Month: September 2024

Pakistan’s Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) on Tuesday reported multiple casualties and injuries across the provinces following recent monsoon downpours that brought life to a standstill and caused both residential and infrastructural damage in urban and rural areas.

At least 10 people have succumbed to rain and flood-related incidents, while seven others sustained injuries in different parts of the country over the past few days.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), four people died and one was injured during the past 24 hours. Three of the deaths were caused by a landslide triggered by downpours in Upper Kohistan.

The fourth death was reported in Malakand, where, tragically, a child died due to a lightning strike.

Since July 1st, the northwestern province has reported 96 deaths and 133 injuries in numerous rain-related incidents.

Meanwhile, Sindh PDMA reported five deaths and two injuries in the past 24 hours in the province.

The area wise break-up of casualties suggested that one female drowned to death in Umerkot, two died in Larkana — one died of electrocution while another died in a house collapse. Meanwhile, two people were injured.

Moreover, Tando Allahyar also reported two deaths, one due to electrical shock, the other died in a wall collapse incident.

According to its respective PDMA, Balochistan has been the hardest hit during the monsoon, with five deaths reported on Monday due to the ongoing rains.

The disaster watchdog reported that rains had caused significant damage in the province since July 1st, while 34 people have lost their lives and 17 have been injured.

With more than 15,000 houses severely damaged, Balochistan — the largest but least populated province in the country — has been the worst hit so far.

Fortunately, Punjab has not suffered any rain-related casualties in the last 24 hours.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned that humid winds from the Bay of Bengal are expected to sweep across the upper regions of Pakistan, bringing more torrential storms until September 5.

According to the Met Office, the new system may also bring rain to some parts of Sindh, including Hyderabad, Thatta, Tharpakar, Mithi, and Badin, by tomorrow (Tuesday) while Karachi is likely to get light and heavy rain on September 4.

RAWALPINDI: Amid a spike in terror incidents, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the military’s top commanders on Tuesday reviewed the threats posed by “inimical forces” and vowed that the Pakistan Army would not allow hard-earned gains against terrorism to be reversed.

A resolve to this effect was agreed upon during the Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC) at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, presided over by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

In assessing the inimical forces, malicious actors, subversive proxies, and the facilitators of Pakistan’s external and internal adversaries, particularly those active in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the top commanders deliberated on a range of measures to neutralise these threats.

“The forum reaffirmed that the Pakistan Army, with the unwavering support of the people, will not allow the hard-earned successes against terrorism to be reversed,” it added.

Pakistan’s armed forces launched intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in the southwestern Balochistan province in response to attacks by insurgents that martyred over 50 people on August 26, the ISPR said last week.

The military’s media wing said 21 insurgents were killed and three others wounded in the three operations launched in the province. “Operations will continue until all perpetrators, facilitators and abettors of these atrocious acts are brought to justice,” the army had said in a statement.

Moreover, security forces neutralised at least 12 terrorists in IBOs conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley, according to ISPR.

“Since August 20, 2024, security forces are conducting extensive IBOs in Tirah Valley, Khyber District, on the reported presence of Khwarij,” the ISPR said in a statement.

During the meeting, the military top brass emphasised that the army was a disciplined institution, upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and loyalty to the state and institution.

“The institution’s well-established and rigorous system of accountability ensures that these values are preserved with unwavering commitment, allowing no room for exceptions or partiality,” the meeting stressed, adding, “This strict adherence to accountability fortifies the Army’s integrity, ensuring that no individual is above the law or exempt from scrutiny.”

Recognising the urgency and significance of a robust and effective legal system, the COAS emphasised that the Pakistan Army would continue to extend comprehensive support to the government, administrative apparatus, and law enforcement agencies in taking swift and lawful action against terrorists, anarchists, and criminal mafias.

The forum expressed satisfaction over ongoing efforts against illegal spectrum operating in collusion with terrorist networks, underscoring the critical need to safeguard national cyberspace through stringent cyber-security measures.

In a show of solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), who continue to suffer gross human rights violations, the forum honoured the martyrs of the freedom movement. The blatant continued violence and genocide of Palestinians by Israel were also condemned in the strongest terms.

The forum expressed confidence in the operational preparedness and readiness of the Pakistan Army and vowed to continue to uphold the standards in pursuit of professional excellence, according to the ISPR.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that Pak-china friendship is inevitable for the region and global peace and development.

The prime minister made the remarks while talking to Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, who called on him in Islamabad.

China has provided unconditional support to Pakistan during every difficult period, PM Shehbaz added. He lauded the Chinese leadership’s vision of continuously improving strategic relations between Pakistan and China and upgrading the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Radio Pakistan reported.

He expressed Pakistan’s desire to enhance collaboration with China in the fields of information technology, artificial intelligence, modern agriculture, and other sectors.

The prime minister remarked that the friendship between Pakistan and China has endured and remained strong throughout the years.

He stated that the friendship between the two nations has withstood the test of time, with China providing unwavering support to Pakistan during every challenging period.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, and other relevant officials were also present in the meeting.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday credited the incumbent government’s efforts and policies for a notable reduction in inflation with the country’s annual rate dropping to 9.6%.

“Pakistan’s annual inflation rate has dropped to 9.6% in August, the first single-digit figure in nearly 3 years according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. This is not an accident! These are results,” PM Shehbaz said in a statement issued on his official X account.

The premier’s remarks come after data from PBS revealed a significant drop in the inflation rate which has been exceeding the 20% mark since May 2022, peaking at a staggering 38% last May and these skyrocketing inflation rates coincided with the reforms implemented as part of a much-needed International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programme.

“CPI general inflation increased to 9.6% on a year-on-year basis in August 2024 as compared to an increase of 11.1% in the previous month and 27.4% in August 2023”, the PBS said a day earlier.

Reiterating the government’s resolve to provide relief to the masses, the premier added: “My focus is on providing relief to the common man. Our work is not done, and a lot more needs to be done but we are making real progress.”

It should be noted that on a month-on-month basis, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 0.4% in August 2024 as compared to an increase of the previous month’s 2.1% and an increase of 1.7% in August 2023.

According to data, CPI inflation in urban areas increased to 11.7% on a year-on-year basis as compared to an increase of 13.2% in the previous month and 25.0% in August 2023.

On a month-on-month basis, it increased to 0.3% as compared to an increase of 2.0% in the previous month and an increase of 1.6% in August 2023.

Meanwhile, CPI inflation in rural areas increased to 6.7% on a year-on-year (YoY) basis in August 2024 as compared to an increase of 8.1% in the previous month and 30.9% in August 2023.

On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, it increased to 0.6% in August 2024 as compared to an increase of 2.2% in the previous month and an increase of 1.9% in August 2023.

Prices of food items that increased on an MoM basis included onions (22.84%), chicken (13.62%), eggs (12.39%), fresh vegetables (12.25%), besan (4.88%), pulse gram (4.55%), gram whole (3.82%), potatoes (2.90%), pulse moong (2.83%), milk fresh (1.27%), milk products (1.20%) and vegetable ghee (1.10%).

It is to be noted that last month, Moody’s Ratings has upgraded Pakistan’s local and foreign currency issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to Caa2 from Caa3 owing to improvement in macroeconomic conditions.

The upgrade to Caa2 reflects Pakistan’s improving macroeconomic conditions and moderately better government liquidity and external positions, from very weak levels.

Accordingly, Pakistan’s default risk has reduced to a level consistent with a Caa2 rating, as per Moody’s. “There is now greater certainty on Pakistan’s sources of external financing, following the sovereign’s staff-level agreement with the IMF on 12 July 2024 for a 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of $7 billion.”

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have about doubled since June 2023, although they remain below what is required to meet its external financing needs, it said.

According to Moody’s, the country remains reliant on timely financing from official partners to fully meet its external debt obligations.

The agency however warned that the “Caa2 rating continues to reflect Pakistan’s very weak debt affordability, which drives high debt sustainability risk”.