ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s southern Sindh province witnessed yet another act of animal cruelty, as widely reported by the local media on Saturday, after a camel was found dead in the region with its legs amputated.
The incident took place only a few days after a local landlord in Sanghar district was accused of torturing a camel and chopping off its leg with his employees’ help since it had strayed into his fields for grazing.
The story, which triggered significant uproar on social media, led to the camel being transported to Karachi for treatment and a prosthetic leg. Six individuals involved were also arrested by the police.
The most recent incident took place in a modest settlement near Umerkot in Sindh.
“I don’t want to accuse anyone,” Abdul Rashid, the owner of the dead camel, was reported as saying by Geo News. “I have around 40 to 45 female camels. While all of them returned after grazing last evening, she was left behind alone.”
“God knows who made her run, beat her and cut her legs,” he added. “We don’t know anything yet ... We’ll see what to do next.”
Pakistan’s existing animal cruelty laws, rooted in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1890, prohibit various forms of animal cruelty, including beating, overdriving, and mutilation.
The legislation also prescribes penalties for breaches of these anti-cruelty provisions, which can include fines and imprisonment, though these are not always effectively enforced.
Another camel found mutilated and dead, days after similar act of animal cruelty in Sindh
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Another camel found mutilated and dead, days after similar act of animal cruelty in Sindh
- The owner of the camel refuses to accuse anyone after the animal was found dead with all of its legs amputated
- Previously, a landlord was accused of torturing another camel and chopping off its leg after it strayed into his fields
Pakistan condemns attack on Saudi Hospital in Sudan, killing at least 70
- War between Sudan’s army and Rapid Support Forces broke out in 2023 due to disputes over integration of two forces
- Conflict has killed tens of thousands, driven millions from their homes and plunged half of the population into hunger
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday condemned a drone attack that killed at least 70 people at the Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital in the city of El-Fasher in Sudan, the foreign office said.
The war between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which broke out in April 2023 due to disputes over the integration of the two forces, has killed tens of thousands, driven millions from their homes and plunged half of the population into hunger.
The conflict has produced waves of ethnically driven violence blamed largely on the RSF, creating a humanitarian crisis.
“The attack leading to unfortunate deaths reportedly of seventy people clearly violates international law and puts innocent civilians at grave risk. Pakistan extends its deepest sympathies to the victims and their families,” the foreign office said about the attack on the Saudi hospital.
“This attack underscores the urgent need for upholding the sanctity of health care facilities and adherence to the principles of international humanitarian law.”
The foreign office urged the resolution of the Sudanese conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, while affirming “full support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sudan.”
Darfur Governor Mini Minnawi said on X that an RSF drone had struck the emergency department of the Saudi hospital in the capital of North Darfur, killing patients, including women and children.
Fierce clashes have erupted in El Fasher between the RSF and the Sudanese joint forces, including the army, armed resistance groups, police, and local defense units.
Last week, the RSF issued an ultimatum demanding army forces and allies leave El Fasher city in advance of an expected offensive.
West Indies win Test in Pakistan for first time in 35 years
- Spinner Jomel Warrican took five wickets as West Indies beat Pakistan by 120 runs
- Babar Azam top-scores with 31, Rizwan makes 25 as Pakistan fail to chase 254 runs
MULTAN, Pakistan: Spinner Jomel Warrican took five wickets as the West Indies won a Test match in Pakistan for the first time in nearly 35 years on Monday.
The West Indies won the second Test in Multan by 120 runs on day three to draw the series 1-1.
Pakistan won the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan.
Warrican finished with nine wickets in the match — 19 in the series — to give the hosts a taste of their own medicine on spin-friendly pitches.
The last time the West Indies won a Test in Pakistan was in Faisalabad in November 1990, having gone winless on their 1997 and 2006 tours.
Resuming on 76-4 and chasing 254, Pakistan’s hopes of victory rested on Saud Shakeel but Kevin Sinclair had the left-hander caught in the slip for 13 to further dent the home team’s fading chances.
Babar Azam top-scored with 31 while Mohammad Rizwan made 25.
World Bank mission in Pakistan to discuss plan to improve power stability system
- World Bank mission to advance preparations for systems that manage, improve quality of power in electrical grids
- Pakistan has taken steps recently to reform its energy sector, lower electricity costs and reduce transmission losses
ISLAMABAD: A World Bank mission is in Pakistan to discuss a plan to improve the power stability system in the energy-starved South Asian country, a spokesperson of the financial institution confirmed on Monday.
As per local media reports, the World Bank mission was due to arrive in Pakistan on Monday for a two-day visit to develop a work plan and agree on the next steps to advance the preparation of Reactive Compensation Devices.
Reactive Compensation Devices are electrical systems used to manage and improve the quality of power in electrical grids by controlling the flow of reactive power.
“There is a mission in town. That’s all I can confirm at this point,” Maryam Altaf, the communications officer at the World Bank’s Pakistan office, told Arab News when asked to confirm reports.
Pakistan has been eagerly attempting to reform its energy sector, lower electricity costs and reduce transmission losses in its bid to curtail its mounting circular debt.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government has increasingly spoken about its desire to reduce electricity theft and transmission losses through energy sector reforms. This has resulted in the country suffering long hours of power outages, especially during summers, and suffering huge economic losses as a result.
Earlier this month, the federal cabinet approved a plan to renegotiate agreements with 14 independent power producers (IPPs). The government said the revised agreements with the IPPs would cause a reduction of Rs802 billion ($2.9 billion) in costs and profits, including a Rs35 billion ($126 million) cut in past excess profits.
At the core of Pakistan’s energy problems are capacity charges, or payments made to IPPs regardless of electricity consumption, which have exacerbated Pakistan’s circular debt, now exceeding Rs2.4 trillion ($8.6 billion), as per energy minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Laghari.
Laghari also announced earlier this month that the government will implement a new energy market system through which consumers will be able to buy power from multiple suppliers starting March.
UK team in Pakistan for aviation audit ahead of resumption of PIA flights
- European safety agency in November lifted 2020 bar on PIA operating in bloc
- PIA resumed Europe operations on Jan. 10 with flight to Paris from Islamabad
KARACHI: A delegation from the United Kingdom’s Department for Transport and Civil Aviation Authority arrived in Pakistan today, Monday, to conduct a safety assessment ahead of the resumption of PIA flight operations between Pakistan and the UK.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency in November lifted its ban on Pakistan’s national carrier operating in the bloc, a restriction that was placed in 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to ensure compliance with international aviation standards. The suspension came days after Pakistan launched an investigation into the validity of pilots’ licenses issued in the country following a PIA plane crash that killed 97 people.
On Jan. 10, PIA resumed flights to European destinations with a plane departing for Paris from Islamabad International Airport.
“There will be several high-level meetings between the two sides,” PCAA said in a statement after the UK team’s arrival in Pakistan.
“The discussions will examine aviation safety protocols, review documentation, and evaluate operational procedures. The UK delegation is also scheduled to visit airlines to assess compliance with international standards.”
PCAA said its officials had been engaged for months in technical talks with UK authorities and were “optimistic about the positive outcome of this visit.”
In November EASA said the decision to allow PIA to perform commercial air transport operations to, from and within the EU was based on the “significant efforts” made by the PCAA.
Pakistan had grounded 262 of the country’s 860 pilots, including 141 of PIA’s 434, whose licenses the then aviation minister termed “dubious.” The investigation ultimately did not reveal any major concerns, but the suspension remained in place.
The ban was costing PIA nearly 40 billion Pakistani rupees ($144 million) in revenue annually, according to government records presented in parliament.
Truck carrying liquified petroleum gas explodes in central Pakistan, killing 5 people
- Over two dozen others injured in Multan, an old city in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province
- Firefighters have extinguished flames as officers investigate cause behind gas leak in truck
MULTAN, Pakistan: A truck carrying liquified petroleum gas caught fire and exploded overnight near an industrial area in central Pakistan, killing five people and injuring more than two dozen others, officials said Monday.
The explosion in Multan, a city in the eastern Punjab province, substantially damaged nearby shops and homes, and the deaths were caused by the fire and the collapse of roofs of houses, rescue official Mohammad Bilal said.
He said firefighters had extinguished the blaze and officers are investigating to determine exactly what the gas leak in the truck and the subsequent explosion.
