Over 60,000 people evacuated to safer places as Pakistan braces for Cyclone Biparjoy

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Updated 14 June 2023
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Over 60,000 people evacuated to safer places as Pakistan braces for Cyclone Biparjoy

  • Biparjoy expected to make landfall near border of Pakistan and India in Kutch district of Gujarat on Thursday
  • Tropical cyclones like this one have become more frequent because of warming sea surface temperatures

LAHORE: Over 60,000 people have so far been evacuated to safer areas, Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik, the chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority said on Wednesday as a powerful cyclone, named Biparjoy, is inching closer to India and Pakistan.

The 'very severe cyclonic storm' developing over the northeast Arabian Sea is expected to make landfall between Mandvi in India's western state of Gujarat and Karachi in southern Pakistan by Thursday evening. The cyclone is expected to have maximum sustained wind speeds of between 125-135 km per hour (78-84 miles) gusting up to 150 km per hour.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Wednesday morning Biparjoy had nearly moved northward during the last six hours and was at a distance of 275 kilometers southwest of Keti Bandar, 340 kilometers south of Karachi, and 355 kilometers south of Thatta in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.




A woman takes care of her children as she with other families sheltering in a school building due to Cyclone Biparjoy approaching, in Golarchi near Badin, Pakistan's southern district in the Sindh province, on June 14, 2023. (AP)

“62,000 people have been evacuated to safer places,” Malik told reporters on Wednesday evening.

“According to reports we have received so far, around 75 relief camps have been established which have been set up by Pakistan army jointly with Rangers and the district administration.”

He said the Sindh government was taking a “clear lead” in the evacuations and all federal government departments would support them.




Cyclone evacuees arrive at a temporary shelter set at a school in Badin district of Pakistan's Sindh province on June 14, 2023, ahead of cyclone Biporjoy landfall. (AFP)

Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed a climate committee to deal with a possible “emergency” arising from Biparjoy.

“I have constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the minister of climate change to deal with any possible emergency situation arising from Biparjoy,” PM Sharif wrote on Twitter, saying the committee would comprise relevant ministers and representatives of both federal and provincial institutions who would continuously monitor the storm.

“Due to the possibility of Biparjoy hitting Kati Bandar, all relevant government agencies have been instructed to ensure the early rescue of people and I have directed authorities to move more than 50,000 people living in the coastal areas to safe places where they will be provided with clean drinking water and food as well as comfortable accommodation and medical facilities until the storm abates.”

PMD’s chief meteorologist, Sardar Sarfraz, told Arab News on Wednesday morning the port city of Karachi was expected to receive heavy rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday as the storm inched closer to the coastline of the metropolis.

“Tonight and tomorrow, heavy rainfall is expected in some parts of Karachi, but the situation in the city will not be dangerous,” he said.

Meanwhile, authorities have warned people living near coastal areas to take precautionary measures and told fishermen not to venture into the sea. People have also been advised to avoid Karachi beaches.


Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216

Updated 7 sec ago
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Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216

  • Pakistan’s Met Office has warned that monsoon currents are likely to “intensify” across country from July 20
  • Punjab has reported highest number of deaths since June 26, 135, followed by 42 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities braced for more rainfall on Monday as the death toll from rain-related incidents in the country since late June rose to 216, according to official data. 

As per the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) latest situation report, 216 people have been killed in total since June 26 in rain-related incidents across Pakistan. Among the 216 casualties, 101 are children, 75 males and 40 females.

Punjab reported the highest number of deaths, 135, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 42, Sindh 21, Balochistan 16 while Azad Kashmir and Islamabad each reported a single death.

“Rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Kashmir, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, North-East Punjab, Potohar region, Gilgit-Baltistan, North-East/South Balochistan and South Sindh,” the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) wrote on its daily forecast for Monday. 

“Isolated heavy falls are expected in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region, Kashmir and adjoining hilly areas during the period,” it added. 

Pakistan’s Met Office warned in a press release on July 18 that monsoon currents penetrating Sindh and upper parts of the country are likely to “intensify” in the upper and central parts of the country from July 20.

Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia on Sunday instructed district administrations to remain on high alert during the fourth spell of monsoon rains, the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said. 

“There is a risk of urban and flash flooding due to heavy rains,” it added. 

Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, arriving in early June in India and late June in Pakistan, and lasting through until September.

The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. But increasingly erratic and extreme weather patterns are turning the rains into a destructive force.

In 2022, record-breaking monsoon rains combined with glacial melt submerged nearly a third of Pakistan, killing more than 1,700 people and displacing over 8 million. In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, including strong hailstorms.
 


Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan

Updated 37 min 19 sec ago
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Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan

  • Clash broke out among Achakzai, Kakar tribes in Killa Abdulah district over an old dispute, says official
  • Says both rival parties agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Levies, FC Balochistan and tribal elders

QUETTA: Five people were killed while seven others were injured in Pakistan’s southwestern Killa Abdullah district on Sunday after an armed clash between two tribes, a senior official said. 

The clash broke out on Sunday evening between members of the ethnic Pashtun tribes of Achakzai and Kakar, lasting for several hours before tribal elders, the paramilitary Levies force and Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan brokered a ceasefire between them.

“Five people have been killed and seven injured in the latest clashes that erupted between Achakzai and Kakar tribesmen in Killa Abdullah district,” Shahzaib Kakar, commissioner of Quetta Division, told Arab News on Sunday. 

He said members of both tribes were involved in “an old tribal dispute,” adding that both sides agreed to a ceasefire after security forces arrived in the area. 

Hayat Achakzai, a local journalist based in Killa Abdullah district, said clashes broke out at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday when members of both tribes came face to face at the district’s Tot Adda area.

“Both tribes were engaged in a dispute since March 2025 following a motorbike snatching,” Achakzai said. “They were chasing each other for the last two weeks but today met with an armed clash.”

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land mass but its most backward one by almost all social and economic indicators, has a strong tribal system with powerful chieftains. 

Disputes between rival tribes over honor, land and decades-old feuds are common here, often resulting in armed clashes. 

Ethnic Baloch militant groups have launched a low-level insurgency against the state for years in Balochistan, accusing Islamabad of exploiting the province’s mineral resources and denying locals a share in it.

The government denies the allegations and points to health, development and educational projects that it says have been launched to empower the people of Balochistan. 


Pakistani woman artists connect via WhatsApp after actor’s death spotlights growing urban isolation

Updated 47 min 24 sec ago
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Pakistani woman artists connect via WhatsApp after actor’s death spotlights growing urban isolation

  • Humaira Asghar, 42, was found dead at her rented flat in Karachi on July 18, at least nine months after her passing
  • Yashma Gill, one of the WhatsApp group admins, says human connection is very important amid growing urban isolation

ISLAMABAD: Women in Pakistan’s entertainment industry have come closer and created a WhatsApp group to check in on each other and ensure immediate help to anyone going through difficult times, following this month’s shocking death of Humaira Asghar.

The 42-year-old, originally from Lahore, was found dead at her rented flat in Karachi on July 18, at least nine months after her passing. Pakistani police have said medico-legal authorities found no traces of toxins in her body.

The case stirred a debate in Pakistan about the silent toll of urban isolation, especially in large cities like Karachi, where rapid expansion, changing family structures and weakening community bonds are quietly reshaping how people live — and die.

Hundreds of Pakistani women, including actors, directors, producers and makeup artists, have joined the WhatsApp group, ‘Connectivity 101,’ after the idea was proposed by Zhalay Sarhadi, Yashma Gill, Sonia Hussain, Mansha Pasha and others.

“The core purpose of Connectivity 101 is to create networking through a platform, connectivity through a platform, through which people can talk about their problems... people can inquire about well-being and keep a check on each other,” Gill said in an interview, adding it came into existence after the tragic passing of Asghar.

Asghar’s death came weeks after renowned actor Ayesha Khan was found dead in her apartment in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, according to police. Her neighbors had reported a foul smell emitting out of her apartment that led to the discovery of the 84-year-old’s body.

Gill, one of the Connectivity 101 admins, said the initiative was taken after it was realized that people working in the industry, especially women, are usually not able to stay in touch with their families, friends and even colleagues due to their busy schedules.

“This connection is very important not just to celebrate good times, but also to support each other in hard times,” she said.

Nearly 44 percent of Pakistanis now live in urban areas, up from 35 percent in 2010, according to World Bank estimates. Mental health experts have warned that loneliness isn’t just a social issue but a serious health risk.

Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Afridi, a Karachi-based psychiatrist, last week cited World Health Organization (WHO) findings that over 870,000 people died globally in 2024 due to conditions linked to extreme isolation.

“In fact, loneliness has been found to be more painful and damaging than conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure,” he said. “It has also been observed that people who get disconnected from their friends, family and social circles often develop several diseases along with physical, psychological and social issues.”

Gill shared that they have introduced a poll system in the group through which members can mark their presence or inform that they will not be available for a few days.

She said only women from the industry are added to the group through trusted references, with a few protocols set for everyone. She said group members are even urged to exercise “extreme caution” while communicating with each other so that everyone benefits and no negative situation arises.

“I am pro-friendships, people should become friends. But these are celebrities and girls that we are talking about, so things should be taken care of,” she added.


Pakistan voice disappointment after ‘World Championship of Legends’ match against India called off

Updated 20 July 2025
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Pakistan voice disappointment after ‘World Championship of Legends’ match against India called off

  • WCL features retired, non-contracted players from India, Pakistan, England and other nations
  • The match was called off after India’s Shikhar Dhawan withdrew from fixtures against Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani veteran cricket stars on Sunday voiced their disappointment after their match against India, part of the “World Championship of Legends (WCL)” tournament, was called off on Sunday, with Indian players withdrawing because of political tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.

Sporting ties between arch-rivals India and Pakistan have remained limited due to years of political tensions, which heightened after the two countries engaged in a four-day military standoff over an attack in the disputed Kashmir region before a ceasefire was reached on May 10.

The WCL is a T20 tournament approved by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) held in England every year. The tournament features retired and non-contracted players from cricketing giants, including England, India, Pakistan, Australia, West Indies and South Africa.

“On behalf of Pakistan Champions, we express our deep disappointment over WCL’s decision to call off the match against India,” Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan said in a statement.

“This decision not only undermines the spirit of the game but has let down cricket fans across the globe.”

In a statement released on its social media accounts, the WCL said it had decided to call off the India-Pakistan match in Birmingham and apologized again for “hurting the sentiments” of Indian fans.

The league’s owners include its founder, Indian entrepreneur Harshit Tomar and Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn.

The WCL statement came hours after Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan wrote on X that he was withdrawing from India’s WCL matches with Pakistan.

“We believe cricket should rise above and transcend political differences,” Khan said.


Saudi agency distributes aid among crisis-hit people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Lebanon

Updated 20 July 2025
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Saudi agency distributes aid among crisis-hit people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Lebanon

  • The agency distributed 500 food baskets to families returning from displacement in Sudan’s Al-Jazirah state
  • In Pakistan, the agency distributed 2,167 food baskets in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bhimber in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as in Rajanpur in the Punjab province

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief continues to make a significant global impact by providing critical assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

The agency distributed 500 food baskets to families returning from displacement in Sudan’s Al-Jazirah state, benefiting 3,999 people, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

In Afghanistan, KSrelief distributed 100 food baskets at the Omari camp near the Torkham border crossing to Afghan citizens returning from Pakistan.

In Lebanon, 569 food baskets were distributed to Syrian refugees and vulnerable host families in the Koura district of North Lebanon, benefiting 2,845 people.

In Pakistan, the agency distributed 2,167 food baskets in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bhimber in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as in Rajanpur in the Punjab province, reaching 18,210 people in flood-affected areas.

Since its launch in May 2015, KSrelief has implemented 3,588 projects worth more than $8.1 billion across 108 countries, in partnership with more than 321 organizations.