Latest news with #Swat
Arab News
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Arab News
At least seven drown, six missing after flash flooding in Pakistan's Swat river
ISLAMABAD: At least seven people drowned and six others were missing in the wake of flash flooding in the Swat river in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the KP Rescue 1122 service said on Friday. The perennial river originates in the high glacial valleys of the Hindu Kush mountains, from where it flows into the Kalam area before forming the spine of the wider Swat valley. The flash floods resulted from heavy rain, rapidly raising river water to dangerous levels at several locations across the Swat valley, according to the rescue service. Bilal Faizi, a KP Rescue 1122 spokesman, said rescue teams had so far recovered seven bodies from different areas of Swat as floods continued to ravage parts of the valley. 'A total of 16 people were trapped in the floods, with three of them rescued,' he told Arab News. 'Seven dead bodies have been recovered while six people are still missing.' Faizi said a search operation was under way to locate the missing people. The development came a day after Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned of heavy rains and flash floods in several parts of the country from June 26 till June 28. It advised residents in flood-prone areas, particularly near nullahs, low-lying zones and slopes, to remain alert and avoid unnecessary movement, calling on emergency services to ensure readiness for any potential incidents. 'A total of 120 rescue personnel are taking part in the rescue operations [in Swat],' Faizi said. Pakistan is currently bracing for another extreme monsoon season and ramping up efforts to deal with any potential calamity. In 2022, deadly floods brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt killed over 1,700 people and impacted 33 million people in Pakistan. Raging currents swept away homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damages estimated at $30 billion.
Al Jazeera
8 hours ago
- Climate
- Al Jazeera
Family in Pakistan missing after flash flooding
Family in Pakistan missing after flash flooding NewsFeed Several people believed to be part of the same family were filmed being swept downstream after flash flooding trapped them in the middle of the Swat River. Rescuers said 18 members from the same family were either dead or missing. Video Duration 02 minutes 43 seconds 02:43 Video Duration 02 minutes 39 seconds 02:39 Video Duration 02 minutes 20 seconds 02:20 Video Duration 02 minutes 33 seconds 02:33 Video Duration 00 minutes 30 seconds 00:30 Video Duration 02 minutes 00 seconds 02:00 Video Duration 01 minutes 11 seconds 01:11
Arab News
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Arab News
At least five drown, several missing after flash flooding in Pakistan's Swat river
ISLAMABAD: At least five people drowned and several others were missing in the wake of flash flooding in the Swat river in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the KP Rescue 1122 service said on Friday. The perennial river originates in the high glacial valleys of the Hindu Kush mountains, from where it flows into the Kalam area before forming the spine of the wider Swat valley. The flash floods resulted from heavy rain, rapidly raising river water to dangerous levels at six different locations across the Swat valley, according to the rescue service. 'Ten people were swept away near Relax Hotel Bypass and the body of one was recovered,' it said in a statement. 'Three bodies were retrieved from at Angaro Dheri area.' 'Seven people were stranded at Ghalay, while body of a person was recovered.' More than a dozen others, including tourists, were stranded in multiple areas of Swat. On Thursday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned of heavy rains and flash floods in several parts of the country from June 26 till June 28. It advised residents in flood-prone areas, particularly near nullahs, low-lying zones and slopes, to remain alert and avoid unnecessary movement, calling on emergency services to ensure readiness for any potential incidents. 'Eighty personnel of Rescue 1122 are taking part in the search operation,' the KP rescue service said. The developments come as Pakistan braces for another extreme monsoon season and ramps up preparedness efforts. In 2022, deadly floods brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt killed over 1,700 people and impacted 33 million people in Pakistan. Raging currents swept away homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damages estimated at $30 billion.
Express Tribune
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PTI wants public support for anti-terror operation before backing it
Listen to article Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has declared that it will not support any counter-terrorism operation unless it has public approval, arguing that national security decisions must be made through consensus. The party also accused the government of imposing a "civil martial law", suppressing dissent, and failing to address rising terrorism effectively. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that the current administration is silencing opposition voices and making arbitrary arrests. He criticised the handling of security matters, stating that military operations require public confidence to be successful. "Decisions cannot be imposed through force. If the people do not support an anti-terror operation, neither will PTI," Akram said. He compared the current situation to past security efforts, such as the Swat operation, which was debated in Parliament before being implemented. He further claimed that Pakistan's security situation has worsened since 2022, with an increase in terrorist incidents. According to him, a major reason for this is the widening gap between the public and the state. "Terrorists know the nation is divided and does not stand with the government," he said, adding that unity between the public and state institutions was crucial to combatting threats. Akram accused the government of running the country through force rather than democratic means, stating that Pakistan was effectively under "civil martial law." He alleged that anyone speaking against the administration was being silenced, including PTI members and social media activists. "This is not the Pakistan of Quaid-e-Azam. People are being abducted for expressing their opinions. If someone has committed a crime, prosecute them in court, not through kidnappings," he said. He referenced the recent disappearance of social media activist Haider Saeed, claiming that he was taken away without due process. "Haider is not even officially part of PTI's social media team, yet he has been picked up. If he has done something wrong, present him before a court instead of abducting him," he demanded. The PTI leader also alleged that several other social media workers have been arrested and that their accounts were being shut down. "Five of our social media workers are in custody, yet none have been presented before a judge. This government has turned the legal system into a joke," he added. On the political front, Akram revealed that PTI was actively working to form an opposition alliance. He said that the party aims to launch nationwide protests against the government soon after Eid. "We are in contact with other opposition leaders, and our goal is to unite against this oppression," he stated. He confirmed that PTI has already held talks with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and now onlya meeting with PTI founding chairman Imran Khan is awaited. "Once we finalise matters with Imran Khan, we will move forward with a joint strategy," he said. Regarding PTI's participation in an upcoming in-camera security briefing, Akram said the party's leadership would decide soon. "Since it concerns national security, we may participate, but a final decision will be made after internal discussions," he added. Concluding his remarks, Akram warned the government against ruling through force, stating that only democratic consensus and legal due process can address both security and political crises in the country.
