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KARACHI: Building on the success of its inaugural conference, DawnMedia on Saturday announced the ‘Second Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference’ to be held on April 15-16, 2026.
The first edition of Breathe Pakistan sparked national dialogue and global collaboration around vital climate challenges — from climate justice and finance to renewable energy transitions, disaster risk reduction, and inclusive public-private partnerships.
It emphasised the crucial roles of accountability, media engagement, and the empowerment of women and smallholder farmers in building climate resilience, according to a press release.
Pakistan remains increasingly vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change, facing record-breaking heatwaves, destructive hail and windstorms, water scarcity, and extreme weather events that threaten lives, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
As climate challenges intensify, DawnMedia continues to bring this critical issue to the forefront through the following ways.
Raising awareness: Increasing awareness around critical issues such as water scarcity, air pollution, and deforestation to mobilise public action to combat climate change.
Impactful journalism: Leveraging multimedia platforms through in-depth articles, documentaries, podcasts, and TV/radio explainers to keep climate discourse at the forefront.
Engaging children: Involving children in the climate conversation through interactive activities and storytelling on tree plantation, recycling, and water conservation to cultivate lifelong environmental stewardship.
Strategic collaborations: Building and strengthening partnerships with the public and private sectors, as well as government institutions, to sustain momentum and drive meaningful change for a sustainable Pakistan.
“The fight against climate change must continue,” says a DawnMedia spokesperson. “Through awareness, education, and collaboration, we can forge a sustainable future.”
The Breathe Pakistan 2026 conference will further amplify these efforts, convening global and local leaders to accelerate actionable solutions.
Two people were killed and 11 others were injured in an explosion in the Killi Mangal area near Quetta in Balochistan, a police official told Dawn.com on Saturday.
According to Hanna Urak Station House Officer (SHO) Naveed Akhtar, Abdul Salam, a notable and the owner of a coal mine, was the target of the attack.
“A banned organisation tried to extort money from him,” Akhtar told Dawn.com. “When he did not pay, around 100 armed suspects attacked his mine and destroyed the machinery there.”
The SHO said that Salam, his brother and several of his men arrived at the mine, but were ambushed by the suspects and a gun battle ensued.
“The armed suspects had planted explosives in the mine,” the SHO said. “They fled the scene before the explosion. Salam and his brother were killed by one of the explosives. There were also 11 injuries.”
Immediately after the explosion, police and security forces reached the scene and started collecting evidence from the crime scene. According to SHO Akhtar, the suspects were armed with advanced weaponry.
“Security forces have launched a search operation in the area, but panic has spread,” he added.
Meanwhile, Health Department spokesperson Dr Waseem Baig told Dawn.com that those injured in the blast were immediately transported to the Trauma Centre at Civil Hospital Quetta, where their condition is said to be out of danger.
The security situation in Balochistan has worsened in recent months, as militants, long involved in a low-level insurgency, have stepped up the frequency and intensity of their attacks. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army, in particular, has adopted new tactics to inflict higher casualties and directly target Pakistani security forces.
A district official was killed when his house was attacked by terrorists in Balochistan’s Surab city on Friday, a statement from the provincial government said.
Balochistan Government Spokesperson Shahid Rind, in a statement, termed the incident a “nefarious attempt to challenge the writ of the state”.
“A bank was looted and the homes of several government officials were attacked, including Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Hidayatullah Buledi.
French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, the inventor of the abortion pill, died at the age of 98 at his home in Paris on Friday, his wife told AFP.
The doctor and researcher, who achieved worldwide renown for his work that led to the pill, had an eventful life that included fighting in the French resistance and becoming friends with artists such as Andy Warhol.
“His research was guided by his commitment to the progress made possible by science, his dedication to women’s freedom, and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives,” Baulieu’s wife Simone Harari Baulieu said in a statement.
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to his life, calling him “a beacon of courage” and “a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom”.
“Few French people have changed the world to such an extent,” he added in a post on X.
Baulieu’s most famous discovery helped create the oral drug RU-486, also known as mifepristone, which provided a safe and inexpensive alternative to surgical abortion to millions of women across the world.
For decades, he pushed governments to authorise the drug, facing fierce criticism and sometimes threats from opponents of abortion.
When Wyoming became the first US state to outlaw the abortion pill in 2023, Baulieu told AFP it was “scandalous”.
Then aged 96, Baulieu said he had dedicated a large part of his life to “increasing the freedom of women,” and such bans were a step in the wrong direction.
On news of his death, French Equality Minister Aurore Berge passed on her condolences to Baulieu’s family, saying on X he was “guided throughout his life by one requirement: human dignity.”
‘Fascinated by artists’
Born on December 12, 1926 in Strasbourg to Jewish parents, Etienne Blum was raised by his feminist mother after his father, a doctor, died. He changed his name to Emile Baulieu when he joined the French resistance against Nazi occupation at the age of 15, then later adding Etienne.
After the war, he became a self-described “doctor who does science,” specialising in the field of steroid hormones.
Invited to work in the United States, Baulieu was noticed in 1961 by Gregory Pincus, known as the father of the contraceptive pill, who convinced him to focus on sex hormones.
Back in France, Baulieu designed a way to block the effect of the hormone progesterone, which is essential for the egg to implant in the uterus after fertilisation. This led to the development of mifepristone in 1982.
Dragged before the courts and demonised by US anti-abortion groups who accused him of inventing a “death pill”, Baulieu refused to back down.
“Adversity slides off him like water off a duck’s back,” Simone Harari Baulieu told AFP.
“You, a Jew and a resistance fighter, you were overwhelmed with the most atrocious insults and even compared to Nazi scientists,” Macron said as he presented Baulieu with France’s top honour in 2023. “But you held on, for the love of freedom and science.”
In the 1960s, literature fan Baulieu became friends with artists such as Andy Warhol. He said he was “fascinated by artists who claim to have access to the human soul, something that will forever remain beyond the reach of scientists.”
Alzheimer’s, depression research
Baulieu kept going into his Parisian office well into his mid-90s. “I would be bored if I did not work anymore,” he said in 2023.
His recent research has included trying to find a way to prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as a treatment for severe depression, for which clinical trials are currently underway across the world.
“There is no reason we cannot find treatments” for both illnesses, he said. Baulieu was also the first to describe how the hormone DHEA secreted from adrenal glands in 1963.
He was convinced of the hormone’s anti-ageing abilities, but drugs using it only had limited effects, such as in skin-firming creams.
In the United States, Baulieu was also awarded the prestigious Lasker prize in 1989.
After his wife Yolande Compagnon died, Baulieu married Simone Harari in 2016. He leaves behind three children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, according to the statement released by his family.
Four armed robbers hijacked a Qingqi rickshaw carrying three sacrificial sheep at gunpoint in Karachi’s Ayesha Manzil area, police said on Friday.
According to a first information report (FIR), the complainant Mohammed Rashid Saleem said that he had purchased three sheep and was carrying them in his Qingqi rickshaw on Thursday when the incident occurred.
“Four suspects riding on two motorcycles snatched the rickshaw along with the animals at gunpoint and fled,” the FIR read, adding that the suspects also snatched cash and a cell phone from the victim.
According to a statement from the Karachi Police spokesperson, the Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) Javed Alam Odho took notice of the incident and ordered action against the Azizabad station house officer for negligence, issuing orders to suspend his service for one year.
The AIG ordered that the suspects involved in the incident must be arrested within three days, with the recovery of the animals and rickshaw, otherwise, strict legal action will be taken, the statement added.
Days before Eidul Azha, people rush to cattle markets to buy sacrificial animals, with sheep usually costing upwards of Rs30,000.
In 2023, five animals worth Rs800,000 were stolen from a locked shop in Karachi’s Orangi Town, according to ARY News. The incident pointed to the growing security concerns around cattle markets, later raised in the Sindh Assembly.
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench has questioned the PTI’s decision to “compel” its members — who won as independents in the Feb 8, 2024, elections — to join the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) which has no seats in parliament.
Justice Aminuddin Khan, who headed the 11-judge bench, remarked that PTI had apparently misled the candidates into joining SIC, which was not even a parliamentary party.
The remarks were made on Thursday as the bench resumed the hearing of a set of review petitions filed against the court’s July 2024 order.
Faisal Siddiqi, who was representing SIC, conceded some “mistakes were committed” by the party, but went on to add that “we all make mistakes”. He remarked that even great judges gave bad judgements in the past.
Justice Hilali asks if eight judges amended Constitution by extending deadline for independents to join parties
Justice Khan observed even if the court accepted the SIC’s contention that this confusion was entirely the Election Commission of Pakistan’s fault, the party has also admitted the wrong it committed.
During the hearing, Justice Hilali wondered whether the majority judgement by eight judges in July 2024 had amended the Constitution by extending the requirement of joining a party after winning the election within 15 days.
She also questioned why the SIC chairman, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, who has had a political party since 2013, contested the election as an independent candidate.
“How candidates who in their nomination forms mentioned them as independents were qualified for the reserved seats since these reserved seats were meant only for the political parties that contested elections and entered the parliament?” the judge questioned.
The PTI never entered the parliament as a party after its members contested elections as independents.
Democratic constitutionalism
Mr Siddiqi, the SIC lawyer, contended the majority judgement addressed all questions being raised by the bench.
He argued that courts have to adhere to the provisions of the Constitution, but those provisions have to be understood in terms of democratic constitutionalism.
“If every judgement has to be democratic, then what will be the impact of the Constitution?” asked Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.
He wondered whether the counsel wanted judges to decide cases on the public’s will to save the democratic process even if it went beyond the Constitution.
Mr Siddiqi replied that while looking at the Constitution, one should keep in mind that this was a democratic document and that was why every provision “should enhance democratic norms”.
Another bench member, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, observed that his reading of the judgment was that the judges expressed their views through certain observations without referring to the facts of the case.
It seemed that with this bias in their mind, the judges proceeded to discuss and concluded the case afterwards.
The counsel agreed that judges have laid the foundations of the judgment in the beginning and decided the case on these principles but disagreed that it amounted to bias.
When the counsel stated that there were certain points in the judgment that had been agreed upon by all 11 judges, Justice Mazhar wondered whether these reviews pertained to all three judgments or to the eight-judge majority judgment.
Justice Khan emphasised only the majority judgment was under review while the other two were intact.
He also said the counsel was “going beyond the scope of the case” before the court.
The counsel said the majority of the judges had agreed that a number of members contested elections as independent but were PTI-affiliated candidates.
Secondly, all 11 judges held that the reserved seats belong to PTI.
He argued that petitioners who filed the reviews cannot argue that PTI was not a party and therefore, cannot be granted relief.
The lawyer added that Justice Mandokhail and former CJP Qazi Faez Isa, in their note, had granted relief to the PTI.
“That is why their argument was self-destructive,” the counsel emphasised and recalled since PTI did not hold intra-party elections, they were not granted the election symbol, which led to “certain consequences” at the time of filing nomination papers.
The counsel argued the ECP, while misreading the decisions of the PHC and Supreme Court, considered PTI candidates as independents when the party was entitled to get 78 reserved seats in the national as well as provincial assemblies.
Since the party could not get reserved seats, PTI members decided to join SIC, the counsel explained.
At this point, Justice Hilali again asked whether SIC had representation in parliament.
The majority of judges in the July 2024 order agreed several candidates in the parliament belonged to PTI but not to SIC. Therefore, they were entitled to reserved seats, the counsel argued.
Meanwhile, the petitioners, PML-N, PPP and the ECP have already filed additional grounds before the bench.
Four people were killed and 10 were injured in rain-related incidents across different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday, officials said.
The casualties were reported after a series of lightning strikes and structure collapses occurred amid extremely heavy rain.
The spokesperson for Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bilal Ahmad Faizi told Dawn.com, that the casualties were reported in the Mohmand and Mardan districts of the province.
“Two people were killed while one was injured in a lightning strike in Mohmand,” he said. “As soon as the incident was reported, the Rescue 1122 control room took immediate action and dispatched a medical response team to the scene.”
He added that the team took timely action and provided first aid to the injured at the scene and later moved him to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Nawagai.
“The bodies of the two deceased were transported to District Headquarters Hospital Ghalnai after medico-legal formalities,” he added.
“Rescue 1122 medical, fire and disaster teams are performing relief operations,” Faizi said. “Roads are closed in several areas due to falling trees. Rescue 1122 disaster teams and local people are working to clear the roads.”
Providing details of the casualties, Rescue 1122, in a statement, said that in Takht-i-Bahi, a mother and daughter were reported to have died after a ceiling collapsed while a girl was injured, adding that in Katlang Qasmi, a 60-year-old woman was seriously injured, while two children sustained critical wounds in a similar incident at Akhun Baba.
Fifteen-year-old Abdul Salam was seriously injured in a wall collapse on Bakhshali Cham Dheri Road. In Manga, three people were critically hurt in another wall collapse. A 38-year-old woman was injured when a gate collapsed near Jabal Madrasa, and a 40-year-old woman sustained serious injuries in a wall collapse in Rustam Peshkando.
“Rescue 1122 said its medical teams provided first aid to all the injured and transported them to nearby hospitals,” the statement said.
The World Meteorological Organisation forecast that most of South Asia would experience above-normal rainfall and above-average temperatures during this year’s southwest monsoon season from June to September.
Earlier this week, at least three people lost their lives and multiple others were injured as strong winds and thunderstorms lashed several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab on Tuesday.
Swiss authorities on Thursday were monitoring for possible flood risk in a southern valley, following a massive glacier collapse that created a huge pile of debris after destroying a small village.
On Wednesday, the Birch glacier in Switzerland’s southern Valais (Wallis) region collapsed, sending tons of rock, ice and scree hurtling down the mountain slope and into the valley below.
The barrage largely destroyed the hamlet of Blatten, which had been home to 300 people and was evacuated last week due to the impending danger.
One person, a man aged 64, believed to be in the affected zone at the time, remained missing. A police spokesman said the difficult conditions had forced the search for him to be called off on Thursday afternoon.
Authorities declared a local state of emergency on Thursday as they monitor the situation after the huge pile of glacier debris, stretching some two kilometres, blocked the river Lonza.
“There is a serious risk of an ice jam that could flood the valley below,” Antoine Jacquod, a military security official, told the Keystone-ATS news agency. “We’re going to try to assess its dimensions today,” added Jacquod.
Authorities said an assessment would be made at 6pm (9pm PKT) from the nearby village of Ferden as to whether an approach to the zone could be attempted.
As a precaution, 16 people were evacuated late on Wednesday from the villages of Wiler and Kippel located downstream from the disaster area in the Loetschental valley, known for scenic views stretching some 30km and home to around 1,500 people living in traditional villages.
A small village of Blatten and its surroundings in the Bietschhorn mountain of the Swiss Alps, Switzerland on May 29, 2025 after it was destroyed the previous day by a landslide. — AFP
‘Not very stable’
“It’s like a mountain, and of course, it creates a small lake that gets bigger and bigger,” explained Raphael Mayoraz, the cantonal official in charge of natural hazard management, on Wednesday evening.
An artificial dam was preemptively emptied to receive the water pushed back by the wall of ice, earth and rubble. Were that water to overflow from the dam, authorities would need to consider evacuating the valley.
The level is rising 80 centimetres (31 inches) an hour, according to Swiss daily Le Temps.
The huge amount of debris makes the peaks overlooking the valley appear smaller, while a gaping hole can be seen on the side of the mountain from where the land slid down into the valley.
The Valais cantonal government has meanwhile asked the army, which set up a base camp in Turtmann on Wednesday and is readying helicopters for making an approach to the affected zone, to provide clearing equipment and pumps to secure the riverbed.
“The deposit … is not very stable, and debris flow is possible within the deposit itself [which] makes any intervention in the disaster area impossible for the time being,” cantonal authorities stated, adding there was risk on both sides of the valley.
They also warned of a risk of torrential lava within the debris deposit itself, preventing, for the time being, any intervention in the disaster area.
Seismic event
YouTube footage of the collapse showed a huge cloud of ice and rubble hurtling down the mountainside, into the valley, and partially up the mountain slope on the other side.
The force was such that Swiss monitoring stations registered the phenomenon as a seismic event.
According to Mayoraz, “three million cubic metres of rock fell suddenly onto the glacier, carrying it with them” down into the valley.
Warming temperatures have both shrunk the Alps’ glaciers and have made them more unstable.
Swiss glaciers, severely impacted by climate change, melted as much in 2022 and 2023 as between 1960 and 1990, losing in total about 10 per cent of their volume.
In late August 2017, approximately 3.1 million cubic meters of rock fell from Pizzo Cengalo, a mountain in the Alps in Graubuenden canton, near the Italian border, claiming the lives of eight hikers.
Some 500,000 cubic metres of rock and mud flowed as far as the town of Bondo, causing significant material damage but no casualties.
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations will honour two Pakistani peacekeepers posthumously at a ceremony at its headquarters on Thursday on the occasion of ‘International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers’ being observed on May 29.
Among the peacekeepers to be honoured posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold medal the two Pakistanis are: Sepoy Muhammad Tarique and Havildar Ahsan Ullah Khan - both served with UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
During the ceremonies, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will lay a wreath to honour more than 4,400 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948. He will also preside over a ceremony in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, at which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals will be awarded posthumously to 57 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives serving under the UN flag last year.
Pakistan is the fifth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping. It currently deploys more than 2,800 military and police personnel to the UN peace operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Congo, Cyprus, Somalia, South Sudan and Western Sahara. Peacekeeping is one of the most effective tools available to the United Nations in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security.
Since 1948, when the historic decision was made to deploy military observers to the Middle East to supervise the implementation of Israel-Arab Armistice Agreements, in what became the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation, more than two million peacekeepers have served in 71 operations around the world.
Today, some 68,000 women and men serve as military, police and civilian personnel in 11 conflict zones across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. 119 countries currently contribute uniformed personnel.
Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother have been charged with several counts of rape, assault and trafficking, UK prosecutors said on Wednesday.
The accusations, which date back to between 2012 to 2015, were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2024, but have only been revealed now.
Former kickboxer Tate, 38, faces 10 charges in the UK including rape, actual bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution relating to three women. His brother, Tristan, 36, has been accused of 11 similar charges against one woman.
“A European arrest warrant was issued in England in 2024, and as a result, the Romanian courts ordered the extradition to the UK of Andrew and Tristan Tate,” prosecutors said in a statement.
“However, the domestic criminal matters in Romania must be settled first.” Andrew Tate is facing legal action in several countries, including some cases where he is accused alongside his brother.
In Romania, the Tate brothers face separate allegations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering.
Both men, who have dual British-US nationality, have denied all charges against them.
Andrew Tate, the figurehead of the online masculinist movement, travelled to Florida with his brother in February, marking the first time they had left Romania since their 2022 arrest.
Romanian prosecutors allege that the brothers and two women set up a criminal organisation in Romania in 2021 and sexually exploited several victims.
In a separate civil case in the United Kingdom, four British women have accused Andrew Tate of rape and coercive control.
Tate moved to Romania years ago after first starting a webcam business in Britain. He leapt to fame in 2016 when he appeared on the “Big Brother” UK reality television show, but was removed after a controversial video emerged.
He then turned to social media platforms to promote his often misogynistic and divisive views on how to be successful. Tate is followed by more than 10.7 million people on the social network X, where he shares his angry vision of masculinity and often homophobic and racist posts.
A six-year-old boy drowned in an open manhole in Karachi on Wednesday, which triggered a protest by residents and politicians, prompting the police to register a case against unidentified suspects in Jamshed Quarters.
Jamshed Quarters police Station House Officer (SHO) Ansar Butt said, “Two siblings were passing by a petrol pump in the area when one of them fell into an open manhole.
“The victim’s brother alerted bystanders about the incident, where the boy drowned. After being inside the manhole for about 20 minutes, the boy passed away at 7pm on Tuesday.”
The incident angered locals who lodged a protest at the scene, which was joined by MQM-P lawmaker Amir Siddiqi.
Siddiqi told the media, “The Sindh government and Karachi mayor have failed to cover open manholes in the metropolis. A child fell into a 16-foot-deep drain and died.
“The city has been destroyed,” the lawmaker regretted.
Siddiqi told Dawn.com that the protest took place for four hours as the police were delaying the registering of a first information report (FIR). “The police finally registered the FIR when I personally spoke to top police officers, including the Sindh inspector general,” he said, terming the incident “a tragedy for the poor family”.
SHO Butt said the police registered a case against unidentified suspects on the complaint of the victim’s maternal uncle Mohammed Ibrahim under Section 322 (manslaughter) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
One of the residents told Dawn.com that the victim and his 12-year-old brother used to sell french fries in the area.
“They had purchased potatoes and were on their way home when electricity in the area was cut,” the resident said.
“The owner of the nearby petrol pump had opened a car wash, whose operator would leave the manhole open when he washed cars to drain water,” they added. “The manhole was uncovered when one of the boys fell into it due to the darkness.”
The resident said that the protest continued until 1am on Wednesday, when the police, in the presence of Siddiqui, “promised” that they would try to get compensation from the petrol pump owner.
Open manholes have become a persistent hazard across Pakistan, posing serious risks to pedestrians and motorists alike. Despite repeated public complaints, authorities have failed to implement long-term solutions to prevent accidents and fatalities.
In April, the body of a minor girl was found in a drain in Karachi’s Liaquatabad neighbourhood, according to police.
A statement from the police said the minor’s body was recovered from a drain near Siddique Mosque and appeared to be one or two days old. It added that the body was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital to ascertain the cause of death.
Liaquatabad SHO Ghulam Yasin told Dawn.com that the girl’s body was found floating in the drain near Angara Goth.
“It appeared that she was drowned somewhere else and the current of the water brought her there,” he said, adding that she was reported missing within the limits of Sachal Police Station on April 15.
CAIRO: Thousands of Palestinians stormed sites in southern Gaza where aid was being distributed on Tuesday by a foundation backed by the US and Israel, with desperation for food overcoming concern about biometric and other checks Israel said it would employ.
By late afternoon, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said it had distributed about 8,000 food boxes, equivalent to 462,000 meals, after an almost three-month-old Israeli blockade of the devastated enclave.
In Rafah, which is under full Israeli army control, thousands of people, including women and children, some on foot or in donkey carts, flocked towards one of the distribution sites to receive food packages.
Videos showed lines of people walking through a wired-off corridor and into a large open field where aid was stacked. Later, images shared on social media showed large parts of the fence torn down as people jostled their way onto the site.
Private relief agency’s closeness to US and Israel’s endorsement of its distribution method have raised doubts about its neutrality
Hamas denies accusation
“The real cause of the delay and collapse in the aid distribution process is the tragic chaos caused by the mismanagement of the same company operating under the Israeli occupation administration in those buffer zones,” Ismail Al Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, said.
The Israel military said its troops fired warning shots in the area outside the compound and that control was re-established.
A UN spokesperson called images of the incident “heartbreaking”.
Israel’s foreign ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein wrote on X that 8,000 “food packages” were delivered to Palestinians on Tuesday, the first day of what he described as an American initiative.
Screening procedures
Although the aid was available on Monday, Palestinians appeared to have heeded warnings, including from Hamas, about biometric screening procedures employed at the foundation’s aid distribution sites.
“As much as I want to go because I am hungry and my children are hungry, I am afraid,” said Abu Ahmed, 55. “I am so scared because they said the company belongs to Israel and is a mercenary, and also because the resistance (Hamas) said not to go,” he said in a message on WhatsApp.
The Israeli military said four aid sites have been established in recent weeks across the enclave, and that two of them in the area of Rafah began operations on Tuesday and “are distributing food packages to thousands of families in Gaza Strip”.
Israeli officials said one of the advantages of the new aid system is the opportunity to screen recipients to exclude anyone found to be connected with Hamas.
Humanitarian groups briefed on GHF’s plans say anyone accessing aid will have to submit to facial recognition technology that many Palestinians fear will end up in Israeli hands to be used to track and potentially target them.
Aid groups boycott GHF
The United Nations and other international aid groups have boycotted the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which they say undermines the principle that aid should be distributed independently of the parties to a conflict, based on need.
“Humanitarian assistance must not be politicised or militarised,” said Christian Cardon, chief spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters the UN has a sound plan “to get aid to a desperate population” and that Israel was allowing it to deliver relief, but with a lot of obstacles.
Seven minors were among 22 people injured in an alleged quadcopter strike in the Wana tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district, according to a hospital list.
An incident report issued by the district headquarters hospital (DHQ) in Wana mentioned a “drone attack” at 8pm, which injured 22 people aged between 13 and 60 years.
The condition of a 13-year-old and a man was listed as “serious”, and they were referred to “tertiary care”. Seven, including three aged 15, 18 and 19 years, had “major” injuries. The rest of the 13 had “minor” injuries, of which two were discharged.
PTI-affiliated MNA Zubair Khan Wazir echoed the hospital’s tally and told Dawn.com, “The young men were playing volleyball when the quadcopter fired shells on them.”
He added that people in the area were “scared and restricted to their homes after the attack”.
Wazir, in a post on Facebook, strongly condemned the “drone attack in which innocent citizens were targeted”. He demanded that the federal government and the relevant institutions “immediately investigate the incident, provide justice to the affected families, and take immediate and effective steps to prevent such attacks in the future”.
“Targeting common people under the guise of an attack on a Taliban post is extremely regrettable, shameful and unacceptable,” Wazir claimed, terming the incident a “part of a heinous conspiracy to sabotage regional peace”.
The incident comes within a fortnight after a suspected quadcopter munitions drop claimed the lives of four children and injured five others in North Waziristan District’s Mir Ali tehsil. The military clarified that security forces were “falsely implicated” in the incident and that it was carried out by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Locals there staged a sit-in for over a week with the victims’ bodies, demanding justice, before finally announcing today that they had ended their protest after reaching an agreement with the local administration.
The Sindh government on Tuesday imposed a complete ban on waste disposal into drains for two months in Karachi to prevent their blockage during the incoming monsoon season.
The monsoon season wreaks havoc in the metropolis every year as the drains become clogged causing them to overflow.
According to a notification issued by Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi, the ban was imposed under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
The notification said that throwing waste into the drains “causes serious environmental hazards, discharge of less water, choking of nullahs and a major cause of blockage of the nullahs during the monsoon season”.
It further said that this “warrants immediate action” to impose the ban “to prevent [the] throwing of garbage, solid waste and dumping of debris and other materials into the nullahs”, barring the people from the above actions.
The order also authorised the police to register complaints against violators under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
In March, the Karachi administration imposed a similar ban on the dumping of garbage and solid waste debris in drains for two months. The commissioner had said that all private, public and autonomous institutions had been urged to play their due role in improving the city’s sanitation conditions.
KPT issues monsoon alert
Separately, the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) issued an alert on precautionary measures for the monsoon season.
In the alert dated May 26, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the KPT listed the steps which would be taken as safety measures for heavy rains, wind and flooding.
The measures included close monitoring and assessments of the safety of ships, ensuring mooring lines were set optically, and all pilots were to be on standby.
The alert also said, “Small boats are to be parked at locations less prone to wind and water pressures and to be properly secured.”
“Perform periodic maintenance for electrical items and standby generator should be readily available on short notice,” it added.
ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank has agreed to assist Pakistan develop a strategy and climate policy framework aimed at enhancing environmental resilience and climate adaptability in the country.
The decision was taken in a meeting of ADB Director General Bruno Carrasco-led delegation with Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik and other officials.
Pakistan’s climate resilience and environmental sustainability agenda was discussed.
During the meeting, both parties emphasised the importance of a comprehensive and forward-looking approach to tackle the pressing challenges of climate change.
The discussion focused on youth-led climate initiatives by providing necessary support in terms of preparation, mentorship and funding. Both sides recognised the potential of such initiatives to not only contribute meaningfully to climate solutions but also position themselves competitively on the global innovation landscape.
The meeting also explored avenues for joint ventures in climate financing and investments, with the goal of mobilizing substantial resources towards sustainable development.
Mr Malik highlighted the need to transition from planning to implementation, assuring ADB of his full cooperation and commitment throughout all stages to ensure that agreed outcomes are achieved effectively.
The potential for partnerships in carbon credit markets was also deliberated upon, with both sides agreeing to explore viable mechanisms for monetizing environmental performance and emissions reductions.
• High-level team due in NY to counter Indian lobbying, Bilawal likely to head delegation
• Indian team led by Tharoor is already in US, assailing Trump’s role in truce
A HIGH-LEVEL Pakistani delegation is arriving in New York next week to present Islamabad’s position on the ongoing dispute with India as an Indian parliamentary team is already in the United States to step up its own lobbying campaign.
The Pakistani delegation currently includes Federal Minister for Environment Musadik Masood Malik, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Senator Bushra Rahman, Khurram Dastagir, former ambassadors to Washington Jalil Abbas Jilani and Sherry Rehman. The group is expected to arrive in New York on June 1.
PPP Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto- Zardari is scheduled to lead the delegation. However, with the possible addition of two new destinations to the itinerary, the final list of participants is still being finalised. There is also a possibility that Pakistan may send two separate delegations — one to Europe and another to North America, including Canada — with the PPP chairman likely to lead one of them.
While in New York, the delegation is scheduled to meet United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and the current president of the UN General Assembly. They will also address a meeting of permanent representatives to the UN.
From New York, the delegation will travel to Washington on June 3, a day after the US Congress resumes its session following a post-budget recess. Meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the National Security Adviser are being arranged.
Additional engagements include discussions with senior lawmakers, think tank scholars, and media representatives. The delegation will stay in Washington until June 6.
Meanwhile, the Indian delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is already in the United States as part of a wider tour that includes visits to Guyana, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil.
Tharoor, a former senior UN official, began his campaign with a speech at the Indian Consulate in New York, where he criticised US President Donald Trump’s claim that he had negotiated the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
President Trump has faced criticism from Indian officials and political circles for contradicting New Delhi’s claim that the ceasefire was negotiated by India at Pakistan’s request. Islamabad has already dismissed this claim as inaccurate. Since the ceasefire was announced on May 10, President Trump has issued five statements clarifying that it was the United States — not India — that negotiated and ensured the implementation of the ceasefire.
India has also expressed displeasure over Trump’s repeated public statements that the Kashmir issue requires resolution and that he is willing to mediate. New Delhi has consistently rejected “any notion of third-party mediation”.
In a widely circulated video, Tharoor, without naming Trump, remarked that he has “had the great honour of meeting four or five American presidents,” who had “a certain political heft, statesman-like gravitas, and intellectual quality that I find woefully lacking in this gentleman”. The comment drew laughter from the audience.
Shuja Nawaz, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council and author of several books on Pakistan’s military, commented on the Indian position while talking to Dawn, saying: “India has a longstanding position on no third-party involvement. But it doesn’t show any inclination towards engagement.”
Nawaz also noted that the United States and certain Arab states were involved in behind-the-scenes peace efforts. “Pakistan can benefit from behind-the-scenes pressure by the US and Arabian Peninsula governments to begin dialogue. But it must insist on a broad agenda and a deadline for agreement.”
Joshua White, a former National Security Council official and now a professor at Johns Hopkins University, also spoke to Dawn, saying it is unclear whether President Trump “personally played any role” in bringing about the ceasefire. However, “he is eager to take credit for solving problems, even if the manner in which he does so strains ties with the United States’ allies and partners.”
Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based scholar of South Asian affairs, said President Trump views himself as the ultimate dealmaker and peace broker, “so it’s not a surprise he’d want to publicly project himself as having been front and centre in the talks that led to the end of a dangerous confrontation”.
Noting India’s sensitivity to third-party involvement, Kugelman added: “Unlike during previous cases of US mediation, Trump essentially broadcast it to the world, which naturally didn’t go down well in Delhi.”
THE government has delayed the announcement of the budget for the next fiscal year by a little over a week to June 10, presumably due to lingering differences with the IMF over certain expenditure proposals the lender thinks could undermine progress on its $7bn funding programme.
For its part, the government considers the contested expenditures critical to providing relief to the middle class, which is burdened with heavy taxes and elevated cost of living, as well as to strengthening Pakistan’s military defences against India. After multiple inconclusive rounds of discussions on the budget proposals for the coming year, the IMF mission left the country, agreeing to continue talks on tax measures and expenditures virtually over the next week.
Following its visit, the lender issued a statement calling the discussions with Pakistani authorities on the “budget proposals and broader economic policy, and reform agenda supported by the 2024 Extended Fund Facility and the 2025 Resilience and Sustainability Facility” constructive. It said that the authorities had “reaffirmed their commitment to fiscal consolidation while safeguarding social and priority expenditures, aiming for a primary surplus of 1.6pc of GDP” during the next fiscal year. It said that the “discussions focused on actions to enhance revenue — including by bolstering compliance and expanding the tax base — and prioritise expenditure”.
The difference of opinion on higher allocations for defence following India’s unprovoked aggression and on certain tax relief measures for the salaried class is not something to fret over. Previously too, we have seen both sides disagreeing on fiscal measures before finding middle ground. The IMF mission head’s statement also does not indicate any major gap between the two sides on the budget proposals.
The Fund probably wants the government to cover all the bases through additional revenue measures to absorb the impact on its budget left by any tax relief and increase in defence spending. The government must continue on the path of sound macroeconomic policy and fiscal consolidation to protect its fragile recovery that remains vulnerable to potential slippages on account of, for instance, pressure from the real estate lobby for tax breaks and exogenous shocks.
Indeed, the government is under a lot of political stress from various segments of the population and industry to provide some kind of relief and push growth. Going forward, the pressure will increase and the political leadership may find it difficult to resist the temptation of creating a feel-good atmosphere in the country.
The question is: is it in a position to break free from the IMF’s conditions? It can hardly afford this. Living off multilateral funds and loan rollovers by friendly countries as it is doing at the moment, Pakistan is at a critical juncture and must carefully weigh every step it takes.
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office has said some 110,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Pakistan, including a minimum of 8 per cent of Proof of Registration (PoR) cardholders, have both high-risk profiles with increased international protection needs, and specific or cumulative vulnerabilities that could qualify them for resettlement.
The Resettlement Programme in Pakistan has been active since the 1980s and more than 20,000 vulnerable refugees have now departed for resettlement to third countries to find safety and rebuild their lives, UNHCR says in its latest resettlement factsheet on Pakistan Operation.
In 2021, following the changed situation in Afghanistan, there was a renewed interest by the international community in the resettlement of Afghan refugees, leading to an increase in resettlement quotas for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
The US topped the list of nine countries that accepted Afghan refugees for resettlement. The US accepted 10,823 Afghan refugees, followed by Australia (4,362), Canada (2,253), the United Kingdom (954), New Zealand (817), Norway (248), Sweden (182), Finland (116), and Italy (72).
Over 300,000 Afghans returned, deported by Pakistan, Iran in a month, says IFRC
Since 2021, several diplomatic missions in Pakistan established their own “Safe Passage” programmes to facilitate the evacuation and relocation of Afghan nationals affiliated with their foreign missions in Afghanistan, they are outside the framework of UNHCR’s Resettlement Programme, the agency clarified.
“Resettlement is unique in that it is the only durable solution that involves the relocation of refugees from an asylum country to a third country,” the UNHCR said. Those prioritised include survivors of violence, vulnerable women and girls, at-risk children, and individuals with serious medical conditions.
Worsening crisis
Meanwhile, the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) warned that Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis — marked by extreme poverty, food insecurity, and a strained health system — is worsening due to a mass influx of returnees, largely triggered by Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP).
“This influx of Afghan nationals has put further strain on an already fragile infrastructure, complicating efforts to provide essential services to those in need,” the IFRC said.
Last month, the IFRC launched a Federation-wide Emergency Appeal in response to escalating humanitarian needs, seeking 25 million Swiss francs to scale up multi-sectoral immediate and longer-term assistance.
In April, over 144,500 people returned from Pakistan, with more than 29,900 deported. “During the month of April, between 4,000 and 6,000 people were arriving in Afghanistan each day,” the IFRC reported.
The influx of returnees, amidst persistent drought, pre-existing internal displacements, and deteriorating economic conditions, is placing immense pressure on already overstretched services.
Adding to the pressure, returns from Iran are also increasing due to policy shifts hindering access to legal protection. Between March 20 and April 30, 170,200 Afghans arrived from Iran. The combined returns from Pakistan and Iran, exceeding 300,000 in April alone, are placing “extreme pressure” on Afghanistan’s border regions and urban areas ill-equipped for such large movements, the IFRC concluded.
• Shehbaz meets Erdogan, expresses gratitude for Ankara’s support during tensions with India
• Both sides reaffirm principled support for ‘core concerns’, including Kashmir dispute; call for Gaza ceasefire
• Premier advocates investments in renewable energy, IT, defence production, agriculture
ISLAMABAD: In the first leg of his four-country tour, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday arrived in Turkiye, where he met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to not only thank Ankara for its support during recent tensions with India but also cement bilateral economic cooperation.
“Both leaders reaffirmed their principled support for each other’s core concerns, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” said an official press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday.
In his meeting with President Erdogan, the PM advocated joint ventures and enhanced bilateral investment, highlighting key sectors, including renewable energy, information technology, defence production, infrastructure development, and agriculture as potential areas of mutual interest.
The two leaders also conducted a comprehensive review of the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and reiterated their resolve to elevate the strategic partnership. They also followed up on the implementation of key decisions taken during the 7th session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), held in Islamabad on Feb 13 this year. Both sides agreed to take steps to achieve the $5 billion annual bilateral trade target agreed earlier by the two leaders.
In addition to bilateral issues, Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Erdogan discussed pressing regional and international developments. They also expressed concern over the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, urgently calling for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access to the affected Palestinian population.
PM Shehbaz, who was accompanied by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the government and people of Turkiye for their unwavering support to Pakistan during the recent developments in South Asia. He lauded Turkiye’s principled stance and the outpouring support of goodwill of the Turkish people for Pakistan and termed it as a source of great comfort and strength for Pakistan.
The premier highlighted the commitment, courage and the spirit of sacrifice of the armed forces of Pakistan and the resolute patriotism that was demonstrated in an unprecedented manner, which contributed to Pakistan’s victory in Marak-i-Haq and Operation Bunyanum Marsoos.
According to state-run PTV News, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant Syed Tariq Fatemi also participated in the meeting.
Moreover, both leaders also presided over a delegation-level meeting between the two sides.
Earlier, on his arrival at the airport, the PM was received by Defence Minister Yashar Guler, Istanbul Deputy Governor Erdogan Turan Ermis, Pakistan’s ambassador in Turkiye Yousaf Junaid, Consul General Istanbul Nouman Aslam, and other diplomats.
After the two-day Turkiye visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also visit Iran, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan during this week.
During the visits, he is expected to hold “wide-ranging discussions” with the nations while acknowledging their support during Pakistan’s recent escalation with India.
According to Dawn.com, in Tajikistan — likely the last leg of his tour — the premier will also attend the International Conference on Glaciers being held in its capital, Dushanbe, on May 29 and 30.
The visit comes a fortnight after Pakistan and India reached a US-brokered ceasefire following a brief military confrontation. During the conflict, the Iranian foreign minister visited both nations to act as a mediator. According to the FO’s statement, the PM will have “wide-ranging discussions” with the leaders of the four countries on issues including bilateral relations and matters of regional and international importance.
Pakistan, Uzbekistan ties
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich discussed bilateral relations and the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line Project in a phone call on Sunday, the Foreign Office said in a press release.
During the conversation, the two leaders expressed optimism about the early finalisation of the framework agreement for the regional connectivity project.
The ministers also exchanged views on the regional situation, according to the statement.
Virgil van Dijk lifted the Premier League trophy after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday as the Reds held a title party with their own fans for the first time in 35 years.
Arne Slot’s side wrapped up their record-equalling 20th English crown with a demolition of Tottenham in April, but the long-awaited trophy presentation was saved for the final game of the season.
Liverpool’s last title in 2020 was won during the Covid-19 lockdown, meaning the trophy was held aloft by then-captain Jordan Henderson in front of an empty stadium.
The Reds made the most of their first title celebration in a packed Anfield since 1990 as the 61,000-capacity crowd partied along with the great and good of Liverpool’s illustrious past.
“It’s always special to win something, but at certain clubs maybe a little bit more,” Slot said. “I don’t think you expect anything like this. If you look at the Premier League in the last few seasons, it was always a race to the end.
“To be part of it was already nice, let alone to win it.”
Alan Hansen, who captained Liverpool in their last trophy lift at a full Anfield in 1990, presented the silverware to current Reds skipper Van Dijk.
Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool’s manager 35 years ago, was watching from the stands, as was Jurgen Klopp, who masterminded the Reds’ Premier League triumph in 2020 before leaving last year.
Fireworks, smoke and red ticker tape filled the air as the trophy was paraded around Anfield, with the famous Kop stand adorned with banners and flags emblazoned with slogans hailing their heroes.
Even Trent Alexander-Arnold — the Liverpool right-back controversially set to leave in a widely-expected move to Real Madrid — was embraced by fans on his final appearance for his boyhood club.
Alexander-Arnold had been booed after coming on as a substitute for the recent draw with Arsenal in the first game following his announcement that he will depart when his contract expires in June.
Rousing scene
With Anfield in party mood, tearful Alexander-Arnold was granted a fond farewell as he was cheered when he came off the bench in the second half, the Liverpool-born defender responding by kissing his badge.
Liverpool failed to win any of their four games after sealing the title.
But that couldn’t detract from the festive atmosphere, which was in full swing before the game even kicked off as Slot’s team were given a guard of honour onto the pitch by Palace’s players, before the Reds returned the favour to salute the FA Cup winners.
Ismaila Sarr’s ninth-minute goal for Palace couldn’t spoil the occasion either. Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who had been booked for diving, was shown a straight red card after his foul on Daichi Kamada in the 68th minute.
But Mohamed Salah ensured Liverpool avoided defeat in their finale when he bundled home in the 84th minute.
Salah’s 29th goal this season equalled the Premier League record of most goal involvements in a season, previously held by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer, who both achieved 47 in a 42-game season.
The Egypt forward finished as the Premier League’s golden boot winner for a record-equalling fourth time.
Liverpool’s players gathered in one long line to sing the club anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ in a rousing scene after the trophy presentation.
The party is set to continue on Monday when Liverpool will parade the trophy through the city on an open-top bus.
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has called for operationalising the Gaza Reconstruction Plan endorsed by the OIC and Arab Group.
As diplomats met in New York to prepare for an international conference in June, aimed at advancing global efforts towards achieving a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, Pakistan called for addressing the root cause: Israel’s prolonged occupation.
“Only by ending the occupation can we secure a just and lasting peace,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the preparatory session that brought together UN member states to finalise arrangements for eight roundtables.
“This conference is both timely and essential,” he said, pointing out that Palestinian people’s continued suffering, the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the systematic erosion of the two-state solution through illegal settlements and unilateral measures by the occupying power demand a resolute international response.
Amb Iftikhar spells out steps at preparatory session for June conference to preserve Palestinian statehood viability
The conference will take place at the UN headquarters in New York from June 17 to 20. It stems from a resolution approved by the UN General Assembly in December 2024 and will be co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
In his remarks, he said in the lead-up to the June conference, it was imperative to restore and fully implement a ceasefire in Gaza, lift the blockade, ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, including through UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, and protect civilians and aid workers.
“Any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians, annex territory, or impose militarised aid mechanisms must be firmly rejected,” he said.
Mechanism, transit corridor
To preserve the viability of Palestinian statehood, he said that, among other steps, the conference “must establish a mechanism to monitor and promote enforcement of relevant UNSC resolutions, including those which term settlements illegal and efforts made to secure Palestine’s admission as a full UN member state; and, operationalise the Gaza Reconstruction Plan endorsed by the OIC and Arab Group. Projects such as a Gaza-West Bank transit corridor, seaport reconstruction, and industrial zones are vital for territorial contiguity and Palestinian unity.”
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for a just, lasting, and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian Question, rooted in international law and relevant UN resolutions, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds as the capital of Palestine.
“This conference must serve a turning point, and deliver tangible outcomes,” he told delegates. “Pakistan stands ready to support this conference and contribute to a credible political horizon, for a two-state solution — one that upholds Palestinian rights, ends occupation and delivers durable peace through a viable, sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he added.
Earlier, UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang urged countries to seize the crucial opportunity to finally make progress.
“The horrors we have witnessed in Gaza for over 19 months should spur us to urgent action to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The devastating cycles of death, destruction, and displacement cannot be allowed to continue,” he said.
“This conflict cannot be resolved through permanent war, nor through endless occupation or annexation. It will only end when Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in their own sovereign, independent states, in peace, security and dignity.”
• 19 dead, over 90 injured in Punjab
• Road, air travel disrupted; walls and roofs collapse, infrastructure damaged
• Widespread outages reported from parts of country
• Crops, power lines damaged in KP; 113 feeders trip across province
ISLAMABAD / LAHORE /PESHAWAR: At least 19 people were killed and over 90 others injured as powerful windstorms and heavy rains battered several parts of the country on Saturday, paralysing road and air traffic, damaging infrastructure and triggering widespread power outages.
Heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds and hail also struck Islamabad, leading to water accumulation in several low-lying areas and trees falling at multiple spots.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, strong winds and hailstorms caused extensive damage to crops and power lines but no fatalities were reported. Over 113 power feeders tripped across the province, with areas like Peshawar, Mardan, Khyber, Swabi, Swat and Abbottabad worst affected.
Meanwhile, a private airline from Karachi to Lahore narrowly avoided a disaster when it was caught in severe turbulence while landing at Allama Iqbal International Airport.
According to the data provided by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab and Rescue 1122, three people died each in Lahore and Jhelum, two each in Sialkot and Muzaffargarh and one person each in Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Attock, Multan, Rajanpur, Hafizabad, Mianwali, Jhang and Layyah as the walls and roofs of the houses collapsed and trees fell on them. About two dozen incidents of the fall of solar panels and billboards were also reported.
A PDMA tally issued at 10pm on Saturday put fatalities at 13 and injuries at 92. Separate incidents reported by Rescue 1122 and other sources added more deaths, pushing the toll higher.
The authority had earlier urged citizens and provincial authorities to remain on high alert, according to a Dawn.com report.
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia directed deputy commissioners and rescue agencies across Punjab to remain alert amid reports of wind and rain in various districts of the province, the authority said in a statement.
Motorway Police closed several motorways, including sections of M2, M3 and the Lahore-Sialkot route, due to safety concerns. Severe weather and low visibility were reported on parts of the M4 and M5, while thunderstorms disrupted travel across highways linking Lahore to Multan and beyond.
Power infrastructure was also hit hard, with Multan’s power utility Mepco confirming faults across south Punjab’s grid, leading to temporary blackouts in Multan, Khanewal, Vehari and Sahiwal.
The Water and Sanitation Agency in Lahore reported full mobilisation of machinery and pumps to clear underpasses.
Deaths, injuries
According to the PDMA report, most deaths in Punjab occurred due to the collapse of dilapidated houses and being in unsafe locations.
In Sheikhupura, the roof of a factory collapsed due to strong wind, killing a worker from Sadiqabad and seriously injuring five others, the state-run Pakistan Television reported.
Several mud and dilapidated houses were also damaged due to the storm. There were also incidents of falling trees and damage to solar panels in Lahore.
District Officer Rescue 1122 Sibghatullah told Dawn that a labourer died after a wall of an under-construction house in Sood Gangal on Kallar Syedan Road collapsed due to the strong winds. The deceased was identified as Imtiaz Yaqoob, 52.
Scores of people were also injured in Taxila, Lahore High Court Road, Adiala Road, Peshawar Road, Chakri Road, Kotha Kalan, Rawat, Gujar Khan and Chakri near the motorway, he said.
In another incident, a man died after the wall of his house in Fauji Colony, Pirwadhai, collapsed. Naseebullah, 60, was seriously injured in the incident and was shifted to the hospital but could not survive.
In Attock, a child was killed and six others, including a woman and her daughter, were injured.
According to Rescue 1122, the Grade 2 student, identified as Mohammad Hassan Shahbaz, was killed when the wall of his house collapsed in the Mithial village, within the limits of Jand Police Station.
Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed announced that medical assistance would be provided to the injured people, the PDMA said.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more rain and thunderstorms across Punjab and KP on Sunday, including in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Peshawar and Mardan.
Damage in KP
Strong winds and hailstorms also caused extensive damage to crops and power lines in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but no deaths were reported.
The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) said that more than 113 feeders across the province tripped due to the windstorm. The power utility said that the 19 feeders tripped each in Peshawar and Mardan, 13 in Khyber, 30 in Swabi, 13 in Swat, 15 in Abbottabad and four in Mansehra.
The Peshawar cantonment experienced power outages spanning several hours after the windstorm. Sources told Dawn that the cantonment power supply was underground and Pesco staff had to seek permission from military authorities to start rehabilitation work.
Other severely affected areas included Mingora, Amankot, Rahimabad and Qambar, where residents faced immense difficulty commuting and accessing essential services. Citizens called upon the authorities to expedite drainage and relief efforts to prevent further damage.
In Mingora, Swat, flash floods from overflowing drains inundated homes and disrupted daily life, forcing students to sit exams in complete darkness due to outages.
According to the Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature in the Swat valley dropped to 20 degrees Celsius due to the rain and hailstorm.
Rain and hailstorms in the Ambar and Pandiali tehsils of Mohmand district damaged crops, causing losses to the farmers.
According to initial reports, several slum houses were damaged and trees were uprooted in remote localities; however, no loss of life was immediately reported, official sources confirmed.
Moreover, a heavy windstorm followed by light rain disrupted proceedings on Saturday, the second day of the ongoing Tablighi Ijtema in the Baffa area.
The congregation, which began on Friday, has attracted hundreds of thousands of participants from across Hazara, Gilgit-Baltistan and other parts of the country. The organisers expect an even larger turnout on Sunday, the final day when special prayers will be offered.
Meanwhile, a windstorm followed by light rain also affected life in other parts of the Hazara division.
Flight faces turbulence
Meanwhile, a private airline flight FL-842 from Karachi to Lahore narrowly avoided a disaster when it was caught in severe turbulence while landing at Allama Iqbal International Airport. The pilot aborted landing and safely returned to Karachi following air traffic control instructions, *Geo News
reported.
Passengers, shaken by repeated jolts, refused to re-board after landing in Karachi. Airport sources said 57 passengers cancelled their travel plans, delaying the flight’s re-departure.
At least two other flights to Lahore were diverted to Karachi due to poor visibility, while departures were delayed until weather conditions stabilised.
As the storm subsided, operations at Lahore airport resumed, with flights PK-305 and PA-405 eventually departing for Karachi.
Aamir Yasin and Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad, Imran Gabol in Lahore and Manzoor Ali in Peshawar contributed to this report
Mountaineer Saad Munawar on Saturday became the first Pakistani to summit the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest (8,848.86 metres), from its northern face.
Earlier this month, two other Pakistani mountaineers achieved feats of their own, with renowned Pakistani climber Sajid Ali Sadpara summiting the world’s seventh highest peak, Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), without oxygen or porter support on May 11 and renowned Pakistani climber Sirbaz Khan successfully summiting Mt Kangchenjunga (8,586m), the third highest peak in the world, without supplemental oxygen on May 18.
Munawar’s official Facebook account confirmed the feat, writing that he “raised the green flag at the summit of [the] highest peak in the world”.
“This is the first time that a Pakistani has summited Mt Everest from the north side,” the post added. “Saad has safely descended back to Camp 3 for the night. Requesting prayers for safe descent back to the base camp during the next days.”
According to climbers, the route to summit Everest’s northern face starts in Tibet, a different route from most mountaineers who ascend from the Nepalese side.
Additionally, according to mountaineering website Explorersweb, Chinese authorities only started issuing permits to summit the northern face last January.
Summiting Everest from the north bypasses the Khumbu Icefall, a dangerous section on the South Side, making it safer in that aspect.
Mingma G, owner of the Imagine Nepal expedition team of which Munawar was a part, told Dawn.com that Saad Munawar and eight other foreign climbers successfully climbed Everest from the north side on Saturday morning.
“Saad recently began climbing high-altitude mountains and has already conquered Aconcagua, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, and Lobuche Peak in Nepal,” he added.
Karrar Haidri, Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, also congratulated Munawar in a statement.
“We are immensely proud to share that Saad Bin Munawar has made history as the first and only Pakistani to summit Mount Everest (8,848.86 meters) via the challenging North Side route — a feat that places him among the world’s elite mountaineers,” the statement read.
The club’s statement added that Munawar is a “renowned adventurer, mountaineer, and author [and] has long been a source of inspiration in Pakistan’s adventure community”.
“Before this Everest ascent, he was the first Pakistani to summit Mt Aconcagua, the highest peak outside Asia,” the statement added. “His leadership in expeditions and mountaineering literature continues to motivate a new generation of climbers.”
In their statement, Imagine Nepal also congratulated the other climbers, including three women, for reaching the summit from the north side.
“Dr Simone Molter from Germany conquered her first 8000m peak, fulfilling her dream after years of preparation and determination,” Imagine Nepal wrote.
“Angela Yeung from South Africa stood on the world’s highest peak for a greater cause — “raising awareness and funds for survivors of gender-based violence through her Impilo Collection Foundation,” it added.
“Chhiri Aangjum Sherpa from Nepal, completed her 4th continental summit, inspiring women everywhere with her strength, unity, and vision,” the statement continued. “These women are more than climbers — they are leaders, activists, and role models proving that no peak is too high when driven by purpose.”
The other climbers included Justin Moore Walker from the United States, Dawa Gyalje Sherpa, Ang Mingma Sherpa, Sonam Tashi Sherpa, Ngima Dorjee Sherpa, Lakpa Tenzing Sherpa, Dawa Kami Sherpa and Thupten Topchen Sherpa.
Vehicles cross the Gatidas area near Babusar Top after the road was reopened on Friday.—Dawn
GILGIT: Babusar Road, which connects the picturesque town of Naran in the Kaghan Valley with Chilas in Gilgit-Baltistan, was reopened to traffic on Friday after remaining closed for seven months.
The scenic Babusar Top and Babusar Pass usually remain closed from November to June every year owing to heavy snow. Through Babusar Pass, the journey from Diamer to Mansehra takes seven hours, while the same distance is covered in 14 hours through the Karakoram Highway. The reopening of this high-altitude pass is likely to increase tourist influx in GB and also tourism activity across the Naran and Kaghan Valley and adjoining areas.
Situated at an altitude of 13,700 feet above sea level, Babusar Top is a famous tourist spot. Tourists visiting Gilgit-Baltistan prefer to travel through Babusar Pass to enjoy the weather and breathtaking sights.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) has completed the road clearance operation two days ago after removing snow. Officials of Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan confirmed to Dawn that the Babusar road has been cleared for traffic and allowed traffic on both sides.
An official of district administration said that traffic on both sides was allowed on Thursday. The NHA crew cleared over 21 glaciers between Naran and Babusar Top in phases and Diamer district administration cleared snow avalanches on the Diamer side.
The Diamer district administration has suggested travellers to follow SOPs for travelling on the road as the traffic accidents report from Babusar top to Chilas of Diamer section annually. Diamer Police have established check posts at Babusar top and mobile towers have made functional to provide Internet facility.
A local hotel association said there has been a noticeable increase in the number of tourists from various parts of the country, with hundreds of visitors now arriving daily in Naran. Hotels, restaurants, and tour operators are reporting a sharp rise in bookings and activity, signalling a strong start to the summer tourism season, reports APP.
It added that the local stakeholders, including hoteliers and tour guides, have welcomed the reopening and are hopeful for a prosperous season, provided that authorities continue to ensure road safety and timely communication regarding weather conditions and travel advisories.
UNITED NATIONS: United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Friday said “Palestinians in Gaza are enduring what may be the cruelest phase of this cruel conflict” as Israel ramps up its military offensive.
“For nearly 80 days, Israel blocked the entry of life-saving international aid,” he said in a statement. “The entire population of Gaza is facing the risk of famine.
“The Israeli military offensive is intensifying with atrocious levels of death and destruction.
“Today, 80 per cent of Gaza has been either designated an Israeli-militarised zone or an area where people have been ordered to leave.”
More than 50 Palestinians dead or missing in Israeli strike on Jabalia
Aid also began trickling into the Gaza Strip on Monday for the first time in more than two months, amid condemnation of the Israeli blockade that sparked severe shortages of food and medicine.
“Israel has clear obligations under international humanitarian law,” Guterres said. “As the occupying power, it must agree to allow and facilitate the aid that is needed,” he said.
More than 50 Palestinians were killed or went missing after an Israeli air strike on a residential building in the Jabalia al-Balad area of northern Gaza, Palestinian Civil Defence sources say.
Israeli drones targeted more than five locations near the entrance to Deir al-Balah in central Gaza on Friday morning, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
When people rushed to help the victims, Israeli forces attacked them again, injuring several more Palestinians.
Separately, three people, including a young girl, lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike on an apartment near Abdel Aal junction on al-Jalaa Street in Gaza City.
Two siblings were killed, and their father suffered critical injuries when an Israeli strike hit a home in the western camp area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.
In eastern Khan Yunis, several casualties are reported after Israeli forces struck a home in the town of Abasan al-Kabira.
Israeli air strikes also killed at least six Palestinians guarding aid trucks against looters, Hamas officials said, underlining the problems hindering supplies from reaching hungry people in Gaza following Israel’s 11-week-long blockade.
The Israeli military claimed 107 trucks carrying flour and other foodstuffs as well as medical supplies, entered the Gaza Strip from the Kerem Shalom crossing point on Thursday. But getting the supplies to people sheltering in tents and other makeshift accommodations has been fitful.
So far, an umbrella network of Palestinian aid groups said, 119 aid trucks have entered Gaza since Israel eased its blockade on Monday in the face of an international outcry.
But distribution has been hampered by looting by groups of men, some of them armed, near the city of Khan Yunis, the network said.
A Hamas official said six members of a security team tasked with guarding the shipments were killed. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
The aid groups network also said the amount of aid coming into Gaza was still inadequate and only included a narrow range of supplies. It said Israel’s agreement to allow trucks to enter the war-shattered enclave was a “deceptive manoeuvre” to avoid international pressure calling for the lifting of the blockade.
A knife attack at the main station in the German city of Hamburg left at least 12 people injured, with some of them in a life-threatening condition, local emergency services said.
“According to initial information, a person injured several people with a knife at the main train station,” Hamburg police said in a post on X. “The suspect was apprehended by the responding forces.”
A spokesman for the Hamburg fire department told AFP that 12 people had been injured in the attack. Among them were “six people with life-threatening injuries”, the spokesman said.
Some of the victims were being treated in trains, according to the German daily Bild.
Germany has been rocked by a series of violent attacks in recent months. On Sunday, four people were injured in a stabbing at a bar in the city of Bielefeld.
The investigation into the attack had been handed over to federal prosecutors after the suspect in the attack told the police officers who arrested him that he had extremist beliefs.
In January, a two-year-old child and a man were killed while two other people were seriously wounded in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg, said police, who arrested an Afghan suspect at the scene.
The attacker targeted a group of children from a daycare centre who were in the park, according to German media.
“Two people were fatally injured,” police said, while another two were seriously hurt and receiving treatment in hospital.
The suspect, a 28-year-old man from Afghanistan, was arrested “in the immediate vicinity of the crime scene”, police added, without indicating a motive.
