Youth dialogue calls for climate action in Punjab

  Monsoon rains continue to affect different parts of Pakistan, bringing relief from the intense summer heat but also causing deadly accidents, flooding, and damage to infrastructure. At least six people, including children, have lost their lives in rain-related incidents across the country, while rescue teams remain on high alert as heavy downpours continue. In Gujranwala, a tragic incident occurred when a child drowned in rainwater that had accumulated in an underpass. The flooding turned the underpass into a dangerous pool, highlighting the risks posed by poor drainage systems during the monsoon season. In another heartbreaking incident in Bahawalnagar, a child drowned while bathing in a canal. Rescue officials have launched a search operation to recover the child’s body, which was still ongoing at the time of reporting. The monsoon showers have significantly reduced temperatures across Punjab, providing welcome relief from the scorching heat. However, the heavy rainfall has also created serious urban flooding in several cities. Torrential rain in Gujranwala and Gujrat submerged low-lying areas, leaving roads inundated and disrupting traffic flow. Water entered several homes, causing inconvenience and property damage to residents. Authorities are working to drain the accumulated rainwater and restore normal conditions. In Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh, and Jhang, rainfall brought cooler weather and pleasant conditions after days of extreme heat. Meanwhile, in Mandi Bahauddin, heavy rain caused roofs and walls of several buildings to collapse, leaving multiple people injured. Emergency services responded promptly, providing medical assistance to the injured and assessing the damage. In Shakargarh, rising water levels in the Ravi River left 42 farmers stranded. Rescue teams successfully carried out an operation to evacuate all of them safely, preventing what could have become a major tragedy. Rescue authorities continue to monitor river levels closely as rainfall persists in nearby regions. Heavy rainfall also wreaked havoc near Dadocha Dam on the outskirts of Rawalpindi. A seasonal stream overflowed and entered nearby residential areas, flooding the villages of Barwala and Khanpur. Residents faced significant challenges as floodwaters inundated homes, streets, and agricultural land, forcing many families to move to safer locations. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, flash floods in the Siran Valley of Mansehra swept away a bridge, cutting off road access to 12 villages. Local authorities are assessing the situation and exploring temporary arrangements to restore connectivity. Elsewhere in the province, including Abbottabad, Nowshera, Swabi, Mingora, and Bajaur, intermittent light and heavy rainfall continued, bringing cooler temperatures but raising concerns about possible flooding and landslides. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, rainfall triggered surging water levels in streams and rivers in Samahni, Bagh, and the Neelum Valley. A landslide at the Dwariyan area blocked the main highway, disrupting transportation and delaying travel between affected regions. Officials have begun efforts to clear the road and restore traffic. Meanwhile, rainfall also reached Khuzdar in Balochistan and Astore in Gilgit-Baltistan, where cool winds and lower temperatures created pleasant weather conditions. However, authorities have urged citizens across the country to remain cautious, avoid unnecessary travel in flood-prone areas, and follow official weather advisories as the monsoon spell continues.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed serious displeasure over the use of a ceremonial horse-drawn buggy by Islamabad’s chief commissioner and inspector general during the August 14 Independence Day celebrations. An official advisory issued by the Establishment Division said the incident had attracted widespread public criticism and prompted the Prime Minister to take a serious view of the conduct. The advisory was issued to Islamabad Chief Commissioner Lt (retd) Sohail Ashraf and Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi. According to the advisory, the prime minister believed that the display of pomp and show created an impression of privilege, ostentation and personal glorification, which was contrary to the principles of public service. It stressed that government officials entrusted with public offices were expected to demonstrate humility, restraint, dignity and sound judgment. The Establishment Division warned that such conduct could weaken public confidence in government institutions and fall short of the standards expected from senior officials. The two officials were advised to exercise greater care in carrying out their duties and ensure that similar incidents did not happen again. The controversy emerged after images and videos of the officials travelling in the ceremonial buggy during the Independence Day event circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from the public. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi subsequently defended the officials, saying they were not responsible for the decision to use the buggy. He explained that the vehicle had originally been arranged for the chief guest, while he and the chief guest were delayed because of a meeting involving the president and prime minister. Naqvi said the two officials had initially been reluctant to begin the programme in the absence of the chief guest and the minister but were instructed to proceed to avoid inconvenience to the public. Despite the clarification, the incident continued to attract attention, ultimately leading to the formal advisory from the Establishment Division.

Two police personnel were martyred after armed assailants opened fire on them in Lahore’s Badami Bagh area on Thursday evening, according to police officials. The victims were identified as Sub-Inspector Adeel and Head Constable Asad, both of whom were deployed at Lorry Adda police station. Police said the two officers were attacked within the jurisdiction of Badami Bagh police station. According to initial reports, armed assailants opened fire on the officers before fleeing the scene. Both personnel suffered critical bullet injuries and later succumbed to their wounds. Police have identified Rehan Butt as the alleged main suspect in the attack, while efforts are continuing to determine the identities and whereabouts of his suspected accomplices. DIG Operations Faisal Kamran reached the scene with a heavy police contingent and supervised the initial investigation. The area was cordoned off as investigators collected evidence and examined the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The DIG directed the SP City to ensure the immediate arrest of those involved. Police teams have been deployed across different locations and are conducting raids to apprehend Rehan Butt and the other suspects. Preliminary police information described Butt as a suspected dangerous shooter who was already wanted by authorities. Investigators are also examining whether the attack could be connected to an earlier police encounter involving his brother, Faizan Butt. Police said the case was being investigated from all angles and that further information would be released as the investigation progresses. DIG Kamran described the deaths of the two officers as a tragic loss, saying they had sacrificed their lives while carrying out their duties. He vowed that police would continue their efforts until all suspects were arrested. Punjab Inspector General of Police Abdul Karim also took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Lahore DIG Operations. He directed police to use all available resources to arrest those responsible. The IG paid tribute to the martyred officers and ordered that their bereaved families receive complete care and welfare support. The Lahore Badami Bagh firing has prompted an intensified police operation, with investigators continuing raids and gathering evidence to establish the full circumstances behind the deadly attack.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has accelerated plans to transfer a 30 percent stake in the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) to the National Logistics Corporation (NLC), establishing two high-level committees to complete the financial, commercial, and legal framework for the transaction. According to a briefing presented by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), the committees will determine key aspects of the deal, including the share price, payment schedule, dividend distribution, utilisation of sale proceeds, and the transfer of management control. The first committee, headed by the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Privatisation, includes senior officials from the Finance, Law and Justice, and Maritime Affairs ministries, along with the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and the Director General of NLC. Its mandate is to finalise the financial and commercial structure of the agreement, including the valuation of shares, payment mechanism, dividend arrangements, and the injection of funds into PNSC. The second committee, led by the Secretary of the Law and Justice Division, will oversee the legal documentation required for the transaction. Its responsibilities include preparing the Share Purchase Agreement, Shareholders’ Agreement, and the legal framework governing the transfer of management control. The ECC endorsed the proposal and emphasised the importance of increasing private sector participation in future maritime initiatives to improve efficiency, strengthen governance, and unlock the sector’s economic potential. To ensure smooth implementation, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs has also proposed an Implementation Committee chaired by the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Privatisation and co-chaired by the Minister for Maritime Affairs. The committee will develop a roadmap and supervise the execution of the transaction. The government had previously granted in-principle approval for NLC to acquire a 30 percent stake in PNSC, along with management control and consolidation rights, subject to all applicable legal requirements. PNSC, a state-owned enterprise listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, remains majority-owned by the federal government, which holds 87.56 percent of its shares. Public investors own 10.87 percent, while the PNSC Employees Empowerment Trust holds the remaining 1.57 percent. The national shipping company currently operates a fleet of 14 vessels, including three recently added ships. Despite fluctuations in earnings, PNSC has maintained strong profitability, posting net profits of Rs30 billion in FY2022-23, Rs19.4 billion in FY2023-24, and Rs20.4 billion in FY2024-25. Established under the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation Ordinance, 1979, the organisation has undergone legislative reforms in recent years, with amendments introduced in 2023 and 2024 to align its governance framework with the State-Owned Enterprises Act, 2023. These changes are intended to improve transparency, accountability, and operational performance as the government advances its broader state-owned enterprise reform agenda.

  Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to assess Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to secure the safe and early release of 10 Pakistani nationals being held hostage aboard the oil tanker MT Honour 25 after it was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia. The tanker, which was operating under the Somali flag, was travelling from Oman to Somalia when it was seized by pirates on April 21. A total of 17 crew members were on board the vessel, including 10 Pakistani citizens. Since the incident, the families of the Pakistani hostages have repeatedly appealed to the government to intensify efforts for their loved ones’ safe recovery. During the meeting, officials briefed the deputy prime minister on the latest developments surrounding the hostage situation and the measures being taken to secure the release of the Pakistani nationals. Dar directed all relevant authorities and stakeholders to maintain close and regular coordination while further strengthening diplomatic efforts with both national and international partners. The foreign minister placed particular emphasis on continued communication with Somali authorities and relevant international organisations. He said sustained diplomatic engagement was essential to creating conditions that could facilitate the safe recovery and repatriation of the hostages. Dar also expressed solidarity with the families of the detained Pakistanis and assured them that the government was closely monitoring the situation. He stressed that all possible efforts were being made to achieve a positive outcome and expressed hope that ongoing diplomatic contacts would ultimately result in the safe return of all 10 Pakistani citizens. Last month, Dar spoke by telephone with his Somali counterpart, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, to convey Pakistan’s serious concern over the hostage situation. During the conversation, Dar emphasised the need to protect the health and safety of the hostages, secure their early release and ensure their safe return to Pakistan. The Somali foreign minister assured Dar that his government was continuing sincere efforts to help secure the hostages’ release as soon as possible. The latest meeting in Islamabad comes amid growing concerns about the deteriorating conditions reportedly being faced by the Pakistani nationals aboard the vessel. In video and audio messages, some of the hostages have described severe shortages of essential supplies. They said food and medicines had run out and claimed that they were receiving only one serving of boiled rice each day. They also reported that clean drinking water was no longer available, forcing them to consume contaminated water. According to the hostages, the lack of safe water has already caused illnesses among several crew members, further increasing concerns about their health. One hostage said their lives remained under constant threat and that gunfire could be heard almost every day in the surrounding area. The situation has renewed attention on piracy along Somalia’s coastline and its potential threat to international shipping. Somali pirate attacks reached their highest level in 2011, when armed groups operated as far as 3,655 kilometres from Somalia’s coastline. At its peak, Somali piracy posed a major threat to one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes, disrupting commercial shipping and placing hundreds of seafarers at risk. Pakistan’s government is now seeking to strengthen diplomatic and international cooperation to ensure the safe release of the 10 Pakistani nationals. Authorities remain engaged with Somalia and other relevant stakeholders as efforts continue to bring the hostages home safely.