sutlej River at Ganda Singh Wala were the highest in decades, after a breach at an Indian barrage. At least 28 deaths have been reported so far, with water pushing further south through Punjab and threatening new areas.

In India, cloud bursts in Ramban and Mahore regions of Jammu and Kashmir killed 10 people. Pakistani officials said the crisis was worsened by India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, halting the decades-old exchange of river data. Islamabad also accused India of releasing large volumes of water without adequate warning.

“If the treaty was in operation, we could have managed the impact better,” Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told Reuters on Friday.

India has denied deliberately flooding Pakistan. It has blamed incessant monsoon rains and said it issued multiple flood alerts. Two gates of the Madhopur barrage on the Ravi River were damaged by surging water, Indian officials said.

Farmers say the deluge has wrecked their livelihoods. “Thirteen of my 15 acres (6 hectares) are gone,” said Muhammad Amjad, a rice and vegetable grower. “Women and children are mainly evacuated. Men stay behind to guard what’s left.”

The back-to-back displacements have underscored the vulnerability of communities straddling Pakistan’s volatile eastern border.

Officials warn the crisis could worsen as climate change intensifies monsoons and cross-border river disputes strain disaster planning.

“I’ve seen many floods, but they are coming too often now,” said Nawabuddin, a 74-year-old landowner, recalling the most memorable floods he witnessed in his lifetime — 1988, 2023 and now this one. “We don’t want war, we don’t want excess water. We just want to live,” said Zubaida, whose newly renovated home and farmland now lie underwater.

NEW DELHI: After more than a decade of living in India as a refugee, 55-year-old Nobel Hussain — whose real name has not been used due to concerns over his safety — was among dozens of Rohingya who were forced off an Indian naval vessel into the Andaman Sea in May, amid a crackdown on “illegal immigrants” that has seen hundreds being unlawfully forced out of India. 

Hussain said he and his wife were detained in New Delhi along with at least 40 other Rohingya refugees. After being forced onto a military plane and flown to another location, they were forced onto a naval vessel and cast into the sea near Myanmar.

“It was 4 a.m., we were asked to put on life jackets, our legs and hands were tied, and we were put (into) boats,” he told Arab News. ”After some time, they untied us and threw us in the sea. We had to swim for 30 minutes before we saw land and were rescued by the locals.” 

Hussain and his wife, who are both registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, have been living in hiding ever since and face an uncertain future in Myanmar — a country they fled years ago in fear for their lives. 

“We don’t have any documents. Myanmar is always attacking our area. My wife, who has cancer, has sleepless nights. We live in constant fear and don’t know what will happen to us when we are caught,” he said. 

“What the Indian government did to us is inhumane … We thought that we had escaped the danger when we landed in India in 2013, but the Indian government has brought us back to the same predators we thought we escaped.” 

India’s Ministry of Home Affairs did not respond to Arab News’ request for comment. 

Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, started a probe in May into what it called “unconscionable, unacceptable acts,” following “credible reports” of Indian authorities rounding up Rohingya refugees and expelling them, which included the case of the Rohingya refugee group of which Hussain was a part. 

A report by Human Rights Watch published on Friday stated that Indian authorities have deported more than 200 ethnic Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and Myanmar since May 2025, while hundreds of others have been arbitrarily detained. 

India does not have a national policy or a law on the status and treatment of refugees. It is also not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, which outlines the rights of refugees and the legal obligations of states to protect them.

Most Rohingya refugees fled Myanmar in 2017, when its military launched a brutal crackdown — widely regarded as ethnic cleansing — on Rohingya Muslims in western Rakhine State. 

While most of them sought safety in neighboring Bangladesh, many also escaped to Hindu-majority India, where an estimated 40,000 now live, more than 20,000 of whom are registered with the UNHCR. 

The increasing crackdown against Rohingya in India appears to be part of a broader campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been expelling the persecuted minority and Bengali-speaking Muslims for being “illegal immigrants,” HRW said. 

One Rohingya refugee living in Delhi, who asked not to be identified, said his brother was in the same group as Hussain. In early May, he and others were taken to the local police station under the guise of collecting biometric data, but were later detained by authorities. 

Since then, he has only managed a single brief call with his brother, who is also registered with the UNHCR and had lived in Delhi since 2017. 

“My brother and others escaped the brutal Myanmar army to save their lives. The Indian government has pushed them into the hands of the same predator … What is our crime? We don’t want to live in India but we are persecuted in our country. Such arbitrary detention breaks the family, it brings the unimaginable pain of separation and utter helplessness,” the man told Arab News. ”We want India to show some humanity. We are not illegal. We are registered with the UNHCR and want to live like refugees with respect.”

Sabber Kyaw Min, founder of Delhi-based NGO Rohingya Human Rights Initiative, said the deportations of Rohingya are a “violation” of the Indian constitution. 

“Myanmar is not safe for Rohingya. To send refugees back to the same place where they are under attack is not on par with humanitarian law and human values. There are so many other refugees, like Afghans, Africans and others, who are living in India,” he told Arab News. “Why is India targeting Rohingya? 

“We don’t want to criticize India. India should show humanity towards the women, children and unfortunate people of Rohingya,” he continued. 

While Indian policy has historically been in favor of refugees, activist Priyali Suri of the Azadi Project, an NGO that works for refugees, said the government’s approach to refugees has changed in the last decade. 

“India has never been a signatory of the Refugee Convention, but we have welcomed refugees in our land. We have welcomed Sri Lankan refugees, we’ve welcomed Tibetan refugees, we’ve welcomed Afghan refugees, refugees who’ve made this their home,” she told Arab News. 

“It is very sad, and rather infuriating, that human beings who are already persecuted, who are fearing for their lives, have been deported in such a merciless manner. These deportations are clearly a political message that this current establishment stands for a certain kind of political ideology that does not support human rights, does not support refugee rights, and does not adhere to international conventions.” 

President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday approved a change in the constitution of the 11th National Finance Commission (NFC) after Balochistan revised its nomination, a statement by the president’s secretariat said.

The 11th NFC was constituted on August 22 to prepare a new award for sharing federal divisible resources between the Centre and the provinces.

Chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, the NFC includes four provincial finance ministers and four non-statutory members, one from each province.

Its inaugural session, however, was postponed on the request of the Sindh government “due to the impending flood situation”.

As per the statement released today, the change became necessary after the “Government of Balochistan revised its nomination, recommending Mahfooz Ali Khan as its non ex-officio member in the 11th NFC”.

The statement added that the president has given the nod to this nomination, superseding the earlier approval.

The terms of reference set under clause 2 of Article 160 require the 11th NFC to distribute between the federation and provinces the net proceeds of five major tax categories as explained in clause 3 of Article 160.

These include: taxes on income (including corporation tax but excluding salaries paid out of the Federal Consolidated Fund); taxes on the sale and purchase of imported, exported, produced, manufactured, or consumed goods; export duties on cotton and other duties as specified by the president; excise duties; and any other taxes specified by the president.

The notification for the 11th NFC also mandates recommendations on grants-in-aid by the federal government to the provinces, and on the exercise of borrowing powers by both tiers of government.

The new NFC is further tasked with considering sharing of expenditures incurred, or to be incurred, by the federation in respect of matters falling within the provinces’ domain; expenditures on trans-national issues; and financial responsibility for national projects to be shared by both the Centre and provinces.

This apparently indicates the Centre’s intention to push for provincial contributions toward natural calamities, horizontal health programmes, major dams, highways, and motorways. The federal government has also been advocating for an end to population-based incentives, replacing them with social sector performance, along with activation of local governments.

The NFC will also determine grants-in-aid from the Centre to the provinces, set borrowing powers and conditions for both, and assess resources required to meet expenditures of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (erstwhile Fata).

In a key development for Pakistan’s fisheries sector, the country has been authorised to export fish and fish-related products to the United States for another four years, announced Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Saturday.

In his statement, the minister said the decision reflects international recognition of the quality of Pakistan’s seafood and will provide long-term stability to the sector. “The extension is expected to bolster our position in the global seafood market, securing access to one of the world’s largest seafood importers,” he said.

The federal minister explained that the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has classified all Pakistani fisheries listed on its List of Foreign Fisheries (LOFF) as “comparable” under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

“This classification confirms that Pakistan’s fisheries meet US standards for protecting marine mammals from incidental mortality and serious injury during fishing operations,” Chaudhry said.

The MMPA requires fisheries to minimise marine mammal bycatch, adopt conservation practices, and operate sustainable measures that also support healthier marine ecosystems.

Currently, Pakistani seafood earns about $2 per kilogram in the global market. With this international endorsement of compliance, the price is projected to rise, potentially opening new markets in Europe and the Gulf.

FY25 seafood exports soar 11.44pc to $465.4m YoY

In FY 2024–25, Pakistan exported 242,484 metric tons of fish and related products worth $489.2 million at an average of $2 per kilogram. The same export volume next year could generate nearly $600 million, read the statement, showing a growth of 23%.

Chaudhry highlighted that Pakistan’s successful submission of a comprehensive compliance dossier to NOAA under the MMPA was a critical milestone. “This acceptance validates Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to regulate its commercial fisheries, uphold sustainable fishing practices, and align with international environmental standards,” he said.

The minister emphasised that this approval is vital to safeguard Pakistan’s multi-million-dollar seafood exports to the US market while simultaneously enhancing the country’s reputation for responsible and sustainable fisheries management worldwide.

However, he also stressed the importance of continuously strengthening protective measures for marine mammal populations, as recommended by NOAA, to ensure the long-term health of marine biodiversity.

The flood situation in Punjab remained critical on Saturday, where water flow in major rivers – Chenab, Sutlej and Ravi – remained high, posing threats to settlements and farmland.

The next 24 hours are being considered dangerous for the Islam headworks in Hasilpur tehsil, where the Sutlej river is flowing in high flood.

In Vehari, a breach has occurred in the protective embankment of the Sutlej River, causing flooding in areas, including Khichi, and severing land communication. Evacuation of people is underway from the affected areas.

Meanwhile, explosives have been placed at the Head Muhammadwala and Sher Shah points of the Chenab River to create breaches.

A breach has also been made in the protective embankment of Burewala.

To save the city of Kasur, the RRA-1 embankment has been breached. At Head Balloki, extremely high-level flooding continues at 211,000 cusecs.

The Ravi River was flowing in high flood at Shahdara, where the water flow reached 129,000 cusecs.

The strong flow of water caused a breach in the embankment of a mini dam in the Domeli area of Dina tehsil in Jhelum district, causing water to enter homes.

At least 15 people have been rescued from Manga Mandi and Malhi village.

A very high level of flood has also been witnessed at Ganda Singh Wala in the Sutlej River. Meanwhile, the water level at Islam headworks has decreased.

Water flow rises in Indus River

The water level in the Indus River has begun to rise, where a low-level flood situation persists.

According to barrage officials, water inflow at Sukkur Barrage increased by 31,000 cusecs over the past 24 hours.

The officials reported that the inflow at Sukkur Barrage was recorded at 315,172 cusecs, while the outflow stood at 260,512 cusecs.

PDMA briefing

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Director-General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Irfan Ali Kathia, has said that rescue and relief operations for flood victims were underway.

According to the PDMA DG, 303,000 cusecs of water is passing through Ganda Singh Wala. The Pakistan Army and district administration evacuated 20 villages overnight.

Villages located near the Sutlej River have been evacuated as the floodwater is moving toward Head Sulemanki, he added.

He warned that the next 24 hours are dangerous for the Islam headworks.

On Friday, the Punjab government deliberately breached the Rewas Bridge to manage the flow of water and to prevent damage to the structure.

Meanwhile, water pressure is increasing at Trimmu headworks, and a flood wave of 900,000 cusecs will pass through Jhang on Sunday morning between 6am and 9am.

At Head Muhammad Wala, a flow of 700,000 cusecs is expected to reach Multan, where breaching may be required.

The PDMA DG said that 175,000 cusecs of water was passing through Marala headworks.

The PDMA DG further said that 900,000 cusecs of water is expected to pass through the Guddu Barrage on Sunday.

30 dead, over 1.5 million affected: Maryam Aurangzeb

Senior Punjab Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said that the death toll from floods in Punjab has reached 30, while 1,516,603 people have been affected.

In a media briefing, she stated that more than 481,000 people have been moved to safe places.

Floodwaters from three rivers have affected a total of 2,038 villages — including 1,169 by the Chenab, 462 by the Ravi, and 391 by the Sutlej, she added.

The senior minister said that 511 relief camps and 351 medical camps were providing round-the-clock assistance to the victims.

Currently, 6,373 people are staying in relief camps, while over 400,000 livestock have been shifted to safer places.

In the last 36 hours alone, 68,477 people have been rescued, she added.

She noted that due to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s preventive measures and anti-encroachment operations, Punjab was spared heavy loss of life despite the scale of the floods.

After the relief and recovery phase, an operation to eliminate encroachments will be launched, she said, adding that a comprehensive strategy will be devised in light of the lessons learned from the current floods.