ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday expressed solidarity with Myanmar and Thailand after a powerful earthquake killed more than 150 people and injured hundreds in the two Southeast Asian countries.
The shallow 7.7-magnitude tremor hit northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar in the early afternoon, and was followed minutes later by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock.
The quake flattened buildings, downed bridges, and cracked roads across swathes of Myanmar, and even demolished a 30-story skyscraper under construction hundreds of kilometers (miles) away in Bangkok.
The Foreign Office in Islamabad said the Pakistani people were saddened by the heartbreaking news of the devastating earthquake and their thoughts were with everyone impacted by this tragedy.
“We applaud the courageous individuals and emergency responders who are working diligently on the ground to deliver rescue and relief efforts. Their bravery and commitment during this urgent time are truly admirable,” it said.
“We express our solidarity with the governments and communities affected during this challenging period. May strength and resilience lead those impacted toward healing and recovery.”
While the full extent of the catastrophe is yet to emerge, the leader of isolated Myanmar, in the grip of a civil war, issued a rare plea for international aid.
Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said 144 people had been killed, with 732 confirmed injured, but warned the toll was “likely to rise.” Eight deaths have been confirmed so far in Thailand, with more expected.
“In some places, some buildings collapsed,” he said in a televised speech. “I would like to invite any country, any organization, or anyone in Myanmar to come and help. Thank you.”
Across the border in Thailand, a 30-story skyscraper under construction collapsed to a tangled heap of rubble and dust in a matter of seconds.
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said eight dead bodies have been recovered and, with between 90 and 110 people unaccounted for, the toll is expected to rise.
“We see several dead bodies under the rubble. We will take time to bring the bodies out to avoid any further collapses,” he told reporters.
Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar, where six strong quakes of 7.0 magnitude or more struck between 1930 and 1956 near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the center of the country, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake in the ancient capital Bagan in central Myanmar killed three people in 2016, also toppling spires and crumbling temple walls at the tourist destination.
Islamabad expresses solidarity with Myanmar, Thailand after earthquake kills over 150
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Islamabad expresses solidarity with Myanmar, Thailand after earthquake kills over 150
- The shallow 7.7-magnitude tremor hit Myanmar’s Sagaing on Friday afternoon and was followed minutes later by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock
- The quake flattened buildings, downed bridges, and cracked roads across swathes of Myanmar, demolished a 30-story skyscraper in Bangkok
Pakistan army chief vows retribution as 13 soldiers killed in militant attack in northwest
- Armed forces say 14 militants were killed in a firefight during a clearance operation after the convoy attack
- Field Marshal Asim Munir vows to avenge innocent Pakistani lives and respond swiftly to militant violence
KARACHI: Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, on Saturday vowed retribution after 13 soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing on an armed forces convoy in the country’s northwestern tribal belt, in one of the deadliest attacks on security personnel in recent months.
The military said the convoy was targeted in Mir Ali, a town in North Waziristan near the Afghan border, when an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into one of the lead vehicles after a failed attempt by a suicide bomber to detonate earlier.
Three civilians, including two children and a woman, were also injured in the blast.
Militant violence has surged in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in recent years, particularly in the tribal region, where attacks have targeted soldiers, police, government officials and civilian residents.
Saturday’s assault marked one of the highest single-day tolls for security forces this year. The military said it was followed by the killing of 14 militants in a firefight during a clearance operation launched by the security forces.
“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir … visited Corps Headquarters Peshawar today, where he was briefed in detail on the prevailing security situation and ongoing counter-terrorism operations,” the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement. “During the visit, the Field Marshal also attended funeral of Shuhada [martyrs] of the incident at Bannu Garrison and visited the injured at Bannu CMH [Combined Military Hospital].”
“Reiterating the state’s uncompromising stance, the Chief of Army Staff vowed that all facilitators, abettors, and perpetrators of terrorism will be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice— without exception and at all costs, and the face of true perpetrator of terrorism in the region will be exposed to the entire world,” the statement added.
Most militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been claimed by fighters belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella group of armed factions that the Pakistani state refers to as khawarij — a term rooted in Islamic history used to describe a violent extremist sect that rebelled against authority and declared other Muslims as apostates.
The army described the assault as a “cowardly attack planned and orchestrated by the terrorist state of India” and executed by its “proxy Fitna Al-Khawarij.”
It said Pakistani forces intercepted the initial suicide bomber, but the attackers rammed a second explosive-laden vehicle into the convoy, killing 13 soldiers.
“The blood of every innocent Pakistani shall always be avenged,” the ISPR quoted the army chief as saying. “Any attempt to undermine Pakistan’s internal stability will be met with swift and decisive retribution.”
He also called for increased institutional support for civilian law enforcement agencies, particularly the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, urging government stakeholders to prioritize capacity enhancement while reaffirming the army’s commitment to assist.
In a separate statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, offering prayers for the fallen soldiers and condolences to their families. He praised the security forces for their response, including the killing of 14 militants, and said the entire nation saluted its martyrs.
“We are determined to eliminate every form of terrorism from the country,” Sharif said.
Pakistan plans to finalize Roosevelt Hotel privatization structure at next cabinet committee meeting
Pakistan plans to finalize Roosevelt Hotel privatization structure at next cabinet committee meeting
- Privatization Commission denies reports claiming a $100 million base price has been set for the hotel
- It points out the deal’s value will depend on the government-approved transaction structure, final terms
KARACHI: Pakistan is expected to finalize the transaction structure for the privatization of the Roosevelt Hotel in New York at the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Privatization, the government said in a statement on Saturday.
Located in Midtown Manhattan, the hotel is owned by Pakistan International Airlines Investment Limited (PIAIL) and occupies a full city block on Madison Avenue and 45th Street. It has also remained one of Pakistan’s most high-profile yet politically sensitive overseas assets.
“The base price and expected proceeds from the privatization of the Roosevelt Hotel will depend on the transaction structure and final terms approved by the government,” the Privatization Commission said in an official handout. “The transaction structure is expected to be finalized at the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Privatization.”
The statement informed no base price had yet been set for the property, rebutting some local media reports that claimed the government had fixed a $100 million floor.
It also pointed out such a value could only be determined at the time of bidding, adding that the deal’s potential value would depend on the transaction structure and final terms approved by the cabinet committee.
Over the past two decades, successive Pakistani governments have floated plans to sell, lease or redevelop the property, but no proposal has advanced beyond early-stage planning.
Earlier this month, Muhammad Ali, the prime minister’s adviser on privatization, told Arab News that the government had completed the hotel’s baseline valuation and appointed US-based consultancy JLL to conduct market sounding.
“We just need to get approval from the cabinet committee on the structure, and we’ll move ahead,” he said.
Pakistan tops global emerging market rankings in sovereign risk improvement — Bloomberg Intelligence
Pakistan tops global emerging market rankings in sovereign risk improvement — Bloomberg Intelligence
- Government calls the development ‘a resounding signal’ to investors about Pakistan’s improving economy
- It attributes the new outlook to economic stabilization, structural reforms and successful IMF engagement
KARACHI: Pakistan has recorded the world’s sharpest decline in sovereign default risk over the past year, topping Bloomberg Intelligence’s Global Emerging Market (EM) Rankings for credit risk improvement, according to new data cited by a senior finance official on Saturday.
The data, published by Bloomberg’s research arm, showed that Pakistan’s credit default swap-implied probability of default fell from 59 percent to 47 percent over the past 12 months, a drop of 11 percentage points. The change marks the biggest reduction among tracked emerging markets, outpacing countries like Argentina, Tunisia and Nigeria, as default risk rose in others such as Egypt, Gabon and Turkiye.
Credit default swaps (CDS) are insurance-like financial contracts that allow investors to hedge against the risk of a government failing to repay its debt. Issued and traded by large financial institutions, these contracts pay out in the event of a default. The higher the cost of a CDS, the greater the perceived risk. Bloomberg Intelligence uses CDS pricing to assess a country’s sovereign risk in its Global EM Rankings.
“Pakistan stands out globally as the most improved economy in terms of reduction in sovereign default risk,” said Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the finance minister, in a social media post. “This is a resounding signal to global investors: Pakistan is not only back on the map— it is moving forward with stability, credibility, and reform at its core,” he added.
Bloomberg Intelligence is a highly regarded financial data and media company widely used by global investors, analysts and institutions.
The improvement in Pakistan’s risk profile comes after the South Asian nation narrowly avoided a sovereign default in 2023. With dwindling reserves and mounting debt repayments, Islamabad secured a short-term bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with the support of key allies including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and China.
Since then, Pakistan has undertaken a series of IMF-recommended structural reforms and fiscal adjustments aimed at stabilizing the economy.
Credit rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s and Fitch have acknowledged the progress with improved outlooks, while the government has prioritized timely debt servicing and macroeconomic discipline.
Schehzad attributed the improved outlook to “macroeconomic stabilization, structural reforms, successful IMF engagement and timely debt repayments,” noting that investor confidence had begun to return.
Rains and floods kill 19 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12 in Punjab as extreme weather hits Pakistan
- Authorities in KP call Swat the most affected district where 13 people lost their lives in flash floods
- The Met Office warns the risk of heavy rains and floods remains high until the middle of the next week
PESHAWAR/KARACHI: At least 19 people have been killed and six injured in the past 48 hours in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province while heavy rains claimed another 12 lives in the most populous Punjab province, provincial disaster authorities said on Saturday.
KP’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that a total of 56 houses had been damaged in the region — 50 partially and six completely — while rain-related incidents were reported from various districts including Swat, Abbottabad, Charsadda, Malakand, Shangla, Lower Dir and Torghar.
“In the past 48 hours, rain, strong winds, flash floods and landslides in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have resulted in the deaths of 19 people and injuries to 6 others,” the PDMA said in a statement.
“The most affected district was Swat, where 13 people died and six others were injured,” it added.
The overall casualties in the province included six men, five women and eight children.
Local administrations have been instructed to provide immediate relief to affected families and ensure medical care for the injured.
The ongoing spell of rains, which began on June 25, has also claimed 12 lives in Punjab, the country’s most populous province, and caused delays in railway operations in the southern Sindh province.
“Twelve people died and 39 were injured in various accidents,” the Punjab PDMA said in a statement. “Majority of deaths were caused by the collapse of roofs and walls.”
Punjab PDMA chief Irfan Ali Kathia urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and not to stay in dilapidated homes during bad weather.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that the risk of heavy rains and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Tuesday.
Babar Raza, a spokesperson for Pakistan Railways, told Arab News the weather had affected the railway signaling system, while the speed of trains had been reduced for safety reasons.
“As a result, some trains are reaching their destinations with a delay of three to four hours,” he said. “No trains have been canceled so far.”
Pakistan, home to over 240 million people, is considered one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and faces extreme weather events with increasing frequency.
Last month, at least 24 people were killed in severe storms across the country, which has already experienced multiple extreme weather incidents this year, including hailstorms and spring downpours.
Pakistan arrests two for defrauding citizens with fake jobs in Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom
- The suspects arrested in the Pakistani city of Multan have been accused of human smuggling
- The Federal Investigation Agency says both men extorted money and were involved in visa fraud
KARACHI: Pakistani authorities have arrested two men accused of human smuggling after they defrauded citizens with false promises of jobs in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, officials said on Saturday, as the country intensifies its crackdown on trafficking networks following a series of deadly migrant boat disasters.
The arrests, made by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Multan, come amid Pakistan’s broader campaign to curb human smuggling. The issue has drawn significant attention following recent tragedies in the Mediterranean, including shipwrecks off Greece, Libya and Morocco involving scores of Pakistani nationals.
“The accused, Muhammad Muzammil and Sher Khan, extorted large sums of money from citizens by falsely promising overseas employment opportunities,” the FIA said in a statement. “Muzammil took Rs852,000 [$2,982] from a victim under the pretense of securing a job in Saudi Arabia, while Sher Khan collected Rs2 million [$7,000] by offering fake employment in the UK,” it continued. “Both failed to deliver and went into hiding after collecting the money.”
The statement noted that the suspects were also involved in visa fraud.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to crack down on the criminal networks exploiting vulnerable people with false hopes of better lives abroad. His administration began focusing on the issue after more than 200 Pakistanis were presumed dead in a shipwreck off Greece among hundreds of other illegal migrants trying to reach European shores.
Earlier this year, over 40 Pakistanis were feared drowned near Morocco’s coast, while the International Organization for Migration said at least 60 migrants, including Pakistanis, were feared dead after a pair of shipwrecks off the coast of Libya in June.
The FIA said on Saturday that both suspects were arrested from separate locations in Multan and have been taken into custody for further investigation. It added that its crackdown on human smugglers remains ongoing.
