Kashmir resolution vital for stability
According to the Kashmir Media Service, Bhat made the remarks during a meeting in Islamabad with Babar Foundation Chairman Sardar Babar Abbasi and Sardar Lal Khan Abbasi. He urged the United Nations to implement its resolutions on Kashmir and grant the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination.
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Business Recorder
19 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Rains, floods: PM pledges support to survivors
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday pledged the federal government's unwavering support for victims of the recent torrential rains and floods that have devastated parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), as the country braces for more monsoon rains in the coming weeks. Chairing a high-level meeting, the prime minister announced that members of the federal cabinet would donate one month's salary to support ongoing relief efforts in the worst-affected districts of KP. 'In this hour of crisis, there are no federal or provincial governments,' the prime minister said. 'We must ensure the aid and rehabilitation of affected people.' He insisted that political divisions must be set aside, describing flood relief as a national moral imperative. 'Helping our disaster-struck brethren is our national duty,' he said. 'This is not the time for politics; it is the time to serve and to soothe the pain of the people.' Additional relief goods being dispatched on PM's order The prime minister directed all federal ministries and institutions to intensify support on the ground. He ordered federal ministers to personally supervise the restoration of electricity, water supply, road infrastructure, and essential services in KP, GB and AJK. Until the last person in the affected areas is assisted and the basic infrastructure is restored, Sharif declared, the relevant federal ministers will remain in the field. The meeting was briefed on the extent of the destruction. Preliminary reports from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) estimate damages of over Rs126 million to public and private infrastructure. A total of 456 relief camps have been set up and more than 400 rescue operations conducted across the region. Convoys of relief goods continue to reach affected communities, and Prime Minister Sharif instructed officials to prioritise aid to the most severely impacted districts. He also directed the NDMA to immediately present a final damage assessment and to prepare a comprehensive relief distribution plan. The prime minister appointed Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Amir Muqam to oversee the distribution of aid and rehabilitation work in the north. Meanwhile, the prime minister issued directives to the Minister for Communications, Aleem Khan, to personally monitor the restoration of roads and bridges, and to the Federal Minister for Power, Awais Leghari, to ensure the restoration of electricity in flood-hit areas on a priority basis. PM Sharif also stressed that the National Highway Authority (NHA) should make no distinction between national and provincial roads, and instead focus on opening all access routes to ensure the smooth delivery of aid. He also directed the Ministry of Health to dispatch medical teams and essential medicines to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to establish emergency medical camps, while the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is to be activated to assist affected families. According to NDMA forecasts shared during the meeting, the monsoon season is expected to continue until at least the second week of September, with two additional rain spells anticipated before the end of the month. Six major downpours have already caused extensive flooding across the region. The meeting was attended by several ministers and officials reporting live from disaster zones, including Amir Muqam from Swat, Minister for Power Awais Leghari from KP, and senior officials from Malakand and Gilgit. The prime minister concluded the meeting with a solemn prayer for those who had lost their lives in the flooding, and for the swift recovery of the injured. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
PM Shehbaz reviews relief efforts for flood-affectees in Pakistan's northern areas
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif presided a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Monday to review ongoing relief operations for the victims of torrential rains and floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. During the meeting, the prime minister announced that the entire federal cabinet will donate one month's salary to support flood victims in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He directed federal institutions to intensify relief efforts in the affected districts of the province. 'In this hour of difficulty, there is no federal or provincial government — we must ensure full support and rehabilitation of the affected people,' said the prime minister, stressing that assisting fellow citizens in distress is a national duty. He further added: 'This is not a time for politics. It's a time for service and for healing the pain of the people.' 'Heavy monsoon rains' likely to batter Karachi, other parts of Sindh till Friday PM Shehbaz announced that the federal government will provide financial assistance under the PM Relief Package not only to the families of those who lost their lives but also to the injured and affected. The premier directed Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Amir Muqam to oversee the distribution of relief goods and the recovery operations in the affected regions. 'Relevant federal ministers will personally supervise the restoration of electricity, water, roads, and other basic services. Whereas, all concerned ministers must personally visit affected areas in KP, AJK, and GB,' he said. The National Highway Authority (NHA) must prioritise restoring all routes for relief access without distinguishing between provincial and national highways. The Ministry of Communications, NHA, and Frontier Works Organization (FWO) must ensure the repair of roads and bridges. The Minister for Communications is directed to visit affected areas and directly monitor restoration efforts, the PM Office said in a statement. The Minister for Power is also instructed to inspect damaged regions and ensure power restoration on priority, it added. Meanwhile, the PMO said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been directed to present a final assessment of damages immediately, submit a comprehensive plan for the distribution of relief items in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Possible torrential rains in Punjab: Punjab CM asks stakeholders to remain alert 'Until the last affected individual is helped and basic infrastructure is restored, federal ministers will remain on the ground,' the prime minister stated, adding all required resources could be received from the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Health has been directed to dispatch medicines and medical teams and establish health camps in the affected areas. The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has also been instructed to mobilise support for the victims. At the conclusion of the meeting, the prime minister and attendees offered prayers for the martyrs of the floods and for the speedy recovery of the injured. The forum was briefed about the efforts of the NDMA and officials designated by the PM for relief works. According to the briefing, 456 relief camps have been established and 400 rescue operations conducted so far, with trucks carrying relief supplies being dispatched, including today. The prime minister ordered that the most affected areas should receive aid first on a priority basis. A preliminary estimate puts losses to public and private property at over Rs126 million. The NDMA presented updates on the supply of rations, tents, medicines, medical teams, and other relief items. The premier ordered further increases in these supplies. It was also reported that the monsoon will continue until the second week of September, with six major spells already occurring and two more expected, whose effects may last through the end of September. Heavy rains, floods claim 313 lives across KP Several ministers and officials provided updates about situation in different areas. Federal Minister for Kashmir and GB Affairs Muqam briefed on the situation in Swat. Minister for Power Sardar Awais Khan Leghari reported on overall KP situaion. Special Assistant Mubarak Zeb Khan updated on Bajaur. The NHA chairman gave an update from Malakand. The secretary communications briefed from Gilgit. Other ministers, including Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, and Dr Musadik Malik, also shared updates on relief efforts in line with the prime minister's directions. The meeting was attended by key cabinet members and officials including Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Musadik Malik, Ahad Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, Muqam, Leghari, Yousaf, Wattoo, Mubarak Zeb, NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik, and PM's Chief Coordinator Musharraf Zaidi, along with other senior officials.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
Khalistan referendum in Washington today
The Sikh community in the United States is set to hold a Khalistan referendum in Washington DC on Sunday (today) with thousands of Sikhs from across the country expected to participate, Kashmir Media Service reported. Organised by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan group, the referendum provides a platform for the Sikh community to voice their democratic aspirations as part of the global movement for an independent Khalistan. At a news conference, SFJ leaders lauded US President Donald Trump for his tough stance on India's actions, while criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for its global drive against the Khalistan movement. Recently, President Trump wrote a letter to Khalistan movement leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, assuring the safety of US nationals. In the recent past, Canada, the United States, and Australia have exposed Indian intelligence networks allegedly involved in targeting Sikh activists.
