Latest news with #NisarAhmad
DW
a day ago
- Climate
- DW
Pakistan: Rescue efforts following flash floods continue – DW – 08/18/2025
More than 300 people have been killed and 200 remain missing after flash floods last week in Pakistan. Rainfall during this year's monsoon season is already 50% to 60% higher than last year. Authorities in Pakistan continued their rescue and relief work, having faced delays on Monday due to fresh rain, according to local officials. The country's northwest is continuing to deal with the aftermath of flash floods that killed over 300 people and left more than 200 unaccounted for. Heavy rains began on Friday and most of the deaths have been reported in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the provincial disaster agency, which warned of new flash floods until Thursday. Volunteers had been assisting hundreds of rescue workers in their race against time to find possible survivors and retrieve bodies as rain started lashing the province. "This morning fresh rains forced a halt to relief operations," said Nisar Ahmad, 31, a volunteer in the worst-hit Buner district, where "12 villages have been completely wiped out and 219 bodies have been recovered." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Buner, a three-and-a-half-hour drive from the capital, Islamabad, was hit by a cloudburst, a rare phenomenon in which more than 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain falls within an hour in a small area. According to officials, in Buner there was more than 150 millimeters of rain within an hour on Friday morning. "Dozens of bodies are still buried under the mud and rocks, which can only be recovered with heavy machinery. However, the makeshift tracks built to access the area have once again been destroyed by the new rains," Ahmad added. Around 200 people are still missing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to local authorities. Relief goods have been sent to the affected areas, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told local Geo News television. Food, medicine, blankets, camps, electric generators and pumps are included in the relief goods, the disaster management authority said in a statement. The monsoon season brings around three-quarters of South Asia's annual rainfall, which is vital for agriculture and food security but can also cause widespread destruction. According to the National Disaster Agency, the intensity of this year's monsoon in Pakistan is about 50% to 60% higher than last year. Landslides and flash floods are common during the monsoon season. The heavy rains that have battered Pakistan since June this year have claimed the lives of more than 650 people, with over 920 injured. Pakistan is among the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is increasingly facing extreme weather events. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged one-third of the country and resulted in approximately 1,700 deaths.
France 24
a day ago
- Climate
- France 24
Rain halts rescue operation after Pakistan floods kill hundreds
Torrential rains across the country since Thursday have caused flooding, rising waters and landslides that have swept away entire villages and left many residents trapped in the rubble. Most of the deaths -- more than 320 -- were reported in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the provincial disaster agency, which warned of new flash floods "till Thursday". Volunteers had been assisting hundreds of rescue workers in their race against time to find possible survivors and retrieve bodies as fresh rains started lashing the province. "This morning fresh rains forced a halt to relief operations," said Nisar Ahmad, 31, a volunteer in worst-hit Buner district, where "12 villages have been completely wiped out and 219 bodies have been recovered". "Dozens of bodies are still buried under the mud and rocks, which can only be recovered with heavy machinery. However, the makeshift tracks built to access the area have once again been destroyed by the new rains," he added. Around 200 people are still missing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to local authorities. 'We feel scared' Many people fled to seek shelter under damaged infrastructure and in the mountains in Buner, an area with difficult terrain. "Even if it rains a little now, we feel scared because there was light rain that day. And then the unsuspecting people were swept away by the storm," said Buner resident Ghulam Hussain, 35. "Children and women are running and screaming up the mountains to escape," Hazrat Ullah, 18, told AFP. Volunteer Ahmad said there were also fears for the future due to a lack of food supplies and clean water. "Many livestock have also perished in the cloudburst, and their decomposing bodies are spreading a foul odour in several places. Right now, our most urgent need is clean drinking water, and I appeal to the government to provide it," he said. The monsoon season brings about three-quarters of South Asia's annual rainfall, which is vital for agriculture and food security but also causes widespread destruction. According to the National Disaster Agency, the intensity of this year's monsoon is about 50 to 60 percent higher than last year. Landslides and flash floods are common during the monsoon season, which typically begins in June and lasts until the end of September. The heavy rains that have battered Pakistan since the start of the summer monsoon have claimed the lives of more than 650 people, with over 920 injured. Pakistan is among the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is increasingly facing extreme weather events. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged one-third of the country and resulted in approximately 1,700 deaths.
India.com
03-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Pahalgam Attack: DG NIA To Submit Preliminary Report To MHA As Crackdown On Terror Network Expands Beyond Valley
Pahalgam Terror Attack: Over a week after the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 and on the day 12 of the investigation into it, the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) may return to Delhi today with a preliminary report on the attack, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In the gruesome attack, 26 people were killed and several others were injured. The preliminary report indicates that the attack was the result of collusion between Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Lashkar. Following the completion of this report, the NIA has expanded its investigation into other regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Teams from the agency have interrogated two Over Ground Workers (OGWs), Nisar Ahmad alias Haji and Mushtaq Hussain, at Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu. Both individuals are from Bhata Durian in the Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district. During the interrogation, the NIA attempted to gather more information regarding the Pakistani terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack and inquired about their possible hideouts in the hilly areas of Jammu and Kashmir so that they could be cornered at the earliest. Forces in the Kashmir Valley have also escalated their efforts to dismantle a terror support network, booking around 80 Over Ground Workers (OGWs) under the UAPA. These individuals face a minimum of two years' imprisonment unless a court intervenes. Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with the Army and security forces, launched a series of raids, targeting approximately 100 locations linked to the arrested OGWs. Among the properties searched was that of Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, alias Latrum, the founder of the banned Al-Umar terror outfit, who gained notoriety after being released in a 1999 hijacking incident. As part of ongoing operations, security personnel are actively combing the forests surrounding Pahalgam, focusing on areas in Dachigam, Kulgam, Shopian, and Anantnag. They are also monitoring areas along the LoC where ceasefire violations were reported overnight for the eighth consecutive day, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Naushera, and Akhnoor. A multi-agency team comprising NIA, forensic experts, and intelligence representatives is currently stationed in Pahalgam. Since the attack, around 2,500 individuals have been interrogated, with approximately 220 under preventive detention for further questioning. Investigators have identified 15 OGWs with direct connections to the attack, some of whom have already been apprehended. Advanced 3D mapping technology has been utilized to aid in questioning detainees and gathering critical information about the circumstances surrounding the attack. Forces remain on high alert, as they believe the four terrorists responsible for the gruesome attack are still hiding in the nearby forested areas of Pahalgam. Intelligence sources indicate that these assailants are well-prepared and self-sufficient, equipped with provisions that allow them to evade capture for extended periods. Reports suggest that the attackers are armed with sophisticated weaponry, including US-made M4 carbine rifles and AK-47 assault rifles. Forensic analysis confirmed the recovery of used cartridges at the site, aligning with ballistic data indicating the use of these weapons. One of the most alarming aspects of this attack was the reported use of GoPro cameras mounted on the terrorists' caps, likely intended to document the assault. This tactic is reminiscent of previous attacks conducted by terrorist outfits such as the People's Anti-Fascist Front and Kashmir Tigers, which operate as proxies for Pakistan-based terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad. Sources indicate that while the attack was primarily executed by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), it received backing from various major terror outfits like Jaish and Harkat. Additionally, intelligence officials are investigating the potential use of Huawei satellite phones and encrypted messaging platforms that may have facilitated secure communication among the terrorists, allowing them to avoid detection by the forces.
The Hindu
22-04-2025
- The Hindu
Five persons, including a Christian, arrested on blasphemy charges in Pakistan's Punjab
Five persons, including a Christian, have been arrested on the charges of blasphemy in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said on Tuesday (April 22, 2025). A law-and-order situation was created after a large number of people surrounded the Sajid Shaheed Police Station, Sargodha city, some 200 kms from Lahore, on Sunday, forcing the police to arrest the five suspects for insulting a companion of the Prophet, police said. "Complainant Nisar Ahmad alleged that Naeem, Yasir, Zain, Hanif and Sameul printed stickers containing blasphemous content," police officer Mobin Ali told PTI. He said a large number of people gathered outside the police station, demanding stern action against the suspects. A heavy contingent of police controlled the situation and later arrested the culprits. He said the suspects have been kept in tight security and produced to a magistrate for their physical remand. A case has been registered against the suspects under sections 295-A and 298-A of the Pakistan Penal Code. The Christian suspect said he had nothing to do with the printing of the blasphemous stickers as he is an employee there. Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, where anyone deemed to have insulted Islam or Islamic figures can face the death penalty. Often, an accusation can cause riots and incite mobs to violence, lynching and killings. Minorities, including Christians and Hindus, have been frequently subjected to blasphemy allegations and some have even been sentenced for blasphemy in Pakistan.
