Category: 1. Pakistan

It was a routine day, and 26-year-old Muntazer Mehdi had performed his mid-afternoon prayers. Then, after lunch, the mountains started growling.

The tailor, who lived in Chogogrung village at the foothills of the Siachen glacier – the world’s second-largest non-polar glacier – knew what he had to do: Run.

Mehdi, his wife and their two children had to flee their home in late July after glacial melting led to a lake outburst. “We knew what was coming because of how loud the clanking of the rocks was, and the water stream stopped,” he said. “We had just enough time to make it to a higher elevation and save ourselves, but all our life savings, home, livestock, it’s all gone, wiped out in a few moments.”

Mehdi and his family walked nearly 100km (60 miles) to the next village and from there hitched a car ride to get to Skardu, the largest city in the area.

Theirs is one of many similar stories to have emerged in recent weeks from Gilgit-Baltistan, a part of Pakistan-administered Kashmir where floods have submerged entire villages, especially in Ghizer district.

Pakistan is facing a multitude of climate emergencies – its forests are shrinking, glaciers are melting faster than anticipated, and now catastrophic rains are devastating communities.

Rampant deforestation has eroded natural buffers, while warming mountain temperatures weaken glaciers, destabilising landscapes and exposing people to landslides and floods.

Glacier outburst flood blocked Ghizer river, put residents living near bank of the river at risk, the stranded people in flood managed to cross, flood damaged Talidas village. pic.twitter.com/FsYbvDxL8f

— Jamil Nagri (@jamilnagri) August 22, 2025

These intersecting threats have collided this year as the monsoon rains and rare cloudbursts have slammed northern regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The water has then pushed downstream, creating havoc in other parts of Pakistan too – the damage amplified by the construction of residential societies near river banks and over flood plains in recent decades.

In this year’s monsoon, since June 26, at least 804 people have died, a majority of them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

What’s happening to Pakistan’s glaciers?

A study by EvK2CNR, an Italian nonprofit that focuses on scientific research in high-mountain environments, in 2024 revealed that Pakistan is home to 13,032 glaciers, which cover 13,546.93 square kilometres (5,230 square miles) across the basins of the Gilgit, Indus, Jhelum, Kabul and Tarim rivers.

Pakistan has the largest volume of glacial ice for any country outside polar regions.

Uniquely, the meeting point of three major mountain ranges, the Hindu Kush, the Himayalas and the Karokaram lies in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Glacial ice is also a major source of water for Pakistan’s 220 million people.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), a consortium of regional countries that the Hindu Kush and Himalaya mountain ranges span, conducted a study that indicates that the Hindu Kush and Himalayan glaciers disappeared 65 percent faster in the 2011-2020 period than in the previous decade.

According to Zakir Hussain Zakir, the director of planning and development at University of Baltistan, the rate of melting is 10-30 metres (33-100ft) per year in the Himalayas, 5-10 metres (16-33ft) in the Hindu Kush, and 2-3 metres (7-10ft) in the Karokaram. Glacial ice is melting faster than new snow can replenish, as summers get longer.

“The melting has accelerated due to global warming, where Pakistan remains a small contributor,” says Dawar Hameed Butt, principal adviser of Climate Action Pakistan (CFP).

This warming has set in motion a dangerous cycle: Higher temperatures accelerate glacier melt, which exposes darker rocky surfaces.

“These surfaces, in turn, absorb more heat, further speeding up the melting process. We are now witnessing these feedback loops unfold,” he said.

Zakir Hussain, director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (Gilgit-Baltistan) – no relation to the University of Baltistan academic – says the effect of carbon emission can be seen in real time.

“Our elders used to say, in our traditional ways, that by August 15, glacier melting would stop and snow would start packing in. Now, because of climate change, the glaciers are melting faster and longer.”

For decades, valley communities have shaped their practices around the expectation of stable glaciers, but that assumption is no longer reliable. The quicker movement of glaciers is also loosening the rocky terrain around them, increasing the risk of large-scale landslides.

Zakir of the University of Baltistan says increased tourism and construction have contributed to glacial melting: Since 2005, when Skardu’s runway was expanded, large planes have been able to ferry travellers to the region daily. Pakistan’s state carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, previously relied on smaller Fokker planes for daily flights to Gilgit, weather permitting.

 

“Increased air traffic in the region is considered a key cause of melting glaciers,” Zakir says.

Hussain of PDMA refutes this and says, “There is no industry in Gilgit-Baltistan; we produce little or no carbon emissions and are at the receiving end of it.”

What’s happening to Pakistan’s forests?

Pakistan’s topography spans high mountains, fertile plains, deserts, and river valleys, with sharp contrasts between arid and glaciated zones.

According to European Space Agency WorldCover, about 2.72 percent of the land is covered by snow and ice, the largest concentration outside the polar regions. These glaciers feed the Indus River system, which supports nearly 90 percent of the country’s agriculture.

Forests cover only 5.23 percent of land, offering limited protection against erosion and floods.

The monsoon delivers nearly three-quarters of South Asia’s annual rainfall, vital for Pakistan’s crops. But over the past decade, cloudbursts and heavier rains have triggered flash floods and landslides with increasing frequency.

According to Global Forest Watch, a forest monitoring digital platform, from 2001 to 2024, Pakistan lost 95.3sq km (9.53 kilohectares) of forest cover – roughly half the area of Islamabad, the country’s capital city.

 

Why are the trees cut?

According to Global Forest Watch, Pakistan is losing tree cover due to both permanent deforestation and temporary disturbances.

From 2001 to 2024, Pakistan lost nearly 8 percent of its tree cover.

At least 78% (6,870 hectares) of tree cover loss was due to logging, followed by wildfires, at 12% (1,080 hectares), permanent agriculture (492 hectares), temporary disturbances like natural disasters (184 hectares) and new settlements and infrastructure (179 hectares).

Ahmed Kamal, the additional secretary of Khyber-Pakhtunkwa’s forest department, says the province’s forests have fallen victim to government policies.

Until the 1990s, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa allowed a practice known as “scientific harvesting” – which involved the selective felling of old or diseased trees so forests could regenerate. But amid allegations that the timber mafia, in connivance with forest department officials, was misusing the system, the federal government imposed a blanket ban on cutting trees.

This, Kamal said, “has instead driven illegal logging and worsened deforestation”.

According to Kamal, the state-imposed ban has hurt forest-dependent communities, once entitled to 40-80 percent of royalties from legal harvesting. Deprived of income, many turned to illegal logging, often cutting young trees.

This has eaten into Pakistan’s valuable deodar reserves. Deodar is known for its fragrance and durability. The wood has insect-repellant and anti-bacterial properties, and is valuable for medical extract and essential oils.

But Adil Zareef, the convener of Sustainable Conservation Network (SCN), a nongovernmental organisation, says in practice, a caretaker government that ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from January 2023 to March 2024 handed over what are known as “Guzara forests” to real estate developers. The caretaker government was in office after the provincial assembly was dissolved. Guzara forests  are managed by local tribes or individuals that hold traditional rights over the land, and the forest department.

Butt of Climate Action Pakistan told Al Jazeera that deforestation was creating “the conditions for uncontrollable water run-off, leaving structures and communities defenceless”.

In districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, such as Buner and Swabi, deluges dropped more than 150mm (6 inches) of rain in an hour, triggering flash floods and landslides that destroyed infrastructure and swept away entire villages.

Is this affecting other parts of Pakistan?

As flood water cascades downstream, it is combining with unprecedented rains in northern Punjab to submerge the heart of Pakistan’s industrial belt. Sialkot city in Punjab, for instance, was hit with over 360mm of rainfall in 24 hours on Wednesday, breaking a 49-year record, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

Nearly 75km (50 miles) away, the revered Kartarpur Gurdwara, which is connected by a corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India, stood almost entirely submerged on Wednesday. Pakistani officials have accused India of exacerbating the floods by releasing torrents of water from upriver dams, but India has rejected the charge, arguing that it was only following normal release practices.

Indian aggression highly condemned. Under conspiracy, suddenly a huge quantity of water released into rivers by India, resulting in severe flooding in Pakistan.The entire Kartarpur area has been submerged. Land of Guru Nanak is totally under water. pic.twitter.com/WeqVr7sTsx

— Senator Krishna Kumari (@KeshooBai) August 27, 2025

As Pakistan’s limited dams and reservoirs, too, reach full capacity, the risk of further floods, destruction and damage continues. The monsoon isn’t over – neither is its devastation.

Additional reporting from Peshawar by Ghulam Dastageer 

NAROWAL: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday emphasised the importance of constructing water reservoirs to reduce the destructive impact of flash floods and safeguard people’s lives and means of livelihood.

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 National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that Pakistan evacuated more than 210,000 villagers near the rivers Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab that flow from India.

Earlier in the day, Pakistani officials 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.

Speaking at a high-level meeting to review the country’s flood situation today, the prime minister highlighted that increasing storage capacity was crucial and stressed to begin work immediately. “Storage capacity is the need of the hour, and without wasting any more time, we should start work in this regard,” he said.

PM Shehbaz, stressing the importance of generating resources to fund the construction of dams and water reservoirs nationwide, said, “We will have to generate the resources by ourselves”.

He also called for the speedy completion of ongoing projects including Diamir Bhasha Dam to safeguard against future disasters.

The prime minister noted that the floods initially struck the northern areas but were now wreaking havoc in Punjab’s plains. He offered prayers for those who lost their lives due to floods and torrential rains.

He praised the coordinated efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the NDMA, Pakistan Army, and other relevant civil departments for their dedicated work during rescue and relief operations.

“This sense of cooperation between the Punjab government and relevant departments has helped minimise losses,” he added.

Recalling floods in 2022, which primarily affected Sindh and Balochistan, PM Shehbaz warned that Pakistan remained one of the top ten countries most affected by climate change, making such disasters likely to recur in the coming years.

He urged all departments to enhance preparedness and adopt short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to confront future challenges through robust decision-making.

Speaking during the meeting, CM Maryam expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and damage to crops and infrastructure caused by the floods. She emphasised that no deaths occurred due to negligence or lack of coordination.

The chief minister praised NDMA, PDMA, police, civil defense, and the Pakistan Army for rescuing over 50,000 people and successfully executing timely evacuations through an effective early warning system. She also noted minimal livestock losses due to swift rescue efforts.

With parts of the Gurdwara completely inundated, the chief minister directed authorities to drain the water as soon as possible.

She said she had also ordered to activate field hospitals along with diverting 1,000 mobile clinics to flood-affected areas.

The chief minister also directed to ensure ample stock of vaccines and prioritised vulnerable populations such as women, children, and the elderly, in rescue operations.

She also highlighted that around 200km of roads had been damaged and ordered immediate restoration of temporary routes to maintain connectivity.

She reiterated the necessity of infrastructure to store maximum water and minimize wastage, emphasising long-term rehabilitation plans.

Earlier, Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Inam Haider presented a detailed briefing about the overall situation of the floods in Punjab.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday, pledging Ankara’s continued assistance after deadly floods and landslides struck Pakistan.

According to the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, the leaders discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues.

During the conversation, Erdoğan extended condolences for the loss of life in recent disasters and conveyed his wishes for Sharif’s recovery, as the Pakistani prime minister has also been facing health concerns.

Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye has been delivering humanitarian assistance to affected areas and stands ready to provide “more comprehensive support” if needed.

The flooding and landslides in Pakistan have displaced thousands and left communities struggling with damaged infrastructure and food shortages.

Ankara has sent relief materials in past crises and is expected to continue channeling aid through its disaster agencies and non-governmental organizations.

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KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Thursday his government is “well prepared” to tackle the looming threat of downstream floods from Punjab, saying officials were monitoring the River Indus and its embankments while climate activists and residents expressed fear. 

Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned that rising water levels in Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers were carrying exceptionally high flows and were likely to course downstream into Sindh. The NDMA urged the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh on Wednesday to evacuate people near the Indus River’s embankments and in riverine areas of the province. 

Torrential rains and excess water released by India have caused devastating floods in Punjab, where 17 people have been killed this week and over 1,600 villages have been submerged with water. Pakistan’s Meteorological Department has warned that Sindh is likely to receive heavy downpours on Aug. 30 and 31 in Tharparkar, Umerkot, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Dadu districts. 

“The government is well prepared to face the situation we are anticipating,” Shah told Arab News. 

He added that the provincial irrigation department is closely monitoring River Indus and its embankments at the Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri barrages. 

Shah said his government has activated its emergency response mechanism to counter the looming threat of floods. He said the provincial government had reconstructed headworks and strengthened embankments after the cataclysmic floods of 2022, with several projects still ongoing. 

The provincial government has also constructed eco-friendly homes for people affected by the 2022 floods in Sindh under the Peoples Housing Project initiative, the chief minister said. 

“This time under the Peoples Housing Project, we have constructed houses damaged during the flood of 2022 in elevated areas,” Shah said. 

Shah said relief measures taken by the province included officials stocking relief goods such as tents and mosquito nets. He said the government will also seek cooperation from the Pakistan Navy to evacuate people if necessary. 

The Indus River passes through most of Sindh’s districts, leaving them vulnerable to floods when upstream rivers swell. Pakistan’s 2022 monsoon floods, the worst in its history, submerged a third of the country, killed more than 1,700 people and displaced 33 million. 

Sindh bore the brunt of the calamity with 1,093 deaths, 1.8 million homes destroyed and the loss of 4.4 million acres of crops. Over a decade earlier in 2011, more than 430 people were killed as over 17 districts were flooded with water. A year before that in 2010, large areas of Pakistan and Sindh were inundated by “super-floods,” resulting in the displacement of millions.

’SUBMERGED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS’

Sindh-based writer Manzoor Solangi recalled how the 2010 floods were one of the five largest floods recorded worldwide since 1887, adding that nearly one million cusecs of water flowed downstream into the province.

He remembered how his home district of Naushahro Feroze received an unprecedented 1,763 millimeters of rainfall in 2022, damaging his house. 

“There are fears the flow this time could exceed 1.2 million cusecs, a level beyond the capacity of the flow of Sindh’s all three barrages, Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri,” Solangi warned. 

He noted that authorities may be forced to create breaches in flood protection dikes, which could result in large-scale flooding in Sindh’s settled areas.”

Climate activists agree. 

“Climate change is a reality— a harsh reality we have to deal with,” Shahzeb Shah Jillani, a Khairpur-based climate activist, told Arab News.

“Vulnerable dikes and embankments must be reinforced, disposal systems functional, and health services ready for the outbreak of diseases that we witnessed in 2022.”

For families living near rivers in Sindh, the warnings come with genuine fear. 

In Dadu district’s Johi city, schoolteacher Ranjho Khan Jamali still remembers the devastation of the previous floods. His extended family in a nearby village was displaced in 2022, losing livestock and grain stores.

“When our area is flooded, it’s not submerged for days or weeks but for several months,” he said. 

“If the river overflows, we’ll be the ones who go under. That much we know.”

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Thursday resigned from four standing committees in the National Assembly (NA), he confirmed in comments to Dawn.com.

PTI lawmakers have begun resigning from membership and chairmanship of all standing committees in the NA after instructions from party founder Imran Khan, after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in July and August disqualified a large number of PTI members and leaders in relation to their involvement in the May 9, 2023 riots against Imran’s arrest.

“I resigned from the committees based on the instructions of the PTI founder and the political committee,” Gohar said over the phone. “I submitted my resignation to the speaker’s office and resigned from the committees on law and justice, human rights, IT and the House Business Advisory Committee.”

PTI Chief Whip Aamir Dogar also announced his resignation from NA standing committees in a post on X, where he wrote that he submitted the resignations upon the instructions of the party founder and ex-premier.

“I am a true soldier of Imran Khan, and no position holds more meaning than my leader,” he wrote. “The sole purpose of my politics is Imran Khan’s mission, Pakistan’s true independence and service to the people.”

He enclosed a photo of his resignation letter with the X post, which outlined that he resigned from the NA standing committees on religious affairs and interfaith harmony, the Public Accounts Committee, energy (Power Division) and the committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges.

Meanwhile, NA Director General (Media) Zafar Sultan Khan confirmed to Dawn.com that 18 PTI members, including Gohar, resigned from standing committees.

“Barrister Gohar submitted the resignations of 18 PTI members, including himself, from standing committees,” he said in a voice note, adding that PTI members are part of 34 standing committees in the House.

The list of resigning PTI members, provided by DG Sultan, is as follows:

• Amjad Ali Khan
• Sahibzada Sibghatullah
• Mahboob Shah
• Junaid Akbar
• Gohar Ali Khan
• Shahzada Muhammad Gustasap Khan
• Ali Jadoon
• Mujahid Ali
• Malik Anwar Taj
• Fazal Muhammad Khan
• Sajid Khan
• Arbab Amir Ayub
• Asif Khan
• Sheikh Waqas Akram
• Arshad Sahi
• Malik Aamir Dogar
• Shabir Ali Qureshi
• Awais Jhakkar

Yesterday, DG Sultan told Dawn.com that Ali Asghar Khan and Faisal Amin had sent their resignations as standing committee members to NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

A statement from Dogar also said: “PTI members of the National Assembly have started acting on the instructions of founding chairman Imran Khan. PTI members of standing committees have started sending their resignations. Many members have submitted their resignations to the National Assembly Secretariat.”

However, a senior official in the secretariat, on condition of anonymity, said that the speaker had yet to receive any of the resignation letters.

The resignation announcement took place following a meeting of PTI’s political committee that ended at 3:30am on Wednesday, according to PTI MNA Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel.

A months-long investigation has uncovered how Pakistan’s rising online gambling crisis is being driven by popular social media influencers, the very people millions look up to.

Evidence obtained by investigators and whistleblowers reveals that the controversial betting app “World 777” has been pouring money into influencer marketing campaigns, enticing unsuspecting Pakistanis, particularly the youth, into dangerous online betting.

The probe has identified a list of high-profile figures allegedly involved in promoting the app, including YouTuber Nadir Ali, Aimen Zaman, Varda Malik, Javeria Aurangzeb, Abeera Khan, Faryal Fairy, Nauman Kazmi, and Furqan Khan. Their promotional videos and social media posts, many of which have now gone viral, encouraged users to sign up for betting, often framing it as “easy money” or “fun challenges.”

But behind the flashy ads and influencer endorsements lies a staggering financial drain.

Officials estimate that billions of rupees are being funneled out of Pakistan every month through these platforms, a shadow economy that not only undermines the nation’s financial stability but also fuels addiction among vulnerable citizens.

A senior official involved in the inquiry said:

Every rupee that leaves the country through these apps is an economic wound. And it’s ordinary Pakistanis especially the youth who are paying the price.

Experts warn that the rise of online gambling is creating a generation vulnerable to financial ruin and psychological harm. Mental health professionals have reported a sharp increase in cases related to betting addiction, particularly among young men. Public anger is also on the rise. Social media users have flooded comment sections, calling out the influencers for their role in promoting what many are calling a “national scam.”

Hashtags like #BanOnlineGambling and #ShameOnInfluencers have trended across platforms, demanding swift government action. Authorities say investigations are ongoing to trace the money trail and identify the networks enabling these platforms to operate.

Regulatory bodies have hinted at tighter digital laws and harsher penalties for both companies and individuals involved in promoting illegal gambling.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Wednesday sent PTI founder Imran Khan’s nephew Shershah Khan to jail on judicial remand in a case pertaining to the Jinnah House attack during the May 9, 2023 riots.

The Lahore Police arrested Shershah, son of Imran’s sister Aleema Khan, from outside his home on August 22. His brother Shahrez Khan, who was picked up the day before, was also handed over to police custody for eight days over the same allegations.

Lahore police presented Shershah before the court of ATC Judge Manzer Ali Gill today upon the completion of his five-day physical remand.

Advocate Rana Mudassar Umer, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, and Barrister Taimur Malik appeared as Shershah’s counsel, while Imtiaz Ahmad Sipra was the prosecutor.

Aleema, along with her sisters Uzma Khan and Noreen, appeared in the court, while Shershah was presented amid tight security.

The prosecution sought a 30-day physical remand, while the defence counsel requested that the suspect be discharged from the case. Judge Gill, rejecting the police request, sent Shershah on judicial remand.

According to the court order, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, Shershah’s photogrammetry test was conducted, and a “wooden danda (baton)” was recovered from his possession. “Sufficient investigation stands concluded,” it said.

Judge Gill noted: “So far as investigation into the extent of social media accounts is concerned, in the present era of technology as well as digital devices, social media accounts of each and every person could be easily traced and recovered without the support of the accused.

“This court is of the further view that there is no sufficient ground available for further physical remand,” he added.

The judge ordered that Shershah be produced before the court on September 11 and directed the investigation officer to submit the charge sheet by then.

At the outset of the hearing, state prosecutor Sipra informed the judge that a baton was recovered from Shershah. However, he added, Shershah’s mobile, tear gas mask and social media accounts were yet to be recovered.

At this point, Advocate Umer asserted that his client was falsely accused and “his arrest in the case was illegal”. “The court may reject the police’s request for physical remand,” he said.

“After 27 months, Shershah was not served even a single notice to record his statement,” Umer added. He noted that a court had previously discharged PTI senior leader Dr Yasmin Rashid from a case of a similar nature.

“We provided a copy of the same court in which, on similar facts, Dr Yasmin Rashid was discharged from this case,” Barrister Malik said on X.

Amnesty International and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan have expressed their concerns over the arrests of Shahrez and Shershah, with the former terming them a “political witch-hunt”.

Shahrez’s wife has said her husband was in Chitral with her family on May 9, 2023, sharing purported pictures from the trip. At the same time, the PTI has challenged a video being shared of Shahrez, stating it was from the party’s public meeting in Kahna held on Sept 21, 2024, not from the 2023 riots.

Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry had defended the arrests last week, saying they could not be chalked off as “fake, fabricated [or] politically motivated”.

On May 9, 2023, PTI supporters, protesting Imran’s arrest, staged violent protests throughout the country, vandalising military installations and state-owned buildings, while also attacking the Lahore corps commander’s residence.

Following the riots, the state launched a crackdown on the PTI, with thousands of protesters and top party leadership arrested. Scores of PTI leaders have recently been convicted in cases over the riots and disqualified from their parliamentary roles.