Category: 1. Pakistan

Iman Salim is used to seeing flood waters in the field of lush lilypads next to her home in the village of Kamanwala. But nothing prepared her for this week, when torrential monsoon rains that broke a 49-year record lashed the area, flooding her house with water that rose above her chest.

“The whole house has drowned. The water left nothing,” the 24-year-old said.

Kamanwala, just outside the city of Sialkot, from where the mountains of Kashmir can be seen on a clear day, is among more than 1,400 villages in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province flooded after three large rivers – the Sutlej, Chenab and Ravi – overflowed their banks because of heavy rain and the release of water from over-full dams in neighbouring India.

The rising waters have brought fears of disease, with the province’s chief minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, declaring an emergency in hospitals across Punjab over fears that cholera and hepatitis could spread and an increased risk of poisoning from snake bites.

Map of rivers

On Tuesday, the Phalku River, which flows out from India, Kashmir and into Pakistan’s eastern city of Sialkot, also overflowed its banks. In just a few hours, Salim’s family’s entire possessions were destroyed.

In the face of soaring inflation and the depreciation of the rupee, replacing entire life possessions and repairing homes will be impossible for many.

“This is the first time in my life that this much flood water has come,” said Salim’s father, Sayed Muhamad, a 60-year-old labourer. “There’s been no electricity, no water, no gas for three days. The damage that’s been caused is around 500,000 Pakistani rupees [£1,300].”

Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the climate crisis, despite producing less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Flooding is common during monsoon season, which occurs from about July to September every year. But this year’s monsoon rains – made more erratic, unpredictable and deadly by the climate emergency – have unleashed chaos that has left Pakistan and its government scrambling.

New Delhi alerted Islamabad last week to expect cross-border flooding. Since then, nearly 300,000 people have been evacuated from flood areas and Pakistani authorities have been forced to overflow riverbanks after their own dams threatened to burst.

Across the country more than 800 people have been killed in floods since late June – most of them in the north-west Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

An hour away from Sialkot, the Chenab River has risen so high it is almost touching a train track passing over it, and water rushed within a few feet of the base of huge electricity pylons.

Entire villages are lying underwater ​across the affected areas in Punjab, Pakistan’s breadbasket and home to about half of its 255 million people.

Dr Bilal Siddiq, a senior physician with Sahara Foundation, which has set up a medical camp in Kartarpur village in Jalandhar district to treat those with illnesses caused by a lack of clean water and food, told Associated Press: “Fungal and skin infections are everywhere. We’re also seeing rising cases of diarrhoea, gastric pain and malaria.”

Some flood victims around Sialkot have been left alone to fend for themselves, spending at least two days without food, water and electricity. “No one has come to help us until today,” said Shabana Zubair, 38, who has five children and was without food and water. “Our flour, rice and chickpeas were all spoiled.”

Across the streets and alleys of Naik Wadi Chownk, a rank, fish-like smell hangs in the air. Children play and swim in flood water that has lain stagnant in 30C (86F) heat and mixed with sewage from open drains blocked even before the floods.

Sialkot is home to a thriving entrepreneurial business community who independently raised funds to build what they proudly proclaim as the world’s first privately owned international airport. That same community collectively financed the refurbishment of Sialkot’s roads 25 years ago.

Nevertheless, like many other urban ares in Pakistan, the city has long suffered blocked sewers and a poor waste management system.

In 2021 the Asian Development Bank and regional government embarked on a $250m (£185m) project to replace 30km of sewage pipes in Sialkot and install a sewage pump, but the problems have not gone away.

Khawar Anwar Khawaja, the former chief executive of Sialkot international airport, whose father also built the city’s chamber of commerce, said local authorities bore partial responsibility. “Whenever there was rain, it drained very quickly but over the years, [Sialkot’s drainage system] has rotted because the local government is not playing its role in cleaning, de-silting the drains,” he said. “They’ve got billions of rupees but they’re not doing a proper job.”

Voluntary and community-funded aid deliveries in Sialkot city have quickly sprung up to fill the gap where the government has been slow to react.

A group of 14 volunteers from the charity Sherzan have been delivering cooked food, cartons of milk and water from the back of a truck pulled by a tractor – one of the few vehicles that can safely traverse the flooded alleys and roads of Sialkot and its surrounding villages.

“We have no other option. The [government] doesn’t have full facilities and medication to deal with this,” said 28-year-old Wajahat Mirza, a volunteer who has been working for flood-relief initiatives for the past 15 years. “We can pray, we can do better on our end, but we cannot expect anything from our governments.”

The recent Indian media hype surrounding Pakistan Navy’s Hangor-class submarines, particularly the speculative piece by Zee News, betrays a mixture of technical naïveté and political desperation. To a professional eye, the commentary is not an objective assessment of maritime realities, but a thinly veiled attempt at psychological warfare, designed more for domestic consumption than serious naval analysis. From a submarine and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) standpoint, it is imperative to set the record straight.

Since the advent of the nuclear age, undersea warfare has been synonymous with survivability, strategic depth, and assured second strike. Submarines, particularly conventionally powered Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) platforms like Pakistan’s Hangor class, provide the kind of opacity that surface fleets and aircraft can never achieve. They thrive on stealth, ambiguity, and tactical surprise. India’s assumption that its P-8I fleet and a handful of MH-60R Seahawks can sanitize the Arabian Sea and neutralize Pakistan Navy’s submarines reflects a shallow grasp of ASW. Modern Maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) are effective in wide-area surveillance, but their success depends on accurate cueing, persistence in hostile environments and unchallenged air dominance, conditions that are unlikely in a contested battlespace adjoining Karachi and Ormara, well within Pakistan’s layered Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) envelope.

The Indian narrative rests heavily on the dismissal of Chinese technology, an underestimation that has recently cost India heavily. On 6–7 May, the Indian Air Force learned this lesson the hard way, suffering aircraft losses to the lethal combination of the J-10C and PL-15 Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile system. This “bloody nose” should have been a sobering reminder that Chinese combat systems have matured beyond the stage of mere imitations. The Hangor class, derived from the Type-039A Yuan design, embodies this evolution. Fitted with AIP modules, advanced quieting measures, and modern combat management suites, these submarines represent a quantum leap in Pakistan’s underwater warfare capabilities. To dismiss them as vulnerable to standard ASW playbooks is as reckless as underestimating the Chinese technology and Pakistani skill in the skies.

Unlike the exaggerated claims of Indian analysts, Pakistan Navy’s submarine force carries a record of professional competence and operational credibility. The most celebrated example remains the sinking of INS KHUKRI by PNS/MHANGOR in 1971, a singular event that cemented Pakistan’s place among professional undersea forces. But more recently, Pakistan’s quiet but effective tracking and exposure of Indian submarines, including the much-hyped Kalvari-class, demonstrates that the PN is the dominant maritime force in the littoral battlespace of North Arabian Sea. Repeated detections of Indian submarines attempted intrusion into Pakistani waters, only to be forced to surface or retreat under the shadow of PN’s P-3C Orions, leave little doubt as to where operational skill and discipline lie. The Kalvari incident, in particular, was not merely a tactical embarrassment for the Indian Navy, but a strategic indictment of its undersea force’s material state and poor professional training.

Beyond tactical failings, the material condition of India’s undersea fleet leaves a troubling picture. A navy that has suffered collisions, dockyard mishaps, and even the unimaginable blunder of diving a nuclear submarine with its hatch open cannot credibly claim mastery of undersea operations. The resignation of a serving Indian Naval Chief after a string of accidents remains a rare and damning event in modern naval history. This accident-prone culture reflects systemic issues: inadequate maintenance regimes, overconfidence bred by political rhetoric, and a dangerous reliance on imported hardware with limited indigenous absorption of complex technologies. The list on such accidents is so long that Wikipedia has dedicated a page to the list of Indian Naval Accidents which is second only to the crashes of Indian Air Force.

Much of the Indian argumentation hinges on the near-mythical capabilities of the P-8I Poseidon fleet. While undoubtedly globally one of the most capable long range maritime patrol aircraft in service, the P-8I is no panacea. Its effectiveness is contingent on uncontested access to airspace, permissive electronic warfare conditions, and sustained tactical coordination with surface and subsurface assets. Expecting P-8Is to patrol freely in waters directly abutting Karachi and Ormara, inside Pakistan’s integrated air defence and A2/AD bubble, is the height of operational fantasy. The P-8Is may excel in peacetime constabulary patrols, but in a high-threat scenario, its survivability against long-range SAM systems and fighter cover is highly questionable. Relying on it as the silver bullet against PN submarines borders on reckless self-deception.

Indian policy makers and media organs have for too long relied on chest-thumping narratives rather than sober assessments of capability. The so-called “two-and-a-half front” excuse floated after the May 25 crisis was less an admission of strategic overextension than an attempt to pacify domestic audiences disillusioned by the IAF and Indian Army’s performance. Similarly, repeated references to Chinese and Turkish support for Pakistan are meant to externalize failure rather than recognize the very real operational shortcomings of India’s own armed forces. In the ASW domain, this propaganda-driven blindness manifests as overconfidence in imported platforms. This hubris has turned what should be serious naval debate into a comedy of errors, epitomized by the IAF Chief’s bizarre claim of shooting down a PAF aircraft months after the event, a statement more fit for late-night satire than strategic discourse.

Submarine warfare is an unforgiving domain. Unlike surface ships that can mask weaknesses behind visible hulls and ceremonial deployments, submarines expose professional flaws ruthlessly. Noise discipline, sonar proficiency, crew training and damage-control drills cannot be faked. A submarine force either performs or it is simply hunted down. Pakistan Navy has repeatedly demonstrated mastery of these fundamentals. India, by contrast, continues to grapple with accidents, overestimates its ASW strength and systemic neglect of undersea force readiness. The expectation that Indian submarines can lurk unchallenged off Karachi or Ormara reveals not just ignorance of PN’s operational capabilities in layered defences, but also a poor grasp of submarine vulnerability in congested littoral waters.

The continued underestimation of Chinese technology, the misplaced faith in imported ASW assets and the chronic accidents afflicting the Indian Navy leave a sobering conclusion: New Delhi’s maritime chest-thumping convinces no one beyond its Hindutva-driven domestic audience. For professionals in the field, these narratives only reinforce the perception of a force adrift between inflated rhetoric and underwhelming capability. Pakistan Navy’s Hangor-class submarines, coupled with a tradition of disciplined undersea operations and proven ASW detection track record, remain credible guarantors of deterrence in the Arabian Sea. While no port approaches are invulnerable, to imagine that P-8Is and MH-60Rs can sanitize waters adjoining Karachi under wartime conditions is to confuse Hollywood with operational art. In the unforgiving calculus of submarine warfare, professionalism, discipline and survivability matter more than propaganda. And by those metrics, Pakistan’s undersea arm continues to dictate the strategic reality in Arabian Sea.

Ehsan Ahmed khan

– The writer is a PhD scholar of International Relations at the School of Integrated Social Sciences, University of Lahore, and Deputy President Maritime Centre of Excellence at Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore.

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) DI Khan has officially announced the results of the Intermediate Part I & II Annual Examination 2025 today, Saturday, August 30, 2025.

At 10:00 AM, a ceremony was held to highlight the achievements of top position holders, attended by board officials and education representatives. The complete results will be available later today on the official BISE DI Khan website.

How to Check BISE DI Khan Part I & Part II Result 2025

Students can check their results:

Online: through the board’s official website (www.bisedik.edu.pk/).
Helpline: Call 0966-730501-3 for any queries related to results.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday held a meeting with a group of leading United Arab Emirates (UAE) investors and businessmen and highlighted the country’s economic reforms and investment opportunities.

The delegation led by Mohamed Baradei – Group CIO of the EIX, an Abu Dhabi-based global company specializing in investment and strategic advisory services, said a news release.

Welcoming the delegation, the minister expressed his appreciation for their visit to Pakistan and hoped that their interactions with government leaders, private sector representatives, and local investors had provided them with valuable insights into the country’s investment potential.

G2G framework: Plan approved to hand over Islamabad Airport operations to UAE

Aurangzeb briefed the delegation on the state of Pakistan’s economy and the wide-ranging structural reforms undertaken over the past one and a half years, emphasizing that the direction of travel was firmly positive across all macroeconomic indices.

He highlighted the achievement of a primary surplus after many years, the return of inflation to single digits, stable currency, robust foreign exchange reserves, and external validation from leading international rating agencies which are now aligned in their improved assessment of Pakistan’s economy.

Exports and remittances were described as healthy, while the Karachi Stock Exchange has been witnessing unprecedented activity, with over 70,000 new investors entering the market, reflecting growing confidence among both domestic and foreign investors.

He noted that Pakistan was preparing to tap international capital markets through its first-ever Panda bond, while also planning future issuances in Euro and USD markets to further strengthen reserves.

He underscored the government’s commitment to addressing investor concerns, noting that taxation reforms, tariff rationalization, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and a series of bold structural measures were aimed at fundamentally transforming the DNA of the economy.

He informed the investors about promising opportunities in the mining sector, especially the Reko Diq project, which is expected to significantly strengthen Pakistan’s external sector through sustainable foreign inflows.

He also shared updates on the government’s upcoming industrial policy, which will provide a roadmap for further improving the investment climate, and noted that bold tariff reforms and the launch of policies such as the digital and export promotion policies indicate the government’s future trajectory of reforms.

The minister also spoke about efforts to widen and deepen the tax base beyond the manufacturing and salaried sectors by bringing services, wholesale, retail, and agriculture into the net, while simultaneously working to lower energy and financing costs for businesses.

He highlighted ongoing privatization efforts, with major transactions including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other state assets expected to proceed in the coming weeks and months.

ISLAMABAD: As country reels under heavy floods and consequent devastation, Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Musadik Malik has said that Pakistan is suffering from an entrenched elite culture, where riverside properties belong only to the powerful rather than the poor.

“There is no poor man’s hotel on the riverbank — only resorts of the powerful,” he said while speaking on Geo News programme “Geo Pakistan”.

Mistrust persists among provinces over dams and canals, with each suspecting the other of withholding water, he added.

“Balochistan believes it is deprived and that Sindh gets water but does not pass it on,” he remarked, adding that consensus on water infrastructure had been lacking.

The minister described telemetry as the solution to end lack of trust between the provinces. Work on the project, he said, had already begun and was expected to be completed within a year or so.

Malik highlighted that people have cultivated their crops inside riverbeds, that has further aggravated the flood situation.

He warned that Sargodha had begun to feel the impact of flooding and projected that once rivers converge at Panjnad, water flow could rise to one million cusecs.

He noted that evacuations were carried out on advance warnings, with both people and livestock moved to safety. In one case, 30 residents initially refused to leave their village but were persuaded to evacuate; floodwaters have since reached the area, he added.

The minister stressed that without water reservoirs at the tehsil and district level, the country will remain vulnerable. He called for the creation of natural water reserves across Pakistan to deal with future crises.

Pakistan is battling torrential monsoon rains that have unleashed flash floods, swelled rivers, and filled dams, with more than 800 deaths reported since late June. Amid the heavy rains, India released excess water this week from its dams, swelling river flows downstream in Punjab.

The NDMA said that Pakistan evacuated more than 210,000 villagers near the rivers Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab that flow from India.

Pakistani officials on Thursday said India passed on its third flood warning since Sunday, this time for the Sutlej, while the previous two concerned waters heading into Pakistan on the Ravi.

IT rained heavily in 2020. And now it is 2025. The rains have once again devastated Karachi. We have witnessed flooded streets, huge traffic jams, students, working-class employees, motorcyclists and other commuters unable to reach their homes in a paralysed city.

Karachi’s people are willing to help marooned citizens in any way they can. Given the time that has elapsed between 2020 and 2025, the Karachi public is angry and is asking a relevant question: what have Karachi agencies done in the last five years to tackle flooding and related issues in the city? The answer is — nothing. The agencies respond that precipitation patterns have changed and because of that it is not possible to predict how the rain system for Karachi will evolve. They also point out that other South Asian cities, like Mumbai, face problems similar to those of Karachi.

Over the past few years, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and local agencies have tried to tackle Karachi’s drainage problems. In 2021, a survey by NED University, tasked with conducting a study of Karachi’s settlements, identified three Karachi nullahs that needed to be cleared of encroachments to facilitate the flow of water. Professionals, NGOs and ‘experts’ objected to the survey because they considered it to be one of ‘properties’ and not of people or households. As a result of the survey, about 7,500 families were removed from around the Orangi, Mehmoodabad and Gujjar nullahs so that Karachi would not flood. Their houses were bulldozed and they became homeless. The Supreme Court, while permitting the demolition, ordered the rehabilitation of those affected.

There has been much agitation by civil society against the ‘cruelty’ that the process has generated, and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari promised that the affected population would be rehabilitated. Recently, the Sindh High Court ordered that, in compliance with Supreme Court directives, the evicted population be rehoused, with funds allocated by the Sindh government. However, not much work has been done to implement judicial orders.

As has been pointed out by my colleagues and myself several times, one of the major drainage problems that the city faces is that its outfalls to the sea are blocked for the most part, and even where they are not, the gates to the outfalls do not function. A detailed study of the Mehmoodabad nullah was carried out by the Technical Training Resource Centre (TTRC), an Orangi-based organisation. The study discovered that the majority of gates which feed the outfalls to the Gizri Creek were inoperable, thus preventing more than 70 per cent of effluent from reaching the outfalls and leading to the flooding of large areas in DHA Phase IV and VII.

What have Karachi agencies done to tackle urban flooding.

The other interesting fact the study revealed was that the Mehmoodabad nullah was served by 34 smaller nullahs, which flowed into it in its journey to the Gizri Creek. These sub-nullahs are also blocked by garbage and debris and stop rainwater from flowing into the main nullah, causing floods in the settlements they pass through. Unless they are desilted and maintained, the Mehmoodabad nullah cannot function to its full capacity. There is, except for the TTRC study, no mapping of the 34 sub-nullahs or the Mehmoodabad outfall to the sea.

The desilting carried out by the NDMA and local government agencies did not even reduce flooding, let alone arrest it. The desilting and construction of the reinforced concrete retaining walls are incomplete to this day.

So one thing is clear: that removing low-income settlem­ents alone will not solve Karachi’s dra­inage problems. There are also middle-class and elite houses that are stopping the flow of floodwaters. May­be, a study of removing should also be considered.

But there are other problems as well. This relates to the estate developers’ greed for land and their control over the land market and the government agencies which help them operate it. For example, the Orangi nullah has roads on either side of it and these have been increased to nine metres in width, although only 3.5 metres are required. Given the location of the Orangi nullah from the Lyari Expressway to the RCD highway, this is an ideal place for real estate development, which will surely take place, creating further flooding across Karachi and increasing traffic problems.

If a solution to Karachi’s drainage-related issues and problems is required then all the points discussed above will have to be taken into consideration. It has to be understood that without efficient institutional arrangements these issues cannot be resolved.

The writer is an architect.

arifhasan37@gmail.com

www.arifhasan.org

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025

RECENT media reports indicate that the ‘27th constitutional amendment’ is likely to divide the existing four federating units into 12 provinces.

Before finalising such a decision, parliamentarians must consider a superior alternative — to use this amendment to delineate local government (LGs) responsibilities and functions in Article 140-A of the Constitution and insert an additional list in the Fourth Schedule supplementing the federal and provincial lists.

There are compelling arguments why the division may not achieve the intended goal of providing public services to citizens. The timing is not ideal, as it could hinder the economy’s transition from stabilisation to sustained inclusive growth. Article 239(4) requires the provincial assemblies to pass a resolution to create new provinces. Achieving a two-thirds majority for these resolutions is unlikely, and political tension could increase at a time when stability is needed for economic reform.

There are compelling arguments why more provinces may not achieve the intended goal.

Second, even if this happens, dividing assets and liabilities, handling legal disputes, restructuring administrations, reassigning civil servants, delimiting constituencies and redrawing boundaries would distract policymakers from their focus on economic recovery.

A third aspect is the potential for significant increases in public expenditure due to additional offices, residences, vehicles, equipment, benefits, protocol, and operating costs for numerous ministers, legislators and bureaucrats, affecting fiscal consolidation efforts.

Fourth, decision-making and dispute resolution at the CCI, NFC and NEC may be delayed as provinces extend negotiations to support their respective claims. Fifth, citizens’ access to ministers and legislators would remain restricted compared to that of nazims and councillors also residing in the same villages and cities.

Sixth, business costs would escalate as companies operating nationwide would fall under 12 jurisdictions and file separate tax returns with different rates. Seventh, intra-regional inequalities would become sharper as relatively well-endowed areas such as Peshawar and Hazara in KP, Quetta in Balochistan, central and western Punjab and southern Sindh would do well compared to other provinces in the same region.

What should Article 140-A and the new Fourth Schedule list prescribe for LGs?

a) LGs would have complete control over education in primary and secondary schools up to Matric, healthcare up to district hospitals, water supply, sewerage, solid waste disposal, population planning, sports, mass transit, roads, bridges within district limits, prosecution, social welfare, and community and women’s development. All staff up to Grade 16 would be transferred along with their salary and allowance budgets.

b) Nazims would be directly elected on a party basis and half the seats of various corporations and councils allocated on through proportional representation, reserved for women, technocrats, minorities, peasants and labourers. Large urban areas would have metropolitan corporations with the mayor heading the district government.

For example, the Lahore Metropolitan Corporation nazim would supervise and oversee agencies such as LDA, WASA, the waste management company, the Mass Transit Authority, and the Lahore Industrial Estates Development Company in addition to devolved departments. For other districts, there would be a mix of district councils and municipal corporations/committees. In predominantly rural areas, the district council nazim would head the district government. Each province would design its own configuration of union, town, tehsil, municipal and district councils depending on population, area and density. What Punjab may choose may not fit the needs of Balochistan with its small population and larger area.

c) In the context of fiscal decentralisation, the Provincial Finance Commission will allocate a minimum of 30 to 40 per cent of the provincial share from the divisible tax pool (without disturbing the existing NFC award allocation to the provinces) to LGs, granting them autonomy in budget formulation and implementation. The PFC would give preference in allocation to backward districts as advanced districts can mobilise revenues from their own sources, incentivised by matching grants.

The LG would assess and collect urban immovable property tax, capital gains tax, agricultural tax, cesses, user charges and fees, and spend these resources in their respective jurisdictions. Evidence shows that raising taxes or charging user fees for services at the local level is relatively easy. The district accounts officer would report administratively to the district nazim, but be professionally supervised by the province’s accountant general.

Audit of accounts at all tiers of government would be done by the auditor general of Pakistan. CEOs of corporations and district councils would act as principal accounting officers for issues under their control, head the district development working party (for approval of ADP projects), and district accounts committees.

d) Administratively, current LG and local council service staff should be replaced with experts, professional managers and specialists recruited by the Public Service Commission at market-based salaries. Citizen-facing roles should be filled by young, qualified, courteous and capable officers. Devolved departments’ district executive officers must have the legal powers to resolve citizens’ issues without referring the matter to provincial secretariats.

e) A subsection defining province-LG relations must be inserted and include performance indicators, monitoring and evaluation, audits, etc. Provision for suspending or superseding LGs should not be at the discretion of the chief ministers. Deputy commissioners can assist LGs but not interfere in their daily affairs.

If effectively implemented, strengthening LGs may offer substantial advantages relative to the creation of new provinces. First, it would minimise dissatisfaction with the government as citizens would be able to access basic services at the grassroots level.

Second, they would have a say in setting priorities and decision-making, leading to efficient resource allocation and cost-effectiveness.

Third, it would enable political parties to become training grounds for a critical mass of young leaders to gain hands-on experience for shouldering responsibilities as future provincial and federal ministers.

Fourth, it would promote political inclusion and deter dynastic politics by giving representation to marginalised and excluded groups — women, minorities, peasants and labour, professionals, and experts — in the governance structure.

Fifth, people may be more willing to pay taxes when collected by their local representatives instead of distant central authorities, as they would directly observe the benefits. Finally, there would be no large increase in unproductive expenditure as elected LG officials live in their own residences within the community, while their offices and facilities are already in place.

The writer is former chairman, National Commission for Government Reforms and former adviser to the PM on institutional reforms.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025

• Calls climate change ‘a national issue’, requiring coordinated efforts and preparedness
• Iranian president offers condolences and assistance
• Army chief visits Sialkot, Shakargarh, Narowal and Kartarpur flood-hit areas; assures Sikh community of Darbar Sahib’s restoration

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Sheh­baz Sharif on Friday announced that the federal government was preparing a comprehensive strategy with consultation of all federating units for the construction of water reservoirs and impro­ved water management across the country, as devastating floods continued to wreak havoc.

According to the PM Office, the prime minister said that water reservoirs would be built through consultation and complete coordination with the provinces. “Climate change is a reality, and only through effective preparedness can the damages of natural disasters be minimised,” he was quoted as saying.

The PM underlined that all provinces, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the centre must work together to safeguard people from the adverse impacts of climate change, terming it a national issue that requires collective effort.

Relevant quarters are already working on his directives to formulate an effective policy for timely response to the impacts of climate change and the monsoon. The working paper of this policy will be shared with all provincial governments to devise a joint course of action.

The statement added that once the emergency situation subsides, the prime minister will convene a high-level meeting with the chief ministers of all four provinces, along with the heads of relevant institutions. The prime minister of AJ&K and the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan will also be invited to the session.

At the same time, the premier appreciated the gesture of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) employees for donating their one-day salary, amounting to Rs20 million, to support flood victims.

Iran offers help

Also on Friday, the prime minister received a telephone call from the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, who conveyed his condolences and solidarity with the people of Pakistan over the devastation caused by the ongoing floods in various parts of the country.

Expressing sympathy with the bereaved families who lost loved ones and property in the calamity, President Pezeshkian assured that Iran stood by Pakistan in this difficult time and offered whatever assistance his country could extend to the flood-affected population.

The prime minister thanked President Pezeshkian for his thoughtful gesture and Iran’s expression of support, terming it a reflection of the deep fraternal ties between the two nations. He also requested that his warm regards and good wishes be conveyed to the Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and expressed keen anticipation of their interaction at the upcoming SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, reports APP.

COAS visits flood-hit areas

Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir visited flood-affected areas of Punjab, including the Sialkot

Sector, Shakargarh, Narowal, and Kartarpur, to review the situation and ongoing rescue and relief efforts.

During his visit, the COAS interacted with the affected Sikh community and assured them that all religious sites damaged during the floods, including Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, would be fully restored to their original condition on priority.

He reiterated that it is the responsibility of the state and its institutions to protect the minorities and their religious sites and the state of Pakistan will leave no stone unturned to uphold its responsibility towards the minorities.

The Sikh community warmly welcomed the army chief at the flood-affected areas of Sialkot Sector and thanked the army and civil administration for their services during the calamity.

Gen Asim Munir also conducted an aerial survey of Durbar Sahib Kartarpur. While interacting with representatives of civil administration, he appreciated their proactive response, which helped minimise the loss of lives and property.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Friday drained floodwater and restored the historic Kartarpur Gurdwara, ensuring that the sacred Sikh shrine reopens soon for the international pilgrims.

On the direction of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the gurdwara would be reopened for Sikh pilgrims within three to four days, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a statement.

Following unprecedented floods that brought 10 to 12 feet of water into the Kartarpur Gurdwara Complex, rescue teams evacuated Sikh pilgrims using motorboats and shifted them to safety.

“Under the CM’s directives, Suthra Punjab teams and officials from multiple government departments worked around the clock to drain water out, clean the premises, and restore the Gurdwara’s sanctity. The Darshan Deori and all sections of the shrine have been thoroughly cleaned, while the expansive courtyard has been cleared and washed,” Ms Aurangzeb said.

The chief minister reaffirmed her government’s commitment to safeguarding religious heritage and ensuring the facilitation of Sikh pilgrims.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025