Pakistani Twitter trends have a special niche — Jinn threads

A representational photo depicting a ghost in a house. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 21 January 2021
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Pakistani Twitter trends have a special niche — Jinn threads

  • 30-year-old Kayhan Suleman wrote about his family’s experience in a haunted house on the microblogging website and his post went viral
  • Suleman’s Twitter thread hit engagement numbers nearing 360,000 views

RAWALPINDI: Pakistani Twitter has a number of topics that draw huge engagement with retweets, likes and animated dialogues. One such theme that recently emerged related to impish spirits, or jinns, which compelled a number of Twitter users to share their personal experiences with supernatural creatures that are part of Muslim and South Asian folklore.
Kayhan Suleman, 30, who consults for an international development organization and has started transitioning into writing and making films, decided to share his family’s experiences in a house where they lived in Islamabad for 16 years that was rife with the sort of hair raising scares that make for great television, including a house cook being harassed by jinns, unexplained appearances of children and the sound of their footsteps and, perhaps the most harrowing, visible beings lying beside them in bed and incidents of family doppelgängers moving about the house.
“There was no particular reason why I shared my experiences on Twitter other than the fact that I thought it would make for fun content and the people who follow me would enjoy it,” Suleman told Arab News over the phone from Lahore where he now resides. “I absolutely did not think it would blow up like this.”
The Twitter thread was picked up by a number of Pakistani Twitterati and the original post amassed over 2,000 likes, 1,000 retweets and hundreds of comments. The story was read by over 360,000 people on Twitter and Instagram, making several others share their own threads and crediting Suleman for inspiring them.
“I thought these paranormal anecdotes were something you shared when you were with family or friends on a Saturday night, but apparently not,” said Suleman about the conversation that came from the thread. “People want to talk about these things and explore their own curiosity about them while sharing similar run-ins.”
Islamabad-based psychotherapist Zaofishan Qureshi told Arab News that sharing and retelling conversations about scary happenings, such as jinn stories, create bonds among people.
“It’s akin to sharing an adventure with a person,” she told Arab News over the phone, saying the exchange of such stories often resulted in an empathetic response from listeners and sharers. “It creates a deep connection when you share common experiences, the retelling of what happened almost acts as a relief to the initial stress that took place.”
Suleman concurred with the assessment, saying that many people mirrored his experiences in response to his post which made him feel “a little better and less loony.” He added it gave him hope in humanity since a significant number of people suggested him ways in which he could protect himself.
“People gave me a whole list of how to protect myself from these entities and these scenarios and that was really nice,” he said. “It gave me hope in humanity that people out there care for other people's safety. I’m glad that it happened.” 


Pakistan’s flood-hit farmers eye IMF climate funds despite no project-specific allocation

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Pakistan’s flood-hit farmers eye IMF climate funds despite no project-specific allocation

  • Farmers in Sindh are keeping livestock in climate-resilient shelters built to protect against future floods
  • IMF says its funding will support irrigation system reforms to help farmers adapt to climate shocks

KHAIRPUR, Sindh: It has been three years since flash floods submerged Rasool Bux’s village in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, wiping out the livestock shelters that supported his family’s livelihood.

The disaster in 2022 was one of the deadliest climate events in the country’s history, pushing millions into poverty and devastating key agricultural regions in Sindh.

As Pakistan looks to strengthen its defenses against future climate shocks, farmers and experts say protecting livestock, often the only source of income for rural households, must be a national priority.

“Our animals had perished and their shelter was damaged in the floods,” Bux told Arab News while feeding his two buffaloes and three cows at one of around 200 climate-resilient shelters built in Thari Mirwah by the German relief organization Malteser International to help local communities recover from the disaster.

The 52-year-old farmer from Gul Muhammad Sanjrani village in district Khairpur still fears another deluge could wipe out what little he has rebuilt. His animals are the primary source of income for his family, including his wife and five children. He now sells about five kilograms of milk daily to keep the household running.

Livestock plays a vital role in rural Pakistan’s economy, where dairy and meat consumption are tied directly to family survival. According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan issued in June, the sector engages over 8 million rural households, contributing 40 percent to their incomes and around 15 percent to Pakistan’s gross domestic product.

In a year when agriculture grew by only 0.6 percent due in part to extreme weather, livestock still contributed 4.7 percent to the sector, the largest share.

Sindh, Pakistan’s second-largest crop-producing province, is often hit hard by floods. Around 930 kilometers of the Indus River meanders through the province, making it one of the most flood-prone regions in the country, according to the International Growth Center (IGC).

In May, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved around $1.4 billion in climate financing for Pakistan under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), aimed at bolstering the country’s resilience to future climate shocks and promoting sustainable growth.

Bux, who wore a blue cloth and white turban, said once disbursed, the government should use this money on projects like building climate-resilient animal shelters in flood-affected areas like his village.

“More such shelters should be built in our village where some people can afford to build such shelters while others cannot,” he said.

Experts working on the ground echoed that view.

“The need for animal shelters here is huge,” said Muhammad Junaid Soomro, a project engineer at the Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO), which is working alongside Malteser.

 “Even 300 to 400 such units will fall short of the need we have here for such shelters on a union council basis.”

“We [Malteser and SRSO] will go beyond this and build even more if we get the fund,” he added. “We are working in five union councils only, while there are 89 union councils in this district.”

Soomro urged the government to prioritize livestock and agriculture in flood-hit areas once IMF funds become available.

“They [Malteser] have made these shelters with a small amount of available funds. These can be made more [climate] resilient with the IMF’s climate resilient funding,” he said.

Imdad Hussain Siddiqui, who served as director of operations at the Provincial Disaster Management Authority of Sindh in flood-affected areas during 2022, described livestock as a “living bank” for rural families. 

“Animals are the sole remaining resource where land and crops are swept away by flooding because they provide rescue, safety and the sole avenue through which families can recover and rebuild their lives,” Siddiqui told Arab News.

He said the loss of livestock due to the 2022 floods, which was estimated at 1.1 million, amounts to “direct destitution and long-term poverty” for many families. 

“Strong infrastructure of livestock will enable such linkages to recover in the near future, permitting economic activity and income-generating opportunities for the affected people,” Siddiqui explained. 

IMF FINANCING

While farmers and local organizations are calling for infrastructure-focused projects, the IMF says its climate financing is designed to support broader structural reforms, not specific projects like animal shelters.

“However, there are a number of ways in which the RSF will help to build climate resilience in Pakistan that will benefit Pakistanis living in flood-prone areas, such as farmers,” said Mahir Binici, the international lender’s resident representative in Pakistan, in response to queries from Arab News.

Binici said the RSF program supports policy reforms targeting water management and irrigation infrastructure, which are expected to directly benefit farmers. These reforms aim to improve service reliability and address issues such as waterlogging, salinization, groundwater depletion and water insecurity.

“The RSF’s reforms take a whole-of-government approach, with some to be implemented at the provincial level,” Binici added, noting that a major focus will be improving coordination between federal and provincial authorities.

While government and IMF-led policy reforms unfold, organizations like Malteser and SRSO have been building small-scale solutions, like elevated animal shelters, which offer some defense against future flooding.

“We felt the need for building these here as the disaster, the flood had devastated our animal shelters as well as our homes in the community,” said Kanwal Hussain, a project officer at SRSO.

The shelters, built from bamboo, plastic sheets and mud, are raised about three feet above ground level, with canopy walls designed to keep rainwater from pooling and weakening the structure.

“We have built a canopy wall so rainwater does not stay there and damage the roof,” Soomro said.

In 2022, the international NGO Germanwatch ranked Pakistan first on its Climate Risk Index due to extreme weather events, including floods, landslides and storms during an intense monsoon season.

Pakistan is already in the middle of another harsh monsoon season, with over 60 people killed in rain-related incidents, mostly in the northwest and central Punjab, in just the past week.

“Flood dynamics are quite different. A single heavy spell, despite seasonal aggregate being less, can trigger them, just like what happened in Swat,” said Sardar Sarfaraz, a former director at the Pakistan Meteorological Department, referring to a flash flood in the northwest last month that drowned over a dozen tourists.


Pakistan offers condolences as Texas floods death toll rises to 50

Updated 43 min 5 sec ago
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Pakistan offers condolences as Texas floods death toll rises to 50

  • Floods in Texas began on Friday as months’ worth of rain fell in a matter of hours
  • Shehbaz Sharif hopes ongoing rescue efforts help save more lives from calamity 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered condolences to US President Donald Trump this week as the death toll from flash floods in Texas rose to 50, with American rescuers continuing the search for missing persons. 

The flooding began in Texas on Friday — the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend — as months’ worth of rain fell in a matter of hours.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that more rain has been forecast, and that “excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.”

“Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the tragic flash floods in Texas, USA,” Sharif wrote on the social media platform X on Saturday night.

“Hope the ongoing rescue efforts will be successful in saving more people from this natural calamity.”

Monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in several parts of Pakistan since June 26, with the country reporting at least 66 deaths and 127 injuries due to rain-related incidents. 

A deadly flash flood in the scenic Swat Valley, caused by a sudden rise in water levels due to monsoon rains, killed 13 members of a single tourist family last week.

“Having suffered a similar incident in northwest Pakistan just a few days ago, we can fully understand the pain and suffering of the bereaved families,” Sharif said. 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with President Trump @realDonaldTrump and the American nation at this difficult time,” he added. 

Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual.

But scientists say that in recent years that human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves more frequent and more intense.

With additional input from AFP 


Death toll from Pakistan building collapse rises to 23 

Updated 06 July 2025
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Death toll from Pakistan building collapse rises to 23 

  • Friday’s incident was the latest in a string of deadly building collapses in Karachi
  • It laid bare the issue of unsafe housing in the city, home to over 20 million people

KARACHI: The death toll from a five-story building collapse in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi rose to 23 late Saturday, the Sindh Health Department said after rescuers pulled more bodies from the rubble.

The Fotan Mansion residential building, where several families were said to be living, crumbled around 10 am on Friday in the impoverished Lyari neighborhood of the city.

Rescue workers, along with residents of the area, worked through the night to find survivors and bodies after the incident, which has once again laid bare the issue of unsafe housing in Karachi.

“[Total deaths] from the Karachi building collapse have reached 23 now,” the Sindh Health Department said in a message sent to reporters. 

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said on Saturday morning the rescue operation was still ongoing at the collapse site.

“Rescue operation still continues at Baghdadi Lyari where the building had collapsed yesterday,” Wahab wrote on social media platform X. 

Many of the occupants were members of the low-income Hindu minority community and residents estimated that around 40 people were inside when the building collapsed.

According to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Fotan Mansion had been declared unsafe three years ago.

“This building was declared dangerous by the SBCA in 2022 and had been served multiple notices over the years,” SBCA spokesperson Shakeel Dogar told Arab News on Saturday.

“Before the recent rains, public announcements were also made in the area, but unfortunately, no one was willing to vacate.”

Friday’s incident is the latest in a string of deadly building collapses in Karachi.

In February 2020, a five-story building collapsed in Rizvia Society, killing at least 27 people. The following month, another residential structure came down in Gulbahar, claiming 16 lives. In June 2021, a three-story building in Malir collapsed, killing four. And just last year, in August, a building collapse in Qur’angi led to at least three deaths.

Mayor Wahab said on Friday evening that rescue efforts remained the city government’s top priority, with accountability and investigation to follow.

“Once we’re done with the rescue aspect, we will focus on who was responsible for this negligence or omission,” he added.


Minister orders probe into killing of barking deer on Islamabad’s Margalla Hills

Updated 06 July 2025
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Minister orders probe into killing of barking deer on Islamabad’s Margalla Hills

  • The South Asian country has witnessed frequent incidents of violation of wildlife laws
  • This week, an escaped pet lion attacked a woman, two children in a busy street in Lahore

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik has taken notice of the killing of an endangered barking deer on Islamabad’s Margalla Hills and ordered a probe into the incident, the Press Information Department (PID) said on Saturday.

Barking deer, also known as Indian muntjac, are found in isolated populations within Margalla Hills National Park, Khanpur Range and Lathrar near the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. They are considered endangered in Pakistan due to their restricted range and declining population.

A disturbing video circulating on social media this week showed three men slaughtering the rare animal on the roadside and has sparked public anger and calls to investigate the incident.

Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Minister Malik condemned the hunting and killing of wildlife in protected areas, according to a PID statement.

“Such acts of cruelty and disregard for conservation laws are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” the minister, who has sought a report from authorities on the incident, was quoted as saying.

Separately, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) said it had filed a complaint with police, seeking action against the ones involved in the incident for violating the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act.

“Barking deer is a protected animal under Schedule 1 of the act,” the IWMB said on X. “A request has been made for action under sections 12.4(a) and 16.1(a) of the Nature Act 2024.”

The board said a violation of the relevant section of the law is punishable by a fine of Rs1 million ($3,523) and imprisonment for a term of up to one year.

Pakistan has witnessed frequent incidents of violation of wildlife laws.

An escaped pet lion chased a woman and two children down a busy street in Pakistan’s Lahore, police said Friday, with dramatic footage showing the big cat leaping a wall before pouncing on them. All three were taken to hospital but were not in a critical condition.

Keeping exotic animals, especially big cats, as pets has long been seen as a sign of privilege and power in Punjab, the most populous province of the country.
Police said they had arrested three men.

“The suspects fled from the spot, taking the lion with them. They were arrested within 12 hours of the incident,” the office of the Deputy Inspector General Operations in Lahore said.

The lion, an 11-month-old male, has been confiscated by police and sent to a wildlife park.


Pakistan, UAE agree to boost cooperation in higher education, human resources

Updated 05 July 2025
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Pakistan, UAE agree to boost cooperation in higher education, human resources

  • The UAE is home to over 1.5 million Pakistanis who send more than $5 billion in remittances annually
  • Both countries resolve to work on initiatives to benefit students, academic institutions and professionals

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in higher education and human resource development, the Pakistani embassy said on Saturday.

The statement came after a meeting between Pakistan’s Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi and Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmanan Al-Awar, the UAE minister of human resources, higher education and scientific research.

The UAE is home to more than 1.5 million Pakistani expatriates who live and work in the Gulf country and send back more than $5 billion in remittances to the South Asian country annually.

During the meeting, Ambassador Tirmizi highlighted the contributions of the Pakistani community to the UAE’s development and appreciated the Gulf country for fostering an inclusive and enabling environment for expatriates.

“Both sides reviewed ongoing collaboration and explored avenues to further enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of higher education and human resource development,” the Pakistani embassy said.

“The discussions reflected a shared resolve to work closely on initiatives that benefit students, academic institutions, and professionals from both countries.”

Ambassador Tirmizi reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening institutional linkages and advancing cooperation in skill development and workforce preparedness.

“Minister Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Awar lauded the longstanding and brotherly relations between the two countries and expressed the UAE’s keen interest in expanding its partnership with Pakistan in mutually beneficial areas,” the Pakistani embassy said.

“He welcomed sustained dialogue and coordination between the relevant authorities of both nations.”