Islamabad – AFP
At least 77 people have died in monsoon rains in Pakistan, the Minister of Climate Change announced on Wednesday, warning of more rain than usual later.
“In my opinion, it is a national tragedy,” Sherry Rahman said at a press conference in the capital, confirming the total number of victims since the start of the rainy season on June 14. “It’s not so simple when people die like this,” she said. “It’s only the beginning. We have to be ready.”
Most of the victims died in Balochistan state (southwest), where 39 people died either drowning or electrocuted due to falling power lines. The monsoon season, which usually lasts from June to September, is needed to irrigate crops and fill lakes and dams across the Indian peninsula, but every year it brings with it a wave of devastation.
The heaviest floods in the past few years date back to 2010, when one-fifth of the land was inundated with water, killing regarding 2,000 people and displacing 20 million people. Pakistan is the eighth most vulnerable country to extreme weather events due to climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index, compiled by the non-governmental organization German Watch.
“One day we see a drought and the next morning we expect floods,” Rehman said. “You can see how serious the situation is in Pakistan.”
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Attack on Pakistani journalist and political observer Ayaz Ameer Pakistan: Senior journalist Ayaz Amir assaulted by unidentified men day after he called the army ‘property dealers’
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s senior journalist and political observer Ayaz Ameer has been attacked following he described army generals as “property dealers”. He told the media that the attack was carried out by two men while attending a program on Duniya news channel.
Ayaz said that following blocking the road, he would make the driver come out of the car and assault him and then turn towards him. Seeing people running away, the attackers took Ayaz’s phone and wallet. They have not been identified yet.
Last day, Ayaz spoke at a seminar attended by Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Ayaz spoke on the topic ‘How changes in the governance system ripple through Pakistan’ in a seminar organized by the Islamabad High Court.
Ayaz had criticized that army generals were property dealers and the pictures of people including Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal should be replaced with pictures of dealers. Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was also indirectly criticized. It was mentioned that he is trying to continue even following completing his term.
Three with polio vaccine; Shot dead in Pakistan | Pakistan
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
Three people, including two policemen, have been shot dead by militants in Pakistan’s North Waziristan. Nine cases of polio have been reported this year in Waziristan on the Afghan border, prompting health workers to enter every home and vaccinate.
The police were there to provide security for the health workers. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Attacks on polio vaccinators are common in Pakistan. Pakistan launched a mission in May to vaccinate 4.3 crore children in the country.
Attack on polio vaccination team; Three killed, including policemen | Gunmen attack anti-polio team in Pakistan; kill three, says police
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
PESHAWAR: Three people, including two policemen, have been killed in an unidentified attack on a polio vaccination team in Peshawar. The incident took place in North Waziristan, a tribal district in Pakistan.
In the district near the Afghan border, nine new cases have been confirmed this year, and gunmen are conducting house-to-house polio vaccinations. One member of the gang and two policemen who served as escorts were killed. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan condemned the incident and demanded immediate arrest of those behind the attack. There have been a series of attacks on the polio vaccination team in the province. However, North Waziristan Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan said in a statement that the government’s decision was to eradicate polio.
According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and Afghanistan are the current polio affected countries. This year, Pakistan launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign.