g MULTAN FORTIFIES FIVE DYKES WITH DYNAMITE TO SHIELD ‘ CITY OF SUFIS ’ A S CHENAB SURGE NEARS;
RESIDENTS FACE EVACUATION
S
Southern part, where nearly 1 6 million people and more than 1 600 villages are at risk The deluge triggered by record monsoon rains and excess water released from upstream India has already created crisis conditions in Punjab province since Monday The trans-boundary Chenab Ravi
converging
g OVER 400,000 PEOPLE ALREADY EVACUATED FROM 138 VULNERABLE LOCALITIES WITH OFFICIALS CALL IT BIGGEST RESCUE OPERATION IN PUNJAB’S HISTORY
Seven k illed as heaviest monsoon spell batters Peshawar, Lahore
after Aug 15, when flash floods and hill torrents in the north and northwest swept away homes and residents In Peshawar officials said heavy overnight rains inundated low-lying neighborhoods on Friday triggering large-scale relief operations Rescue 1122 evacuated about 300 people with the help of 280 personnel, rubber boats, rescue vans
Israeli airstrike on S anaa k ills Houthi PM, ministers; succession moves under way
Al-Atifi a key target of the Israeli raid is widely considered the Houthis’ top missiles expert and heads the group s Missiles Brigade Group According to Israeli military sources, the Thursday operation was a complex strike involving precise intelligence and aerial superiority hitting a compound where senior Houthi figures had gathered to watch a
Rahwi’s duties
televised speech by Abdul Malik alHouthi the movement’s leader Since the outbreak of Israel s war in Gaza against Hamas in October 2023 the Iran-aligned Houthis have stepped up attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, which they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians The group has also launched frequent missile strikes toward Israel most of which were intercepted In response Israel has carried out repeated strikes on Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, including the strategic Hodeidah port The assassination of Rahwi follows a broader Israeli campaign of targeted killings against regional adversaries Over the past year Israel has conducted high-profile strikes that eliminated senior commanders of both Hamas and Hezbollah, significantly weakening the leadership ranks of the two Iran-backed groups “We remain steadfast in our genuine position of supporting and standing with the people of Gaza and in building and developing the capabilities of our armed forces to confront all challenges and dangers, Mashat said in his statement
exports is a priority for Pakistan and assured stakeholders that policy decisions would be made in consultation with industry representatives For the first time, he noted, the government and industry are aligned on strategies to revive and expand
The minister welcomed Aptma’s proposal to examine policies of regional competitors citing Bangladesh s progress in industrial growth and ready-made garment exports, which he observed during a recent visit to Dhaka Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar said the National Industrial Policy will cover all industrial sectors, addressing energy, tariffs, taxation, financing and economic zones The
Sharif and shared with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb Minister for InterProvincial Coordination adviser on political and public affairs and the FBR chairman, PALSP said these exemptions have historically distorted market competition and harmed tax-compliant producers in settled areas The association cautioned that continuing the
Punjab to generate 150 MW electricity from waste
11 Punjab distric ts, S indh on aler t as triple -river deluge barrels towards south
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
In Multan, five dykes Basti Sanki, Basti Duaba, Chak Rohari, Chak Mithon, and Shershah have been reinforced with dynamite to prevent the Chenab’s roaring surge from inundating the historic city known as the City of Sufis Preparations are also underway to breach Head Muhammad Wala Road if required, with evacuation plans in place for at least 300,000 residents Floodwaters have already submerged vast tracts of agricultural land and rural settlements in Bahawalnagar Pakpattan Arifwala Qabula Kamalia Lodhran Manawala Sarai Mughal and Rojhan cutting off more than 50 villages and destroying thousands of acres of standing crops
The human cost of the unfolding crisis continues to mount At least 30 people have been killed in recent days while more than 481 000 people and over 405 000 livestock have been evacuated from affected areas In total, authorities estimate that more than 1 5 million residents across 2,300 villages have been impacted “This is the biggest rescue operation in Punjab’s history,” said Irfan Ali Kathia head of the PDMA adding that 800 boats and 1 300 rescue workers have been deployed in nonstop evacuation efforts Over 500 relief camps have also been set up to house displaced families and their animals Cities and districts across Punjab remain on edge as river waters continue to rise In Kasur preparations have been finalized to breach the Right Retired Embankment if the situation worsens while mosque loudspeakers have been used to warn residents to evacuate low-lying areas In Jhang more than 130 villages have been submerged by the Chenab s advancing waters While protective dykes remain intact for now, authorities executed deliberate breaches near Rewaz Bridge to divert the flow away from Trimmu Barrage and the city itself In Toba Tek Singh at least 80 154 people have been affected by the Ravi s overflow with 66 639 already evacuated In Sahiwal, breaches of Ravi s embankments submerged the villages of Aurangabad and Musipur, sweeping away homes crops and livestock Officials described it as the worst flood since 1988
The crisis is not confined to Punjab alone Tarbela Dam has already reached its maximum conservation level of 1 550 feet while Mangla and Simili dams are also nearing capacity raising fears of further downstream releases In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 256 people were relocated after torrential rains caused flooding in parts of Peshawar In Sindh, the Indus at Guddu is already in medium flood but flows are expected to rise further as the flood surge from Punjab reaches Panjnad by September 4 and Guddu Barrage by September 6, with volumes possibly touching one million cusecs The NDMA has stressed that immediate focus remains on search rescue evacuation and disease prevention
Gujranwala Multan Bahawalpur and Sialkot
COMMENT
Water bomb
India is exploiting climate change to cause Pakistan damage
NDIA S reneging on the Indus Basin Waters Treaty
ISince India released accumulated floodwaters, causing floods to wash over the Punjab affecting about 1 46 million people, apart from all the destruction, of crops, livestock and of flooding 1769 villages, it has become clear that India does not just wish to dry up Pakistan’s water and render its fertile fields dry but it aims to worsen the effects of climate change, and make Pakistan s monsoons more traumatic than they already are Worse the danger which has been posed to Chinmiot and Hafizabad of flooding posed by the threat to the Qadirabad barrage, makes it seem as if India wishes to use the monsoon floods as a nuclear weapon, though without the international odium of launching a nuclear strike It does not need hydrological expertise to realize that sudden releases of large amounts of water will ultimately wear out the strongest structure, and could well cause the collapse of the barrages in Pakistan which are as much the basis of its irrigation systems as the Mangla and Tarbela Dams India used the recent confrontation over Pehelgam to attack Pakistani barrages The forcing of embankments being blown up on three rivers was meant to save three cities It is ironic that part of the floods, especially the discharges into the Ravi, were caused by problems at the Madhopur Barrage First opened in1875 the present headworks were built in1959 That is another dimension of how India would like to use the Indus Basin: disregarding the loss to, or damage of, the lower riparian If Pakistani barrages are damaged or even swept away because of Indian attempts to save its own irrigation works, so be it Observance of the IWT did not entirely prevent malign use of the monsoon waters, but it did reduce it Ideally speaking the Indus Basin waters are supposed to be operated as a single system, and that was one of the aims of the IWT Getting India to start obeying it once again must be a priority for the present government It must also be a priority for the international community, for the kind of behaviour that India is displaying, could well lead to Pakistan having its hand forced and obliged to take measures which should be avoided between nuclear powers Pakistan is finding it hard enough to handle the effects of climate change, only to find that India, instead of working to reduce it is usingsits position as the upper riparian to make matters worse
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
The IAF is heading for a bleak future
IT was a cloudy day in August 2003 at Ambala when George Fernandes the Indian defence minister at the time wearing a G-suit took a ride in a MiG-21 The purpose of the ride was to calm the growing criticism and public anger towards the government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, stemming from a series of crashes of the MiG-21 a fighter jet that earned monikers like “flying coffin ” and widow maker claiming the lives of scores of young Indian pilots Fast forward to 2025, and the Indian Air Force has finally decided to retire the last two MiG-21 squadrons by September 2025 However, this long-overdue retirement threatens to create a critical void in the IAF's already struggling combat fleet by pushing its squadron strength to a dangerously low level
The IAF inducted the MiG-21 for the first time in 1963 Over the course of years, it has operated around 700 MiG-21s, including its several variants such as the Type-77, Type-96, BIS and the upgraded Bison models However since its inception the aircraft has been mired in controversies due to its high rate of accidents and resulting fatalities For instance according to one estimate, since its induction, India has lost over 400 MiG-21 jets in crashes, which claimed the lives of over 100 pilots and some civilians
Despite these mishaps the IAF continued with MiG-21 in the absence of its replacement and remained one of the few major operators of this outdated aircraft around the world till recently The fighter's troubled service record was further tarnished during the February 2019 standoff between Pakistan and India, in which a MiG-21 flown by Wing Commander Abhinandan was shot down by the PAF This highprofile combat loss coupled with the persistent and alarming rate of crashes as noted above created pressure on the IAF to retire the aircraft
The IAF began retiring MiG-21s from 2017 onwards, with the original completion date set for 2022 Between 2017 and 2024, the IAF has retired at least four squadrons of MIG-21 The last two squadrons No 3 Squadron (Cobras) and
RTIFICIAL intelligence has been sold to us as the ultimate time-saver and problemsolver AI can now write poems in seconds, spin out short stories on demand and even mimic the styles of long-dead authors with eerie precision It s tempting to ask: if machines can generate literature on command do we still
But we can choose otherwise We can keep literature as the space where human messiness, vulnerability and imagination take centrestage AI may be a powerful tool, but real literature remains one of the few places where we still get to encounter the unpredictable mind of another human being across time and distance And in an age when almost everything can be simulated, that encounter will only grow more precious
No 23 Squadron (Panthers), are set to retire on 19 September 2025
The sunset moment of MiG-21s would leave the IAF in a vulnerable position It would lower the IAF squadron strength to a historically low figure of 29 units, which is significantly lower than the sanctioned 42 5 squadrons The gravity of this vulnerability is further compounded by the significant uncertainties surrounding the intended replacement of the two concerned squadrons of MiG-21 According to the IAF the squadrons would be replaced with indigenously produced HAL Tejas Mk-1A Ironically, just like the MiG-21, the Tejas MK-1A is also embroiled in controversies, though for a different reason: the persistent delays The first batch of Tejas Mk-1A was initially scheduled for delivery by March 2024; however Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) failed to meet the timelines The revised schedule now indicates that initial deliveries may not commence until mid-2026, and the timeline for inducting the full fleet could potentially extend beyond 2029 Nonetheless the reliability of even these revised timelines is questionable particularly in light of critical supply chain dependencies A crucial bottleneck in the Tejas Mk-1A programme is the supply of the US-made General Electric F404 engine, which has witnessed consistent delays in recent years According to reports only two of these engines have been de-
livered so far Moreover, the pace of future de-
liveries is unlikely to accelerate and may face further impediments especially given the recent deterioration in Indo-US relations
However what makes this crisis more dangerous for India is the fact that it is coinciding with the rapid modernisation of air power by India's primary competitors in the region, namely: China and Pakistan The People s Liberation Army Air Force already possesses a significant numerical superiority over India with over 2100 combat aircraft in its inventory Beyond this China also holds a crucial qualitative edge, as it operates advanced machines such as the fifth-generation J-20 Mighty Dragon and the J-35 Gyrfalcon Furthermore, it has made significant inroads into developing a sixth-generation fighter jet and has already flown two prototypes of the aircraft The PAF on its part is also rapidly modernising through the smart and timely induction of advanced platforms
The chief among them is the planned acquisition of the J-35 Gyrfalcon, which will provide it with a fifth-generation stealth fighter capability
In light of the above discussion it can be argued that the IAF finds itself in a vulnerable position following the retirement of its MiG-21 fleet Considering the importance of air power in contemporary warfare, the IAF is in a strategic void Recsent conflicts such as the Israel–Iran War Israel’s engagements with Lebanon and Gaza the Russia-Ukraine war and the Pakistan-India stand-off underscore a fundamental reality in contemporary warfare: control of the skies is an indispensable prerequisite for successful military operations This goal cannot be achieved without a sufficient and technologically advanced aircraft fleet something the IAF currently lacks In sum the sun is finally setting on the MiG21 but without a swift and decisive course correction, it could potentially mark the dawn of a new era of vulnerability for the IAF in the region The writer is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore He can be reached at info@casslhr com
Dr MuhaMMaD anwar Farooq
a y
d e a l i n g w i t h i n f l a t i o n , f i e l d s o f w h e a t , r i c e , a n d s u g a r c a n e h a v e b e e n c o m p l e t e l y e n g u l f e d , c o s t i n g b i l l i o n s o f d o l l a r s i n f o o d s u p p l i e s
WHEN the State Department finally placed the “Foreign Terrorist Organization label on the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its suicide outfit, the Majeed Brigade, on August 11, most observers filed it under routine counterterrorism BLA militants have spent years in violent struggle with the Pakistani state Their actions have included the murder of Chinese teachers in Karachi hijacking Pakistan s Jaffar Express and turning Gwadar the centerpiece of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into a terror zone The US move thus can be seen as a long-overdue legal housekeeping
However the terror tag was rolled out the same week the White House doubled tariffs on Indian exports and tied any relief to New Delhi s procurement of cheap Russian oil This is hardly a coincidence, especially because Pakistani Authorities have long been claiming India’s backing of BLA terrorist activities in Pakistan The FTO designation therefore marks the opening chord of a new American play in South Asia The United States is no longer treating India as a privileged partner exempt from cost, nor Pakistan as a mere appendage to Afghan policy Instead, it is introducing conditionality as the organizing principle of its regional strategy PAKISTAN’S NARROW WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
The FTO designation establishes a more transparent, pragmatic channel for US-Pakistan cooperation, including force protection near foreign projects and intelligence sharing on insurgent financing It also comes as US officials and businesses eye Balochistan’s buried riches copper lithium and the rareearth elements that power green tech and precision missiles Western firms will hardly invest billions in Reko Diq if BLA gunmen kidnap their engineers on the road A practical, policeable counterterrorism compact could limit that risk without dragging Washington back into
a 2000s-style security sinkhole However there is also a message meant for New Delhi THE PRICE OF INDIAN STRATEGIC HEDGING
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the imposition of Western sanctions in 2022, India’s Russian crude imports rose precipitously, with refineries flipping barrels into lucrative export fuel Russian oil accounted for more than one-third of India s daily supply last year In parallel Indian companies shipped dual-use chemicals like HMX/octogen to Russian buyers, politely labelled civilian New Delhi refers to this as “strategic autonomy ” Washington now sees it as sanctions sabotage and has decided to charge a fee
The new tariff wall can be seen from that perspective Roughly two-thirds of India s $86 billion exports to the US market, from textiles to steel to jewelry, now sit behind an up to 50 percent gate Every extra Russian barrel imported will cost New Delhi hard dollars and US market share ENDING INDIA S BLANK CHECK
For two decades successive US administrations have granted India numerous privileges nuclear waivers, technology transfers, prime seats in every Indo-Pacific forum on the expectation that New Delhi would one day reciprocate and fully align with Washington against Beijing That day
keeps drifting into the future India hasn’t started to toe the line neither on Russia nor on export-control regimes It still denies any hint of third-party mediation when a crisis erupts with Pakistan In effect, Washington continued to extend credit while Delhi kept pocketing the balance The BLA designation rearranges the ledger By carving out a Pakistan-only counterterrorism lane the United States creates an option it can open or close without Indian endorsement It won t transform the region overnight, but it punctures Delhi s subcontinental gatekeeper role and that alone rebalances the field THE CHINA SUBTEXT This is not a comfortable scenario for Beijing either Chinese workers have been steady BLA targets; a US-Pakistan program that shields them and by extension protects foreign capital chips away at China s claim to be the indispensable security provider in Balochistan It also sends a message to smaller South Asian states that Washington still has a say in the regional game even as it pressures the biggest player on the board Critics warn that squeezing India just pushes it deeper into Russia s embrace However, the partnership was already lopsided India reaped advantages from the United States while disregarding US priorities Conditional incentives are not a rupture; they are an attempt at receiving long-deferred reciprocity New Delhi could still achieve what it values advanced jet-engine co-production, supply-chain re-routing, and
RT M a n s h Va d W a t e r k n o w s n o p o l i t i c s , s o t h e r i v e r s a r e m e r c i l e s s D e c a d e s o f h u m a n n e g l e c t h a v e r e s u l t e d i n R a v i a n
FROM ALASKA TO ASIA The Alaska summit may not have delivered immediate breakthroughs on conflict resolution, but it was nonetheless a watershed moment Commentators noted that the meeting underscored Moscow’s role as a decisive actor whose influence cannot be erased by sanctions or diplomatic pressure Yet for India, the significance of Alaska lies not just in Russia s return to global high tables, but in what it signals for the larger multipolar landscape A Russia more confident of its role in global negotiations is also a Russia that seeks to extend its engagement into Asia creating opportunities for India to reinforce its own regional diplomacy Lavrov s call for reviving RIC is part of this broader trend By placing India alongside Russia and China, the format reopens a space where Asian powers can coordinate on selective issues For Beijing under pressure from escalating US tariffs RIC provides a forum for coordination beyond the constraints of bilateral tensions For Moscow, it illustrates that Asian partnerships are increasingly important to balancing global shifts And for New Delhi, it creates diplo-
matic space to advance interests without committing to any single bloc INDIA’S AUTONOMY IN PRACTICE For New Delhi, Lavrov s RIC revival call resonates but does not automatically translate into endorsement India has consistently championed strategic autonomy balancing partnerships such as the Quad and frameworks like the SCO and BRICS+ In this matrix RIC is one among many platforms New Delhi engages with, neither the sole driver of its Asia policy nor an option to be dismissed Jaishankar’s emphasis on diversification makes RIC valuable as a diplomatic space where India can hold structured dialogue with both Russia and China This was reflected recently when India signalled openness to reviving the long-dormant RIC dialogue Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described it as a “consultative format” that allows the three countries to discuss global and regional issues of shared concern noting that any meeting would be scheduled in a mutually convenient manner While the 2020 Galwan clash continues to cast a shadow on relations, platforms like RIC allow New Delhi to compartmentalize disputes while advancing cooperation on issues such as supply chains energy and climate Wang Yi’s talks in New Delhi were widely seen as laying the groundwork ahead of Modi s participation in the SCO summit in Tianjin, highlighting how bilateral outreach and multilateral engagement are now moving in tandem For India, RIC is one among many tools
that help preserve autonomy This reflects New Delhi s broader multi-vector diplomacy, cooperating with Western partners, while also engaging China
FaRzeen nadeeM
E3 SETS TERMS FOR IRAN TO AVERT UN CURBS
India forcing scores of Rohingyas into Bangladesh, Myanmar:
HRW
The New York-based human rights watchdog, Human Rights Watch, has said that Indian authorities have expelled scores of ethnic Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and Myanmar without rights protections since May 2025 Human Rights Watch said the Indian authorities have arbitrarily detained several hundred more
to
some of
Those
included at
with the
(UNHCR) The authorities also put 40
for
coast and forced them to
on
ship near the
ashore the
said In May states governed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) initiated a campaign to expel Rohingya and Bengali-speaking Muslims for being illegal immigrants Those expelled to Bangladesh included at least 192 Rohingya refugees despite being registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) “The Indian government’s expulsion of Rohingya refugees shows an utter disregard for human life and international law said Elaine Pearson Asia Director at Human Rights Watch The actions taken against these refugees, who have fled atrocities and persecution in Myanmar, reflects the ruling BJP’s policy to demonise Muslims as ‘illegal’ migrants ” HRW said interviews with nine Rohingya men and women in Bangladesh s Cox s Bazar refugee camps revealed accounts of abuse Six refugees expelled in May said that Indian authorities assaulted them and confiscated their money, phones, and UNHCR registration cards Three others said they fled voluntarily one each from Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir Andhra Pradesh and Delhi after police threatened them with arbitrary detention Expulsions by Force
A 37-year-old Rohingya woman detained in Assam s Goalpara district said India s Border Security Force (BSF) officers forced her family into Bangladesh at gunpoint on May 6 “When my husband asked where we should go, they slapped him so hard he still cannot hear properly ” she said “They threatened to kill us if we spoke further The family had originally fled Myanmar in 2012 to escape military persecution Reports of Abuse HRW reported that authorities in Jammu vandalised Rohingya shelters and arrested at least 30 refugees in May One Rohingya woman said police dismissed both her UNHCR and Myanmar nationality documents calling her a Bengali before she fled to Bangladesh with her children India s Supreme Court has announced it will rule on whether Rohingya are refugees or illegal entrants, with the next hearing scheduled for September 23
China, US exchange views on trade issues
Visiting China s top trade negotiator Li Chenggang exchanged views with U S officials on bilateral economic and trade relations during his stay in the U S from August 27 to 29 Li, China’s international trade representative and vice minister of commerce led a trade delegation to Washington D C where he held talks with officials from the U S Department of the Treasury, the Department of Commerce and the Office of the U S Trade Representative According to a statement released by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce the two sides exchanged views on implementing the consensus reached between the Chinese and U S presidents during their phone call on June 5, advancing bilateral economic and trade ties and following up on
on an equal footing expand cooperation and work together to promote the sound, stable and sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade relations
During his visit Li also held discussions with the U S -China Business Council the U S Chamber of Commerce as well as represen-
New $250 visa fee risks deepening US travel slump
WASHINGTON R e u t e R s A new $250 visa integrity fee imposed on travellers to the United States risks piling more pressure on the struggling travel industry, as overseas arrivals continue to fall due to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration and hostility to many foreign countries Overseas travel to the US fell 3 1 per cent year-on-year in July to 19 2 million visitors, according to US government data It was the fifth month of decline this year defying expectations that 2025 would see annual inbound visitors finally surpass the pre-pandemic level of 79 4m The new visa fee, set to go into effect on October 1, adds an additional hurdle for travellers from non-visa waiver countries such as Mexico Argentina India Brazil and China The extra charge raises the total visa cost to $442, one of the highest visitor fees in the world, according to the US Travel Association, a membership organisation
“Any friction we add to the traveller experience is going to cut travel volumes by some amount said Gabe Rizzi President of Altour, a global travel management company As the summer ends, this will become a more pressing
issue, and we ll have to factor the fees into travel budgets and documentation ” International visitor spending in the US is projected to fall below $169 billion this year down from $181bn in 2024 according to the World Travel & Tourism Council The visa fee reinforces a bleak perception of the US under Trump, whose immigration policies, cuts to foreign aid and sweeping tariffs have eroded America s appeal as a destination even with major events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on the horizon The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed government regulation that aims to tighten the duration of visas for students cultural exchange visitors and members of the media In early August, the administration said the US could require bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot programme effective August 20 that will last for approximately a year in an effort to crack down on visitors overstaying their visas Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics consultancy, forecast in December 2024 that overseas travel to the US in 2025 would increase more than 10pc year-over-year Instead it is on track to fall 3pc, said Aran Ryan,
director of industry studies at Tourism Economics
“We see it as a sustained setback and we anticipate much of it is in place throughout the administration Ryan said Hardest hit
The newest visa fee is likely to hit hardest in Central and South American countries that have been a rare bright spot for US travel this year
As of May travel from Mexico to the US was up nearly 14pc in 2025 according to the National Travel and Tourism Office Arrivals from Argentina rose 20pc and from Brazil 4 6pc yearto-date Overall, travel from Central America grew 3pc and from South America 0 7pc compared with a decline of 2 3pc from Western Europe
In China, arrivals have remained muted since the pandemic, with July numbers still 53pc below 2019 levels The visa fee also threatens travel from India where visits are down 2 4pc so far this year driven by a near 18pc drop in students
For some the rise in fees will be absorbed as just another cost in an already expensive trip to the US
“The US has always been selective about its visitors If your financial standing isn’t up to par getting a visa is tough anyway said Su Shu founder of Chinese firm Moment Travel in Chengdu
induction of Bhairav units forms part of a broader restructuring drive outlined by Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi last month In parallel, the Indian Army has also begun modernizing its artillery to operate effectively in drone-saturated battlefields The so-called Shaktibaan regiments comprising three batteries
CSA launches executive leadership programme for Vice Chancellors in collaboration with PHEC
flood in our province s history she said The Chief Minister has made it clear that we need to learn from this experience Small dams, forestation, and long-term strategies are all under discussion ” Bokhari stressed that Pakistan remains one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change Ex-
perts are warning that the next monsoon could be far worse than this one We will prepare accordingly and the Chief Minister is ready to take every step required she added She also pointed out that illegal settlements on riverbeds, particularly in her constituency Shahdara, have worsened flood risks and must be addressed Meanwhile Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz reiterated that even floods cannot hinder the journey of service as large-scale rescue and relief operations continue across flood-hit districts On her instructions provincial ministers lawmakers commissioners deputy commissioners and field officers are actively supervising relief efforts to ensure timely assistance Rescue workers were praised for their dedication, including a team that reached Drasaan Wali
Bheini with a large boat to save a villager ’s daughter ’s dowry from floodwaters Maryam also commended medical staff at field hospitals and Clinics-on-Wheels operating in Lahore, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, and other districts, where doctors provided treatment, medicines, and diagnostic services often while wearing life jackets Punjab Police have also been at the forefront assisting in largescale evacuations in Bahawalnagar and nearby areas Citizens lauded officers who carried children in their arms while moving families to safety Bokhari concluded that while relief efforts remain the government s top priority the
task ahead lies in
against future
Climate change will be at the center of the Chief Minister ’s agenda once this crisis is behind us ” she said
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has designated National Bank of Pakistan, United Bank Limited, and Habib Bank Limited as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (DSIBs) for 2025 requiring compliance with enhanced regulatory supervisory and capital requirements
The designation of
annual assessment of banks based on their financial statements as of December 31 2024 As per the assessment three banks National Bank of Pakistan United Bank Limited and Habib Bank Limited have been designated as DSIBs for 2025, the statement added
under the D-SIB framework the designated banks are required to comply with additional Common Equity Tier1 (CET-1) capital requirements effective March 31, 2026, for meeting Higher Loss Absorbency (HLA) standards
The National Bank of Pakistan has been
The SBP also instructed branches of Global Systemically Important Banks (G-SIBs) operating in Pakistan to maintain additional CET-1 capital against their risk-weighted assets in Pakistan at the rate prescribed by the Financial Stability Board for their respective principal G-SIBs
The framework consistent with international standards and aligned with local financial and economic circumstances specifies the methodology for identifying D-SIBs, enhanced regulatory and supervisory requirements and implementation guidelines The SBP said these enhanced requirements aim to strengthen the resilience of systemically important banks against shocks and improve their risk management capacities In addition to enhanced supervisory requirements
PAKISTAN BECOMES THIRD SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRY TO ESTABLISH L AND PORT AUTHORIT Y
have predominantly targeted the police law enforcement agencies personnel and security forces In response, the state has also intensified its counterterrorism operations Earlier this month, two Federal Constabulary personnel were martyred and 18 others were injured in a terrorist attack in KP’s Hangu district On August 14 five cops were martyred and another eight left injured as militants attacked police checkpoints at different locations across KP including Peshawar, Upper Dir and Lower Dir Three wanted terrorists were killed during a joint operation between the regional police and the Counter Terrorism Department in Bannu district in July Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities over the past year especially in KP and Balochistan after the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022
Naqvi briefs Saudi envoy on Pakistan’s zero-tolerance policy against ‘begging mafia’
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f C o r r e s p o n d e n t Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday visited the Saudi Arabian Embassy in the Diplomatic Enclave of Islamabad and held talks with the ambassador On his arrival Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmed Al-Maliki welcomed Interior Minister
Observers
Govt set to launch first- ever national HPV vaccination drive from S ept 15
s ta f f r e p o r t Pakistan is set to launch its firstever national HPV vaccination campaign from September 15 to 27 2025 marking a major public health milestone in the fight against cervical cancer, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan on Saturday The drive aims to vaccinate 13 million girls aged 9 to 14 across Punjab Sindh Islamabad and Azad Jammu & Kashmir with a single-dose vaccine offering protection against the disease, APP reported, citing a press release here on Saturday
To build momentum the DOPASI Foundation in partnership with FDI and supported by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, organized a strategic workshop on creat-
ing awareness for a cervical cancer-free Pakistan The event brought together health experts, government officials, and development partners to highlight the vital role of private hospitals doctors and civil society in ensuring the campaign s success Dr Farhaj Uddin Program Manager for the HPV campaign at DOPASI Foundation, said the Foundation is committed to raising awareness and supporting national efforts to vaccinate 13 million girls stressing the importance of advocacy communication and community mobilization to address misconceptions, APP said Dr Khurram Shahzad, Director Technical at FDI, emphasized that doctors’ voices remain most influential in countering myths and building trust while DG Health Services CDA Dr Irshad Ali Jokhio an-
nounced that HPV vaccine would be added to Pakistan s basic immunization program, APP added WHO’s Dr Rozeena Khalid noted that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in Pakistan with a mortality rate higher than breast cancer underscoring that vaccinating adolescent girls is critical to reducing future cases Dr Saima Khursheed Zubair added that while the disease affects adult women protection must begin with vaccination before age 15 APP stated Speakers underlined that Pakistan aims to vaccinate 18 million girls over the next three years, a target achievable only with the active participation of healthcare providers and civil society Participants also acknowledged DOPASI Foundation s leadership in mobilizing communities
Flood-hit areas remain without power as hundreds of feeders await full restoration
districts across Pakistan thousands of families are spending their days and nights without electricity, as damage to more than 350 feeders and dozens of grid stations has left vast swathes of the country in darkness The Ministry of Energy s Power Division reported on Saturday that while 152 feeders had been fully restored and another 202 partially revived by August 30, complete recovery is not expected until early September The outages have left homes hospitals water supply schemes and markets struggling to function In areas like Swat and Buner, families said they were forced to rely on small diesel generators for light and water pumping but fuel shortages and soaring costs mean most households remain powerless after sunset Shops storing perishable goods, including dairy and meat, were incurring losses as cold storage facilities stand idle, while students preparing for exams describe nights spent in darkness with no way to study
The Power Division s report has painted a picture of widespread damage across multiple provinces under the state-run distribution companies The worst affected has been the Peshawar Electric Supply Company’s network where twelve grid stations and ninety-one feeders went down in Swat, Buner, Shangla, Swabi and Dera Ismail Khan Although power has since returned
to most of Swabi and Dera Ismail Khan, dozens of rural households in the hilly districts of Swat and Shangla remain cut off In Punjab outages have hit large industrial and agricultural hubs Gujranwala Electric Power Company reported that ten grid stations and eighty-seven feeders were knocked out across Sialkot, Narowal, Wazirabad and Hafizabad While sixty-eight feeders were fully restored by the end of August families in low-lying neighborhoods of Sialkot said intermittent supply has been forcing them to fetch drinking water from hand pumps Lahore and its surrounding districts of Okara, Sheikhupura Kasur and Nankana have also suffered with fifty-six feeders going out of service
Sources in power division said that restoration in these areas has depended on how quickly floodwaters recede, with estimates ranging between August 31 and September 5 For residents of rural Kasur and Nankana where wells and tube-wells rely on electric motors, the wait has left entire villages depending on trucked water Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Sargodha, Mianwali and parts of Dera Ismail Khan saw disruptions on fifty-three feeders under the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company s network Temporary supply has been reconnected in most areas, but shopkeepers in Jhang say their businesses are suffering as fans and lights still fail without warning deterring customers from staying in their stores
In South Punjab the Multan Electric Power Company re-
ported sixty-seven feeders hit by floods Restoration has not begun in some localities where waterlogging remains severe as officials warned of electrocution risks if power is switched on prematurely Families in Muzaffargarh and Layyah say they are cooking on wood stoves again, while schools that reopened after the floodwaters receded are struggling to operate without fans and lighting in the lingering humidity
In North Waziristan the Tribal Electric Supply Company has managed to revive two feeders temporarily, but residents say voltage fluctuations make it impossible to run even basic appliances Authorities expect full recovery there by September 5 The Power Division emphasized that while progress has been faster than earlier in the week, safety protocols are being strictly observed Sources also said that previous disasters have shown that hasty reconnections in inundated areas often result in fatal accidents and therefore power will only be restored once standing water has drained completely
According to industry sources, the recurring disruption has underlined the need for stronger climate resilience in Pakistan s power sector Each year the monsoon season damages substations, feeders and transformers, leaving communities in the dark for weeks The catastrophic floods of 2022 crippled nearly one-third of the distribution system with some districts waiting months for permanent recovery
