Plenty of fish in the sea? Not for Sindh’s fishing communities, thanks to climate change 

Coastal residents leave for the sea to earn livelihood for their families displaced due to climate change effects, Ibrahim Hyderi, Karachi, September 2, 2022 (AN Photo/S.A. Babar)
Short Url
Updated 03 October 2022
Follow

Plenty of fish in the sea? Not for Sindh’s fishing communities, thanks to climate change 

  • Hundreds of families from Keti Bandar, elsewhere in Sindh migrated to Karachi’s Rehri Goth over past couple of years 
  • But lack of fish along Karachi’s coastal belt makes matters worse for fisherfolk reeling from skyrocketing inflation 

KARACHI: With a forlorn expression on his face, 35-year-old Aijaz Abbasi anxiously waits for his wife to return to their small, rented house so she can cook a meal for him and their two children. Life was much easier for him when he used to fish for a living in a small town some 150 kilometers away from Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, but the climate-induced coastal floods forced the family to flee to a safer area four months ago. 
There’s just one problem here though: there aren’t plenty of fish in the sea due to the effects of climate change and ruthless trawling. 
Hundreds of families like Abbasi’s face a similar conundrum after migrating to the coastal town of Rehri Goth from Keti Bandar, some 153.8 kilometers from Karachi, as well as from seaside villages in Thatta, Badin and Sujawal districts over the past couple of years. 




Aijaz Abbasi, 35, waits for his wife Hameeda to return from the factory to cook a meal for her ailing husband and two children at their home in Rehri Goth, Karachi, September 2, 2022.  (AN Photo/S.A. Babar) 

With rent to pay each month, scarce resources and a mounting electricity bill, the trauma proved too much for Abbasi to handle. 
“I would go fishing in my hometown. But then, the rising sea level and floods forced us to leave our homes,” Abbasi told Arab News. 

“I went fishing but experienced a stroke as I was struggling to earn here due to a decline in fishing.” 
His wife, Hameeda, makes a meagre Rs15,000 ($65.66) per month from her job at a garment factory. Of that, the family only has Rs5,000 ($21.89) left for this month. 




Abdul Latif Abbasi sits in a one-room space in Rehri Goth, Karachi, September 2, 2022. After seawater submerged his ancestral home in Keti Bandar, he was forced to leave for Rerhi Goth nine months ago (AN Photo/S.A. Babar)

Next door, 55-year-old Abdul Latif Abbasi faces a similar problem. For nearly a century, his family would catch fish to live a modest life in Keti Bandar. Nine months ago, rising seawater submerged Latif’s ancestral home, forcing him to move to Rehri Goth. 
He too complained that there wasn’t much catch in the area compared to his hometown. Latif has hardly gone fishing in the 270 days he has stayed in Rehri Goth. 




A young girl walks through a narrow street in Rehri Goth, a coastal village in Pakistan’s port city, carrying a stack of wooden sticks, September 2, 2022 (AN Photo/S.A. Babar) 

“Life was great there, we would earn, eat and enjoy our time,” Latif told Arab News, “Here if we have food to eat for one time, the next [time] we starve.” 
Coastal flooding is a huge threat to the livelihood of these communities across the country. To make both ends meet, Latif’s wife Jamila and daughter Iram work at a factory in the nearby Qur’angi industrial zone to earn a combined sum of Rs20,000 ($87.68) a month. 
Latif, his wife and their five children live in a small rented space that includes a room, a kitchen and a bathroom that costs them Rs5,000 ($21.92). Additionally, the family has to pay for electricity charges and for two meals a day. 
Latif’s youngest daughter Kiran, 15, works in the shabby kitchen and takes care of the household chores, while her mother and elder sister work at the factory. 
Kiran spends most part of her day here, washing utensils and making rotis (round flatbread) for the family. It is like her own little space in the house. 




Kiran, 15, makes rotis for the family while her mother and sister toil at the factory during the day. She stays at home in Rehri Goth, Karachi, September 2, 2022 (AN Photo/S.A. Babar) 


“I couldn’t continue my studies after we moved out from Keti Bandar due to financial reasons,” she told Arab News. “I used to attend school and madressah there with friends; I didn’t want to move out but my parents asked for it.” 
Situated on a dune with a high-tension power transmission line passing overhead, this littered Khaskheli Mohala neighborhood houses families who have lost almost everything to the disastrous impact of climate change. Wandering through these narrow, congested streets, one can spot children playing in the dirt. 
A poor drainage system ensures living spaces in the area are not clean and results in accumulation of contaminated water in the neighborhood. 
A lot of migration has taken place to Rerhi Goth and Ibrahim Hyderi, another fishing village in Karachi, with people arriving from Thatta, Badin and Sajawal districts. But these districts do not offer enough employment opportunities. 
Over 150 families migrated to Rehri Goth from Keti Bandar and nearby localities in the last couple of years, according to local activist Nawaz Dablo. 




Boats stand at the sea, awaiting the right time for the catch in Ibrahim Hyderi, a fishing village in the Karachi’s Korangi District, September 2, 2022.  (AN Photo/S.A. Babar) 

Of them, around 70 families moved over the last few months after the recent floods. Since Ibrahim Hyderi cannot accommodate more people, those arriving are instead settling in Rehri Goth and adjacent neighborhoods. There is ample water, electricity and gas available for them here. 
“Fishermen and farmers become a major target of climate change,” Abdul Majeed Motani, leader of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), told Arab News. 
“Earlier, August 15 onwards, it used to be a good season for fishing for three months straight. It used to be smooth and [fish were found] in good quantity throughout this period. However, for the last three-four years, September remains cold and rainy which has severely affected the catch.” 
He said residents of coastal areas were struggling to make ends meet, given their lack of income due to rising inflation and increasing expenses. Even though authorities talk about generating environment-friendly energy, Motani said no measures had been taken in this regard. 




Residents cause more damage to the community by throwing garbage in the open, causing a serious threat to people’s health residing in Rehri Goth, Karachi, September 2, 2022 (AN Photo/S.A. Babar) 

Air and sea pollution has been increasing due to factory sewage, boilers and wastage, Motani said, blaming the Sindh forest and environment departments for not taking measures to counter the impact of climate change. 
“The residents also do not realize the damage they are doing to the community by throwing garbage in the open, they have become immune to it,” he added. 
The Sindh Forest Department did not respond to Arab News’ request for a comment. 
Fatima Majeed, an activist and leader of the Aurat March movement in Karachi, told Arab News women had been severely impacted by the effects of climate change. 
“If we look at the history of fishing around 60-70 years back, women were involved in the process with their male counterparts. Women were engaged in multiple vocations and were more empowered than they are today,” Majeed said. 




Child collects waste from wet soil absorbed with contaminated water in Rehri Goth, Karachi, September 2, 2022 (AN Photo/S.A. Babar) 

She said climate change had caused sea levels to rise and affected livelihoods in a major way. 
“When earning from the sea was good, it led to better income opportunities for women too — they used to make pickles and sell other food items,” she said. “However, now several factors such as sea pollution, cutting of mangroves and overfishing have contributed to lack of employment opportunities associated with fishing.” 
Women prefer working at factories that pay them better than what they get for their independent efforts, Majeed explained. She said some work at flats and homes while a few young women also work with NGOs. 
Hamida Siddiqui, another 65-year-old resident of Rehri Goth, holds up a small plastic bag containing no more than three potatoes and an equal number of onions. 
 “With the rising inflation and major decrease in earnings from the sea, life has become quite difficult for us,” she tells Arab News. “We can’t even afford to buy vegetables.”


Pakistan reports first Congo virus death of 2025 in Karachi

Updated 55 min 23 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan reports first Congo virus death of 2025 in Karachi

  • Virus is transmitted through tick bites or direct contact with blood of infected animals
  • Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan reported 23 Congo virus cases in 2024

KARACHI: A 42-year-old man lost his life after contracting the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), marking the first confirmed fatality from the virus in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province this year, the health department said on Wednesday.

The fatality rate for the Congo virus ranges from 10 percent to 40 percent, depending on the quality of health care, timeliness of treatment and the patient’s overall health, according to the World Health Organization.

The virus, which is endemic in parts of Africa, Europe and Asia, is primarily transmitted through tick bites or contact with the blood or tissues of infected animals.

“First case of Congo virus [has been] reported in Sindh,” the Sindh Health Department said in a statement on Wednesday.

“42-year-old male was a resident of District Malir,” it continued. “The test report came out positive on June 16 and the patient passed away on June 17.”

Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province reported 23 Congo virus cases in 2024, with five deaths since January last year.

Local medical practitioners said most cases were diagnosed during the summer, when the likelihood of the virus spreading increases, particularly around the Eid Al-Adha festival.

The Islamic holiday, marked by the mass slaughter of animals, typically leads to greater human-animal interaction and exposure to infected livestock.

Pakistan witnessed its first case of Congo virus in 1976 and remained a major victim for years, according to the National Library of Medicine.

The country faces major challenges in combating Congo virus every year due to its specific geographical position and a majority of the population being involved with animal husbandry, it added.

There is no approved vaccine for its prevention.

The European Medicines Agency in May 2024 approved a Phase I clinical trial in Sweden for a DNA-based vaccine candidate, N-pVAX1, targeting the Congo virus.

Separately, the University of Oxford in August 2023 launched a Phase I trial of its ChAdOx2 CCHF vaccine, based on the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 platform, to assess safety and immune response.


Pakistan rescues injured Indian sailor amid post-war tensions with New Delhi

Updated 18 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan rescues injured Indian sailor amid post-war tensions with New Delhi

  • Pakistan evacuates the injured sailor from a Liberian-flagged tanker with an all-Indian crew
  • Rare humanitarian gesture follows recent Pakistan-India war amid strained diplomatic ties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday evacuated an injured Indian sailor from an oil tanker in the Arabian Sea, in a rare humanitarian gesture weeks after the two countries fought a brief four-day war that further strained already tense relations.

The medical evacuation was coordinated by the Pakistan Navy’s Joint Maritime Information and Coordination Center (JMICC), which received a distress call from the Liberian-flagged oil and chemical tanker MT HIGH LEADER, carrying an all-Indian crew.

The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) deployed a vessel and transferred the injured crew member to a hospital in Karachi for emergency treatment.

“The successful medical evacuation is yet another testament to the operational readiness and responsiveness of Pakistan’s maritime safety apparatus,” the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.

“The swift execution reflects Pakistan Navy’s resolve to fulfill its international obligations for the safety of life at sea, irrespective of the nationality of the seafarers involved,” it added.

The incident comes at a time of high diplomatic friction between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Last month’s military confrontation, involving missile, drone and artillery exchanges, marked one of the most serious escalations in recent years.

Pakistan has repeatedly called for the revival of a composite dialogue process to resolve long-standing issues, including the Kashmir dispute, cross-border militancy and a water-sharing arrangement under the Indus Waters Treaty.

India, however, has resisted any engagement so far.

The JMICC, which coordinated the evacuation, serves as Pakistan’s central maritime emergency response hub and regularly liaises with both national and international stakeholders.


Pakistan reduces sales tax on imported solar panels from 18 percent to 10 percent amid parliamentary pushback

Updated 34 min 47 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan reduces sales tax on imported solar panels from 18 percent to 10 percent amid parliamentary pushback

  • The government proposed 18% GST on imported solar panels during budget 2025-26
  • Pakistan imported 17 gigawatts of solar panels in 2024, twice the previous year’s volume

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said the general sales tax (GST) on imported solar panels had been reduced from 18% to 10% for the current year, following concerns raised by a parliamentary finance body.

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue had urged the government a day earlier to withdraw the proposed 18% GST on imported solar panels, noting that some stakeholders had begun stockpiling equipment ahead of the federal budget to avoid the new levy.

The country’s proposed federal budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year included an 18% GST on the import and local supply of solar panels and related equipment, prompting concern from industry stakeholders and clean energy advocates.

Pakistan imported 17 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels in 2024, twice the volume recorded the year before, to meet rising consumer demand, according to the Global Electricity Review 2025.

“The 18 percent on top of 46% was an additional burden,” Dar told the National Assembly.

“So, regarding this, after consultations and deliberations, we have decided that this year we will keep a 10% sales tax and not 18%.”

Dar highlighted how this was the most debated subject after the budget was announced.

He also explained that around 46% of components used in solar installations in Pakistan were imported while the remaining 54% including inverters and other equipment were locally sourced and already subject to standard taxation.

Solar energy has supplied 25% of Pakistan’s grid electricity so far this year, placing the country among fewer than 20 globally that generate at least a quarter of their monthly power from solar farms.

Industry stakeholders and clean energy activists had warned that the added cost in tax could slow the rapid adoption of rooftop solar systems by households and businesses, potentially undermining national targets for expanding the share of renewables in the country’s energy mix.

Pakistan increased its solar electricity generation at a rate more than three times the global average in 2025, driven by a surge in solar capacity imports that were over five times higher than in 2022, according to data from Ember, a UK-based energy think tank.

This rapid growth in both capacity and output has propelled solar energy from being the country’s fifth-largest power source in 2023 to the top spot in 2025.


Pakistan unveils draft tariff policy to drive export-led growth

Updated 18 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan unveils draft tariff policy to drive export-led growth

  • The policy plans to phase out Additional Customs Duties, rationalize the tariff structure
  • It aims to reduce tariffs on raw materials, deliver $700 million in benefits to industries

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday unveiled a draft National Tariff Policy 2025-30 at a regulatory reforms conference, aiming to shift the country toward an export-led growth model by overhauling its trade tariff structure to boost industrial productivity, investment and competitiveness.

The event was organized by the Board of Investment (BoI), and attended by senior government officials, diplomats and private sector representatives.

The policy sets out sweeping reforms, including the phasing out of Additional Customs Duties (ACDs) within four years, elimination of Regulatory Duties (RDs) and the 5th Schedule within five years, and the creation of a simplified four-tier Customs Duty structure of 0 percent, 5 percent, 10 percent and 15 percent.

Key sectors expected to benefit include textiles, engineering, pharmaceuticals and information technology, with the policy designed to lower production costs and attract businesses.

“The National Tariff Policy 2025-30 is designed to create a predictable, transparent and investment-friendly tariff structure,” said Rana Ihsaan Afzal, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce, at the conference.

“By facilitating duty-free access to raw materials, phasing out ACDs and RDs and supporting nascent and green industries, this policy paves the way for innovation, employment generation and sustained economic growth.”

Afzal said implementation will begin with tariff reductions on approximately 7,000 tariff lines, mainly raw materials and intermediate goods, expected to deliver an estimated Rs200 billion ($700 million) in benefits to trade and industry.

“These reforms will enable Pakistan’s industries to scale, compete globally and shift toward higher value-added exports,” he added. “With these changes, we anticipate not just stronger GDP growth, but also increased employment, improved industrial productivity and enhanced investor confidence.”

According to an official statement issued by the BoI, the participants lauded the government’s efforts to streamline regulation and modernize trade facilitation, calling the draft policy a significant step toward Pakistan’s long-term economic transformation.
 


Pakistan calls for Iran-Israel ceasefire as deputy PM heads to OIC talks 

Updated 18 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan calls for Iran-Israel ceasefire as deputy PM heads to OIC talks 

  • Meeting in Turkiye will focus on coordinated diplomacy to de-escalate Iran-Israel standoff, address aid crisis in Gaza
  • For Pakistan, a direct neighbor of Iran, prolonged clash threatens border security, could aggravate sectarian tensions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday urged global powers to broker a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, as Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar prepares to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The meeting in Turkiye from June 21-22 is expected to focus on coordinated diplomatic steps to de-escalate the Iran-Israel standoff and address the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Thousands of people were fleeing Tehran on Wednesday after Israeli warplanes bombed the city overnight and the air fight between the two Middle Eastern powers entered the sixth day amid media reports US President Donald Trump was considering options that include joining Israel in attacking Iranian nuclear sites.

“I feel that ... global countries should try hard for a ceasefire,” Sharif told a federal cabinet meeting, calling the escalation “regrettable” and condemning what he described as Israel’s aggression against Pakistan’s neighboring “brotherly” country of Iran. 

Iran launched retaliatory strikes last week after Israeli forces attacked sites linked to Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13. Iranian officials say at least 224 people, mostly civilians, have been killed, while Israel has reported over 20 deaths.

The latest escalation follows months of hostilities between Israel and Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, which intensified after the war in Gaza was launched late in 2023. Regional powers fear a direct confrontation could spiral into a broader conflict involving major oil shipping lanes and global energy supplies.

For Pakistan, a close Iranian neighbor and a longtime opponent of Israel, a prolonged conflict risks disrupting border security, inflaming sectarian tensions at home, and possibly putting it in a tight spot with other Arab allies and the West.

Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has historically aligned itself with the Palestinian cause of an independent state.