‘Start my life from zero’: Poor Pakistanis face heavy cost of floods

A family wades through a flood hit area following heavy monsoon rains in Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on August 29, 2022. (AFP)
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Updated 06 September 2022
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‘Start my life from zero’: Poor Pakistanis face heavy cost of floods

  • About 2 million acres of crops have been spoiled by flooding in Pakistan
  • Many of those hit by flooding said they had not been given adequate warning

CHARSADDA: When the swollen Swat River shifted course in late August and roared into Naeem Ullah’s village in northwest Pakistan, it swept away his home and all 13 of his relatives’ houses too.

His sugarcane crop — planted on five hectares (12.4 acres) of leased land — also was wrecked, leaving the 40-year-old jobless, homeless and with few prospects of repaying the money he had borrowed to buy seed and fertilizer.

“I have to start my life from zero,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in his village of Dagi Mukarram Khan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. “I have lost everything. I can only pray to Allah to give me the strength to face this biggest challenge of my life.”

Floodwaters, driven by months of relentless rain and by extreme spring heat that accelerated the melting of glaciers, have covered a third of Pakistan, an area larger than England and Wales combined, affecting 33 million people.

More than 1,300 people have died, according to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, and the cost of the damage is estimated at $10 billion, with 1.6 million homes lost or damaged, 5,000 km (3,100 miles) of roads destroyed and over 700,000 livestock gone.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is scheduled to travel to hard-hit areas of the country this week to see the devastation from what he has termed “a monsoon on steroids.”

Across Pakistan, millions of families have lost their homes and belongings, crops, animals and even relatives, with many struggling just to find dry patches of land to erect tarpaulin shelters and keep themselves and their remaining livestock safe.

Key roads and bridges have been washed away, hampering aid efforts and forcing authorities in some places to deliver limited emergency help mainly by costly helicopter.

In Awaran district, in hard-hit southwest Balochistan province, floods in some areas still stretch toward the horizon, having destroyed many of the impoverished province’s mud homes.

Dilshad Baluch’s family saw their house washed away and a neighbor killed when his home collapsed, as floods swamped their village in July.

Downed power cables presented an electrocution threat amid the standing water, he said — and with bridges to Karachi impassable, the area’s major supply route remains cut off.

Helicopters have dropped parcels of rice and beans but “it’s far too little” and villagers cannot cook it without kitchens or dry firewood, Baluch said via a patchy telephone line interrupted by the wail of the village call to prayer.

“We are living on open ground,” noted the 21-year-old university student, home for the summer from his studies in Islamabad.

Many residents are angry, he added, “but most of them are just feeling helpless. There is no one to take care of them, and no one cares about them.”

HELP ARRIVING?

With Pakistan saddled by heavy debt and international humanitarian agencies overwhelmed by global demand for assistance, Pakistan’s families may have to fund much of the cost of recovery themselves.

Under existing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial policy, farmers can receive compensation of 5,000 rupees ($23) per acre for damage to crops and orchards, with each family eligible for a maximum of 50,000 rupees, said Taimur Ali, media coordinator for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

That could potentially be raised after a fuller assessment of the damage, he added.

The provincial government also has announced it will provide up to $1,370 in compensation for each damaged home, and has distributed 1.75 billion rupees ($7.9 million) for rescue and relief efforts since the start of July, he said.

The International Monetary Fund last week agreed to release $1.1 billion in funding for cash-strapped Pakistan, with politicians saying the money would help keep the inflation-racked economy afloat.

But farmers, especially, are not sure the support on offer will be enough, as some say their fields have been devastated and the land will need to be restored before planting again.

Sher Alam, 47, of Mera Khel Sholgara village on the outskirts of Charsadda city, lost his sugarcane crop after heavy floods swept his land on Aug. 26.

He has already borrowed $450 to repay the lender who provided the seeds and fertilizer for this year’s ruined crop and is now seeking another $230 loan to pay for help to restore his farmland — something he will have to do in his spare time.

Alam, who has five children, said he had found a job at a private parking lot in Charsadda to make ends meet.

With his flattened crop now good only for animal feed rather than the lucrative sugar he expected, “I don’t know how I can survive,” he said, sitting under a tree in front of his home.

The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has said that about 2 million acres of crops have been spoiled by flooding in Pakistan, which could not only affect the economy but also put food security at risk.

Baluch, from Balochistan, said the crop and livestock losses were a huge worry for his community and the country.

“This is not only putting in danger people’s lives, it is putting in danger even their future,” he said.

As the price of remaining scarce supplies of fruit, vegetables and meat soar, the poorest in particular are struggling, he said.

“There are some people who have savings but most of the population, particularly in Balochistan... survive on daily work. But the work is affected by the floods, so they are not getting paid. They are suffering drastically,” the student said.

Floods also have contaminated most of the wells communities in his area rely on, he said, threatening a health disaster.

“People will be suffering, and too many people are going to die,” he predicted.

EARLY WARNING

Many of those hit by flooding said they had not been given adequate warning — or that repeated alerts over months of soaking rain had dampened their will to act.

Alam said his village had received no formal government notice of the late August flooding, but nearby villages had passed on a warning they received.

That, combined with social media alerts residents were seeing on their phones, gave his community about three hours to move some of their livestock and goods to safety, he said.

Ali, of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Disaster Management Authority, said flood monitors had been installed on five rivers and at two other locations in the province, which had helped provide early warning.

In response, as many as 180,000 people were relocated from the Charsadda region, he said.

Losses from this year’s floods are expected to be less in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa than during the devastating 2010 floods, in part because of lessons from the earlier disaster, he said.

Now, “we prepare winter and monsoon contingency plans every year and allocate funds to every district to cope with any disaster,” he explained.


Senior political leader shot dead amid escalating militancy in Pakistan’s northwest

Updated 22 November 2024
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Senior political leader shot dead amid escalating militancy in Pakistan’s northwest

  • Mashaal Azad, a PPP leader in Lakki Marwat, was ambushed while going for Friday prayers
  • Attack occurred the day Pakistan’s army chief was in Peshawar to discuss security situation

PESHAWAR: Amid a string of deadly attacks that have claimed the lives of dozens of civilians and security officials in Pakistan’s northwest, unidentified gunmen on Friday shot dead a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the volatile Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, police said.
The restive district, a hotspot of militant activity, witnessed unprecedented protests in September when police officers, joined by civil society members and tribal elders, staged sit-ins and blocked the Indus Highway.
The demonstrations followed a spate of militant attacks that killed several policemen, prompting demands for enhanced security measures and greater autonomy for the law enforcement agency in counterterrorism operations.
Speaking to Arab News over the phone, the police spokesperson in the district, Shahid Marwat, said the slain PPP leader Mashaal Azad was heading toward Sarai Gambila, a rundown locality on the outskirts of the district’s center, for Friday prayers when he was ambushed by gunmen.
“Mashaal Azad was killed by unidentified bike riders on the Canal Road near Kajoori Hotel within the limits of Sarai Gambila police station,” Marwat said.
The incident occurred on the day Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir was visiting Peshawar, the provincial capital of KP, where he vowed action against militants and reiterated the army’s firm resolve to dismantle hostile militant networks.
The killing also follows a gun attack on a convoy carrying members of the minority Shiite community in the Kurram tribal district a day earlier, leaving more than 40 people dead.
Earlier this week, on Tuesday, 10 Pakistan army soldiers and two members of the paramilitary Frontier Constabulary were killed when militants attacked a checkpost in the northwestern Bannu district.
Rabnawaz Marwat, a tribal elder in Lakki Marwat, said the late PPP leader was a long-time and senior party figure who had been a strong voice against militancy in the region.
“Late Azad had served as a member of the provincial council of PPP,” he informed. “He had also served as a student leader of PPP in Lakki Marwat. In addition, he was an active tribal elder who played a leading role in dispute resolution in the region.”
According to the police spokesperson, a report of the incident has been lodged against unidentified persons, and further investigations will be initiated.
“It is mentioned in the report that late Azad had no personal enmity with anyone in the area,” he said. “It seems to be an act of targeted attack by terrorists.”
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of civil and military leaders to review the country’s security situation, during which it was agreed to take action against those involved in militant violence.


Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated film ‘The Glassworker’ makes Oscars eligibility list

Updated 22 November 2024
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Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated film ‘The Glassworker’ makes Oscars eligibility list

  • The film was released in July, with its director calling it the result of ‘passion and perseverance’
  • Selection committee in the country says it has broken ‘new ground for animation’ in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated film, “The Glassworker,” has been named on the list of eligible films for the 97th Academy Awards in both the Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film categories, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced this week.
Directed by young Pakistani animator Usman Riaz, the film was released in July and features 1,477 cuts and 2,500 individual drawings. The coming-of-age tale follows Vincent, a young apprentice at his father’s glass workshop, and Alliz, a talented violinist and the daughter of a military colonel.
Against the backdrop of a looming war, their relationships with their parents and each other are tested.
“Thirty-one features are eligible for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards,” the Academy said on its website, with “The Glassworker” among them.
“Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category may also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture,” it added. “Animated features that have been submitted in the International Feature Film category as their country’s official selection are also eligible in the category.”
Five films from the list will be shortlisted for nominations in the Animated Feature Film category, with the ultimate winner announced at the Oscars ceremony scheduled for March 3, 2025.
A team of 250 national and international cast and crew members worked on the film, which was produced by Riaz’s Karachi-based Mano Animation Studios.
The film became Pakistan’s first-ever animated feature to be nominated for Oscars consideration in September.
“Usman and Mano’s work has demonstrated exceptional storytelling and artistry while breaking new ground for animation in Pakistan,” the Academy Selection Committee of Pakistan said earlier while lauding the project. “This achievement will be remembered in our cinematic history.”
Riaz described his effort as a result of “a decade of passion and perseverance” when the film was nominated for Oscars from Pakistan.
“I am deeply humbled by the selection and hope this story resonates with audiences everywhere, showcasing the talent and creativity Pakistan has to offer,” he added. 


Pakistan seal final spot in Under-19 cricket tri-series with dominant win over UAE

Updated 22 November 2024
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Pakistan seal final spot in Under-19 cricket tri-series with dominant win over UAE

  • Pakistan posted their highest total of the tournament, amassing 314 for five in 50 overs
  • UAE’s innings ended at 123 in 37 overs, setting the stage for Pakistan-Afghanistan clash

ISLAMABAD: Half-centuries by Farhan Yousuf, Haroon Arshad, Shahzaib Khan and Usman Khan powered Pakistan’s Under-19 cricket team to a commanding 191-run victory over the United Arab Emirates in the fifth match of the U19 tri-series at the ICC Cricket Academy Ground in Dubai on Friday.
The victory secured Pakistan’s place in the final, where they will face Afghanistan U19 on Tuesday, November 26, at the same venue.
This was Pakistan’s second win over UAE in the tournament, having defeated them by 10 wickets in the opening match.
“Pakistan U19 earn an emphatic 191-run win over UAE U19,” the Pakistan Cricket Board announced in a social media post. “They will play the tri-series final on Tuesday.”
The Pakistan team edged Afghanistan by 13 runs in their previous encounter but suffered a loss to them earlier in the series.
After electing to bat, Pakistan posted their highest total of the tournament, amassing 314 for five in 50 overs.
Left-handed openers Shahzaib Khan (71 off 84) and Usman Khan (50 off 64) provided a solid foundation with a 96-run opening stand. Farhan Yousuf (63 off 50) and Haroon Arshad (54 off 34) then built on the momentum with a brisk 75-run partnership for the fourth wicket, while Faham-ul-Haq contributed a steady 37 off 48. For UAE, Noorullah Ayubi and Uddish Suri picked up two wickets each.
Chasing 315, UAE struggled from the outset, collapsing to 52 for five within 16 overs.
Ayaan Misbah (17 off 46) and Uddish Suri (32 not out) attempted to stabilize the innings with a 21-run stand for the sixth wicket, but Misbah fell to Umar Zaib in the 26th over.
UAE’s innings ended at 123 in 37 overs, with Umar Zaib taking four for 51 and Naveed Ahmed Khan claiming three wickets.
The final group match of the series will be played between Afghanistan and UAE on Sunday, November 24.
 


Pakistan 'will break any hand' threatening Saudi relations — PM Sharif

Updated 22 November 2024
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Pakistan 'will break any hand' threatening Saudi relations — PM Sharif

  • Statement comes after Imran Khan’s wife released a video message widely viewed as critical of the Kingdom
  • Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are close allies, with nearly 3 million Pakistanis living and working in the Kingdon

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday vowed strict action against anyone attempting to undermine Pakistan’s close relations with Saudi Arabia, declaring that his government would “break any hand” threatening ties between the two nations.
Sharif’s statement appeared to reference recent remarks by Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, who in a rare public message on Thursday assured state institutions that her jailed husband would not seek revenge against political opponents if he returned to power.
She also made remarks in her video message that were widely viewed as implying that the Saudi government had opposed Khan when he was prime minister from 2018-22.
“Such venom-spitting is an unforgivable crime,” Sharif said while addressing a ceremony on Friday. “I, as the prime minister of Pakistan, want to announce that the nation will break any hand trying to undermine the Pakistan-Saudi friendship.”
“This is not a joke,” he continued. “The allegation is beyond understanding. The biggest national interest is being slaughtered to serve the short-term political interest.”
He criticized the former first lady, whose husband’s PTI party is currently in opposition, saying that the Kingdom had never demanded anything in return from Pakistan for extending economic and diplomatic support but instead always “opened its doors.”
“I think there can be no greater enmity against Pakistan than this [issuing such comments],” he said, adding that Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was sacrificing the country’s interest for its political interests.
Sharif said “no one will be allowed to play” with Pakistan’s interests when it concerned “brotherly allies” such as Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif also addressed the issue in a press conference, highlighting that over 2.8 million Pakistanis were working in the Kingdom, sending billions of dollars in remittances back to their country every year.
“Our cordial and friendly relationship with Saudi Arabia should not be affected due to someone’s political gains,” he said. “Such a controversial statement is an effort to save PTI’s sinking ship.”
Khan was ousted from the prime minister’s office in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in 2022, alleging that he was removed by his political rivals and the all-powerful military at the behest of the United States. All three parties deny the accusation.
The cricketer-turned-politician has been in prison since August last year, facing a slew of legal challenges. He denies any wrongdoing, claiming that all cases against him are politically motivated to keep him in jail.
His PTI party is set to kick off a “long march” to stage a protest in Islamabad on Nov. 24, aiming to pressure the government into releasing Khan from prison. Authorities have refused to grant permission to hold the gathering and imposed a ban on public assembly in the capital for two months.


Pakistani stocks break psychological 99,000 barrier on optimism over rates, reserves

Updated 22 November 2024
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Pakistani stocks break psychological 99,000 barrier on optimism over rates, reserves

  • An analyst attributes the intraday rally to broad-based gains across most economic sectors
  • The stock market has remained bullish since the government slashed policy rate in November

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday breached a major psychological barrier, surging past 99,000 points during intra-day trading before settling at 97,798.23, as analysts attributed the rally to investor optimism driven by falling lending rates and higher foreign exchange reserves.
The benchmark KSE-100 index climbed 2,057.40 points by 11:10 am, reaching 99,385.79 points from the previous close. However, the index closed at 97,798.23, marking an increase of 469.84 points or 0.48 percent.
Analyst Ahsan Mehanti of Arif Habib Corporation said bank levies on large deposits, surging global oil prices, and rupee stability were fueling investor optimism.
“Stocks remained bullish, led by scrips across the board, as investors weighed falling lending rates and the imposition of bank levies on large deposits following a drop in government bond yields,” he told Arab News. “Surging global crude oil prices, rupee stability, and higher forex reserves played a catalytic role in the record surge at the PSX.”
Last month, Pakistan’s external current account recorded a surplus of $349 million, marking the third consecutive month of surplus and the highest in this period. The current account reflects a nation’s transactions with the world, encompassing net trade in goods and services, net earnings on cross-border investments and net transfer payments.
A surplus indicates that a country is exporting more than it is importing, thereby strengthening its foreign exchange reserves.
A bullish trend has been observed in the stock market since Pakistan’s central bank cut its key policy rate by 250 basis points, bringing it to 15 percent earlier this month. Economic indicators have also steadily improved since securing a 37-month, $7 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September.
In the past, the country faced a prolonged economic crisis that drained its foreign exchange reserves and saw its currency weaken amid double-digit inflation. Last year, Pakistan narrowly avoided a sovereign default by clinching a last-minute $3 billion IMF bailout deal.