Latest news with #KhyberPakhtunkhwa
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Two constables shot dead in northwestern Pakistan amid surge in militant attacks
PESHAWAR: Unidentified gunmen shot dead two constables in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Wednesday, police said amid a surge in militant attacks in the restive area. The attack took place in Dera Ismail Khan district's Kulachi area near the Afghan border, district police spokesperson Yaqoob Bukhari confirmed. Bukhari identified the slain cops as constables Ghulam Muhammad and Shehzad, saying they were ambushed by the unknown attackers while they left their police station to buy groceries. 'A heavy police contingent responded immediately,' Bukhari told Arab News. 'During the ensuing search operation, one terrorist was killed and two others injured in an exchange of fire.' Kalashnikov rifles and other ammunition were recovered from the slain militant, Bukhari said, adding that a search operation was underway to track down the remaining assailants. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the attack, paying tribute to the slain constables and directing authorities to arrest the suspects involved in the killing. The latest attack takes place amid surging violence in KP, where earlier this month an explosion claimed by Daesh killed at least four local government officials and policemen. A woman was killed last week while three others were injured in two quadcopter attacks in the province that police said were conducted by militants. Last week also saw the killing of two people, including a senior leader of the Awami National Party, who were shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Bajaur district. No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the constables. However, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group has previously claimed responsibility for similar attacks in KP, which borders Afghanistan. Pakistan's government has also blamed the TTP for some of the deadliest attacks against law enforcers and civilians in recent years. Islamabad has accused Afghanistan of sheltering TTP militants, urging Kabul to take decisive action against militants it says operate from Afghan soil. Kabul has rejected the allegations and urged Islamabad to resolve its security matters internally.
Arab News
a day ago
- Climate
- Arab News
WFP, GCF launch $9.8 million project to protect flood-prone communities in Pakistan's north
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations (UN) World Food Program and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have launched a $9.8 million project in Pakistan aimed at protecting flood-prone communities in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistani state media reported on Tuesday. Titled the 'Integrated Climate Risk Management for Strengthened Resilience to Climate' project, the initiative aims to help flood-prone communities cope with extreme weather by installing early warning systems such as weather stations and river-level monitors. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and its 240 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency. In 2022, unprecedented monsoon floods submerged a third of Pakistan and killed 1,700 people, with some areas still recovering from the damage. This year, more than 110 people have been killed and over 200 injured in rain-related incidents across the country. 'The initiative funded by the GCF with $9.8 million will directly benefit 1.6 million people in Buner and Shangla districts of KP province, two areas highly vulnerable to climate shocks,' the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported on Tuesday. The project will help improve coordination among government departments and enhance capacity of local authorities and emergency teams through targeted trainings and essential equipment, according to the report. This will ensure timely and effective responses to climate-related emergencies and faster communication of alerts to communities at risk. People will be trained to interpret warnings issued by the weather systems to evacuate safely and take measures to protect their farms and homes before disasters strike. 'Recurring climate shocks are a driver of hunger and malnutrition, threatening lives, livelihoods and entire food systems,' WFP Pakistan Representative and Country Director Coco Ushiyama was quoted as saying. 'This project represents a multi-layered investment, not only in early warning systems and anticipatory action, but also in local adaptation planning and institutional capacity.' The initiative supports the UN-backed GCF's Strategic Plan 2024–2027 by addressing urgent adaptation needs in underserved areas, bridging critical capacity gaps in flood preparedness and strengthening community resilience.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Imran Khan's party denies internal rifts as new protest campaign begins
ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan have denied reports of internal rifts over the party's recently launched anti-government protest campaign, saying the outfit remained united in its demand for Khan's release. On July 13, PTI announced a 90-day 'do-or-die' protest drive against the government, days after 26 of its provincial lawmakers were suspended in Punjab and the Supreme Court rejected its appeal to reclaim reserved parliamentary seats for women and minorities. The new protest campaign was launched by Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a close Khan ally, but appeared to contradict an earlier call for a nationwide protest, posted on Khan's official X account, set to culminate on August 5, marking the second anniversary of his imprisonment on corruption charges. More questions emerged as senior PTI leader and Punjab Chief Organizer Aliya Hamza Malik publicly voiced concerns on X about a lack of clarity around the campaign. Malik questioned the origin of the 90-day plan and asked for details on the party's strategy to secure Khan's release. Khan has been in jail for nearly two years on multiple charges that he and his party say are politically motivated. Arab News reached out to Malik for comment but received no response. However, PTI's central spokesperson dismissed suggestions of internal divisions. 'There is no rift within the party as a whole, everyone is united on the agenda of ensuring Khan's release, and the PTI is a large party where minor differences of opinion are natural and are part of a political culture,' PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told Arab News. 'A single statement can easily be blown out of proportion in this age of social media, but the reality is quite different. 'The party remains united under Khan's leadership and is focused on a single objective, working for his release.' Khan was ousted from the PM's office in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 and jailed in August 2023. Since then, the PTI has repeatedly mobilized street protests, including a large march to Islamabad in November 2024, to demand his release and challenge the legitimacy of the February 2024 general election. The government accuses the PTI of using the protests to incite instability and disrupt efforts at economic recovery. Asked about the structure of the current protest drive, Akram said the campaign had already begun, with each provincial chapter tasked with planning its own activities. 'All provincial chapters will finalize their protest plans within this week, and the goal is to build momentum leading up to August 5,' he said, declining further comment on the plans. Earlier this month, Khan's sister said his sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, who live in the UK, would join the campaign in Pakistan after returning from the United States. She said they would also raise awareness internationally, including in the US, about alleged human rights violations against Khan and PTI members. Party leaders declined to provide updates on Sulaiman and Kasim's plans. 'MINOR DIFFERENCES' In the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where the PTI holds power, party leaders also denied any discord. CM Gandapur's announcement of the 90-day campaign was made 'in coordination with the top leadership and in line with Khan's directions,' said Malik Adeel Iqbal, PTI's information secretary in the province. 'There are no differences within the party,' he told Arab News. 'We are focused on finalizing our protest plans in KP, while Punjab will make its own plans. If anyone has any concerns, they should raise them with the central leadership or Khan, rather than making them public.' Ali Imtiaz Warraich, PTI's parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, said 'minor differences' stemmed from communication challenges due to limited access to Khan in jail. 'As it is difficult to contact Imran Khan and receive directions due to obstacles in leadership meetings with him, the emergence of minor differences is natural,' he said. 'But there is no rift between the KP and Punjab chapters or their leadership.' Warraich said the party's unity was visible last week when a large number of PTI lawmakers from Punjab joined CM Gandapur at a meeting in Lahore when the 90-day protest plan was announced. 'We will organize our own protest plans in the province as per the directions of local and central leadership,' he said. Asked whether the Punjab government would permit the protest campaign, provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari said peaceful protest was a democratic right but accused the PTI of abusing that right in the past. 'PTI has a history of violence and anarchy,' she told reporters. 'No political party is allowed to attack with weapons as Pakistan is our red line.' 'Politics should be kept above personal ego and self-interest and political issues resolved through political means,' Bukhari added. Hundreds of PTI supporters were arrested after riots allegedly incited by the party against the military on May 9, 2023. The government also says four soldiers were killed in November protests last year. PTI denies the charges.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Climate
- Arab News
Pakistan warns of another wet spell as monsoon rains perish 111 lives since late June
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Monday warned of another wet spell in the country from July 15 till July 17, with the death toll from monsoon rain-floods rising to 111 since June 26. The toll includes 40 deaths in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, followed by 37 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 17 in Sindh, 16 in Balochistan and one fatality in Azad Kashmir, according to official figures. Another 212 people have been injured in rain-related incidents. In its fresh alert, the disaster authority said a low-pressure area, presently located over India's Madhya Pradesh state, is likely to affect Pakistan in the next 24 to 72 hours. 'Under the influence of this weather system, strong monsoon currents are expected to penetrate central and upper parts [of Pakistan],' it said. 'A westerly wave is also present over upper parts of the country.' The system may result in heavy rains and flash floods in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Dera Ghazi Khan and northeastern Punjab. 'Rains may trigger landslides in Murree and hilly areas,' the NDMA said. 'Heavy downpour may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot and Faisalabad.' It called on provincial and district administrations to prepare emergency response teams, ensure the availability of rescue machinery and clear drainage systems in urban areas. 'Avoid outdoor exposure in rains and windy weather,' the authority said. 'Tourists and travelers visiting mountainous areas are advised to remain cautious of flash floods, avalanche, glaciers, landslides, rock fall/tree fall, derbies/mud flow during the period.' Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, arriving in early June in India and late June in Pakistan, and lasting through until September. The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. But the season brings with it flooding, landslides and causes buildings to collapse. South Asia is getting hotter and in recent years has seen shifting weather patterns, but scientists are unclear on how exactly a warming planet is affecting the highly complex monsoon. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency. In 2022, unprecedented monsoon floods submerged a third of Pakistan and killed 1,700 people, with some areas yet to recover from the damage. In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, including strong hailstorms.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistani PM's aide warns Imran Khan's party against stirring ‘instability' with protest drive
ISLAMABAD: A top political adviser to Pakistan's prime minister on Monday warned jailed former premier Imran Khan's political party against inciting unrest during a newly announced protest movement to demand his release, as political tensions in the country continue to intensify. Khan, who was ousted from office in a parliamentary vote in April 2022, has been jailed for nearly two years on multiple charges, which he and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party insist are politically motivated. PTI currently holds power in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and has previously led a number of protest marches toward the capital, Islamabad. On July 13, PTI launched its latest agitation campaign, describing it as a 90-day 'do-or-die' protest. The announcement followed the suspension of 26 PTI lawmakers in Punjab and the Supreme Court's rejection of the party's bid to reclaim reserved parliamentary seats for minorities and women. 'They have now planned a program lasting over 90 days. In this, if they remain peaceful, it's fine, it's their democratic right,' Rana Sanaullah, adviser to the prime minister on political and public affairs, said in an interview with a local news channel. 'And if they take the law in their hands and try to create instability in the country then definitely the law will take its course.' Sanaullah also accused Khan's party of bypassing the government and seeking intervention from the military, commonly referred to in Pakistan as 'the establishment.' 'They did not talk about speaking with the government [to resolve their issues],' he added. 'They want to speak to the establishment, they are trying to straighten out their affairs through them.' The latest protest drive was finalized at a meeting in Lahore on July 12, attended by PTI leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur who alleged that the PTI was being denied its right to peaceful protest. He vowed that the party would mobilize supporters nationwide before marching toward the capital. Earlier this month, Khan's sister announced that his sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, would join the protest campaign in Pakistan after returning from the United States, where they will seek to raise awareness about alleged human rights violations against Khan and his party. PTI has organized a series of nationwide demonstrations since last year, calling for Khan's release and an independent investigation into the February 2024 general elections. During one such protest in November 2024, the government said four security personnel were killed in clashes with Khan supporters, an allegation PTI denies. The government maintains that the 2024 elections were free and fair and accuses the PTI of undermining democratic processes and causing economic stability through confrontational tactics. Pakistan's military, long a powerful force in national politics, denies accusations of political interference or any role in Khan's ouster or imprisonment.
