KARACHI: A Saudi aviation team will conduct a security audit of seven Pakistani airports in August, a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) spokesperson said on Wednesday.聽
The security audit will cover airports in Pakistan鈥檚 Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Multan cities, PCAA spokesperson Shahid Qadir said.
He said the director-general of 黑料社区鈥檚 General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has approached Pakistan鈥檚 DG PCAA, Nadir Shafi Dar, to conduct the aviation security audit.聽
鈥淎 Saudi aviation security team will visit Pakistan in the coming month and will conduct this audit in August and onwards,鈥 Qadir told Arab News.聽
The Saudi aviation team is coordinating closely with the PCAA鈥檚 Directorate of Aviation Security (AvSec), which will host the visiting delegation, Qadir said. The PCAA鈥檚 director general has designated the AvSec director to oversee the audit process, he added.聽
This marks the second such audit by Saudi aviation authorities, who conducted their inaugural security assessment of Pakistan in 2023. The Saudi team later expressed satisfaction with Pakistan鈥檚 aviation security procedures, which involve multiple stakeholders such as the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA), the Airport Security Force (ASF), airlines, cargo handlers and catering companies.
The development takes place as Pakistan鈥檚 civil aviation sector shows marked improvement in international benchmarks.
Following the separation of the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) from the PCAA and the enactment of the Civil Aviation Authority Act, Pakistan has achieved a score of 86.73 percent in the International Civil Aviation Organization鈥檚 Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP).聽
As per the PCAA, this rating is higher than the global average of 71 percent and India鈥檚 73 percent.
Separately, a two-member team from the United Kingdom鈥檚 Department for Transport (DfT) began its aviation security assessment of the Islamabad International Airport on Tuesday.
The team, accompanied by a representative of the British High Commission, will review airport security procedures, catering, and flight operations over its three-day visit.
鈥淎ll aviation security stakeholders, including PAA officials, ASF personnel and representatives from PIA, British Airways, Air Blue, Kitchen Cuisine, Ras Menzies and others attended the initial briefing,鈥 a PCAA handout said.
The PCAA said Pakistan has previously performed well in the UK鈥檚 DfT audits, saying that officials are optimistic about the outcome of the latest assessment.聽
The PCAA said its director general has also initiated engagement with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in pursuit of direct flight operations to the US.
The development follows Pakistan鈥檚 national carrier resuming flights to Europe in January after the European aviation safety agency lifted its four-year ban on the airline.
Pakistan International Airlines has also approached UK authorities for permission to resume its services to the country.聽
PIA was banned by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), UK and the US after Pakistan opened an investigation into the validity of pilots鈥 licenses following a PIA plane crash in Karachi in May 2020 that killed 97 people.
ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan鈥檚 Punjab continued evacuating residents from high-risk flood areas on Monday, the Rescue 1122 service said in a statement, as water levels in the province鈥檚 rivers continued to rise and the death toll from the calamity reached 56.
The provincial government has had its hands full with rescue and relief activities since late August, when heavy monsoon showers and releases from Indian dams caused water levels in Punjab鈥檚 rivers to rise. The resulting floods have inundated over 4,100 villages, killed 56 and impacted over 4 million people in Punjab, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
鈥淎cross all flood-affected districts of Punjab, the Government of Punjab has safely evacuated 2 million people and 1.5 million animals,鈥 Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmad said in a statement.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said in a separate post on social media platform X on Sunday night that Jalalpur Pirwala city in Multan district is at risk of flooding as water levels have risen.
鈥淭he situation and ongoing operations are being minutely monitored through thermal imaging drones to ensure rapid response and prevent any loss of precious life,鈥 she wrote.
Jalalpur Pirwala, Multan is at risk of flooding tonight as water levels have risen. PDMA, Rescue 1122, and the entire district administration are on-site, actively managing the situation. Nearly 2,000 people have been safely evacuated so far, and rescue operations will continue鈥
鈥 Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif)
Ahmad said during the past 24 hours, 2,343 people have been rescued from Multan鈥檚 flood-affected areas, taking the total number of people rescued to 10,810 in the district.
鈥淭he district management of Multan has already carried out advance evacuation of 350,000 people and over 300,000 animals,鈥 Ahmad said.
The Rescue 1122 spokesperson urged the people of Muzaffargarh and Alipur Jatoi areas to cooperate with authorities and evacuate from high-risk areas.
WATER LEVELS
Meanwhile, the PDMA issued an update of the water levels in Punjab鈥檚 Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers. It said the water level at Head Muhammad Wala in Chenab was rising at 417.50 feet while the water level at Marala Headworks was at a steady level at 84,753 cusecs. The water level in river Chenab at Khanki Headworks was recorded at a steady level of 147,294 cusecs while the water level at Qadirabad Headworks was recorded at 147,039 cusecs at a steady level, it said. At Trimmu Headworks, the water level was recorded at 543,579 cusecs at a steady level.
Meanwhile, the river Ravi鈥檚 water level at Jassar was recorded at 45,720 cusecs at a steady level while at Ravi Syphon and Shahdara, it was noted that the water level was falling at 88,380 cusecs and 87,640 cusecs, respectively. At Balloki, the water level was recorded at a steady level of 139,030 cusecs and at Sidhani, at a steady level of 123,168 cusecs.
The water levels of river Sutlej were recorded at 319,295 cusecs at Ganda Singh Wala village at a steady level while at Sulemanki Headworks, it was recorded at 135,832 cusecs at a steady level. The water level at Panjnad Headworks was recorded at 564,604 cusecs at a steady level, while the PDMA said it was rising at Mailsi Syphon at 112,014 cusecs.
Meanwhile, heavy rains and floods have caused power outages in several districts of Punjab. The Power Division shared an update of the restoration work, saying that 515 feeders had been affected out of which 269 have been fully restored and 242 have been temporarily restored.
鈥淭hus, out of a total of 1,659,716 affected consumers, electricity has been restored for 1,404,486,鈥 the division wrote. 鈥淔or the remaining 255,230 affected consumers, restoration remains a top priority.鈥
FLOODING RISKS, MONSOON SHOWERS
Pakistan has been bracing for more rains and floods, as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Sunday warned of urban and coastal flooding in several parts of Pakistan from Sept. 7 till Sept. 10, as monsoon currents continue to penetrate southern parts of the country.
The nationwide death toll from monsoon rains and deluges across the country since Jun. 26 has risen to 910, according to the latest situation reported by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Floods in Punjab are expected to flow downstream into the southern Sindh province now. Sindh said it was anticipating for floods to reach their peak level this week. Authorities say the floodwaters are likely to affect more than 320,000 people in the province, with nearly 128,000 already evacuated from riverine areas.
President Asif Ali Zardari, whose Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rules the Sindh province, urged all institutions to make preparations for the possible floods on Sunday.
鈥淧rovincial, district and local government institutions should be on alert to deal with possible flood situation,鈥 he said in a statement issued from his office.
What to know: Asia Cup T20 puts continental cricket heavyweights in focus
Asia Cup tournament begins from Sept. 9-28, featuring associate teams Hong Kong, UAE and Oman
Asia Cup began in 1984 with only Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, has expanded and is staged every 2 years
Updated 51 min 2 sec ago
AP
Five of the world鈥檚 top 10 Twenty20 teams will compete in the 17th Asia Cup, starting in the United Arab Emirates from Tuesday, with defending champion India grouped together with archrival Pakistan.
Here鈥檚 what to know:
COMPETING TEAMS
India is No. 1, and Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh hold Nos. 7-10 in the International Cricket Council鈥檚 T20 rankings. Joining them in the tournament, which starts with two groups of four, are Hong Kong, UAE and first-timer Oman. All three of the Associate teams qualified via the ACC Premier Cup, where Nepal only narrowly missed out.
India and Pakistan being bracketed together should catch a billion-plus TV audience and raise substantial revenue for the Asian Cricket Council. Oman and UAE are the other teams in that group.
The other group contains Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong.
PROGRESSION
The top two teams in each group will advance to the Super 4 stage.
The groups have been formed in a way that traditional on-field and off-the-field rivals 鈥 Pakistan and India 鈥 could meet three times during the tournament, if both teams go all the way to the final on Sept. 28.
Dubai will host 11 games, including the final, and Abu Dhabi will host eight games.
ASIA CUP HISTORY
The continental tournament, which began in 1984 with only Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, has expanded and is now staged every two years, alternating between the ODI and T20 formats depending on which ICC World Cup is next in line.
With India and Sri Lanka set to co-host the T20 World Cup next February, this Asia Cup is also in the sport鈥檚 shortest international format.
India has won the title eight times, followed by Sri Lanka with six. Pakistan won the last of its two titles in 2012.
HYBRID MODEL
The Board of Control for Cricket in India had been due to host the Asia Cup but preferred to organize the tournament in the UAE to avoid the logistical issues that come with the strained political relationship between India and Pakistan.
The neighboring countries don鈥檛 engage in bilateral tours with each other, which limits their head-to-head encounters to multinational tournaments at neutral venues.
When Pakistan hosted the Champions Trophy earlier this year, it organized for all India鈥檚 games to be staged in Dubai.
SUPER FOUR
India is a firm favorite with stars including captain Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah in its ranks. With the slow wickets likely to suit spinners, India has plenty of options with Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav keen to exploit the conditions.
Pakistan has been relying on a fleet of all-rounders after ignoring its two stalwarts Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan since Dec. 2024 in the shortest format. Under new coach Mike Hesson, Pakistan has played a majority of its T20 games with only three specialist bowlers, using four allrounders to bowl out the remaining overs. Whether Hesson鈥檚 template works against the likes of India remains to be seen.
But Hesson鈥檚 blueprint at least worked in a build-up to the Asia Cup when Afghanistan crashed to its second lowest-ever T20 score of 66 against Mohammad Nawaz鈥檚 hat-trick in the final of the tri-series at Sharjah on Sunday.
Afghanistan has plenty of spin options and could edge either Bangladesh or Sri Lanka for a place in the Super 4. Led by Rashid Khan, the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket, Afghanistan also has experienced off-spinner Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad and rookie AM Ghazanfar to challenge batters of any opposition on spin-friendly wickets.
Despite losing to Bangladesh in the recent bilateral T20 series, Sri Lanka could has the potential to make the Super 4 with opening batter Pathum Nissanka in good form at the top of the order. Wanindu Hasaranga, who injured a hamstring against Bangladesh, has regained fitness and will team up with Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage to boost the spin options.
T20 FORMAT
It follows conventional cricket rules, where taking wickets and scoring runs are the main objectives for the bowling and batting teams, but does so in a shorter, sharper timeframe. Each team is allocated one 20-over innings to bat in each game. The main aim remains to score more runs than the opposition. Matches last around three hours.
India hopes 鈥榠nsights鈥 from Pakistan clash will help woo arms buyers
India and Pakistan traded missiles, drone strikes, artillery fire, bombed each other with jets in May聽
One of world鈥檚 top arms importers, India is now determined to recast itself as major producer, exporter聽
Updated 57 min 52 sec ago
AFP
NEW DELHI: The skies lit up during the four-day clash between India and Pakistan in May as drones were blasted from the air by missiles that showcased what New Delhi believes is a 鈥渘ew vision鈥 of warfare.
India now hopes that the demonstration of its combat capabilities, which included a domestically developed 鈥渋nvisible shield鈥 missile defense system, will fuel international demand.
鈥淭he operation was a sign of the new art of warfare, a glimpse of a new vision, technological advancements and self-reliance,鈥 Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said in August.
Long one of the world鈥檚 top arms importers, India is now determined to recast itself as a major producer and exporter of weapons.
Defense exports reached a record $2.8 billion in 2024-25, still small compared to established players, but up 12 percent from the year before and 34 times higher than a decade ago.
Domestic defense production also surged to a record $18 billion, nearly doubling in five years.
India now exports defense equipment to more than 100 countries, with the United States, France and Armenia among the top buyers, according to the defense ministry.
Exports range from missiles, boats and artillery to radar systems, rocket launchers, software and electronic components.
鈥楪OLDEN INSIGHTS鈥
The May conflict was the worst between the nuclear-armed neighbors since 1999, with more than 70 people killed in missile, drone and artillery exchanges.
Both sides claimed victory, each boasting of downing the other鈥檚 fighter jets.
A senior Indian army officer said the clashes provided a 鈥渧ery good understanding鈥 of how new weapons performed.
鈥淭hese were golden insights for us 鈥 and our rapidly expanding industry partners,鈥 he told AFP.
Among the weapons tested was Akashteer, or 鈥淪ky Arrow,鈥 a vehicle-mounted air defense platform powered by artificial intelligence that intercepted volleys of missiles and armed drones.
India also fired several long-range BrahMos cruise missiles at Pakistani air bases.
Co-developed with Russia and already exported to the Philippines, the BrahMos drew fresh attention after the conflict.
鈥淏ecause of the stellar performance of these BrahMos missiles, 14 or 15 countries have reached out to supply these missiles,鈥 Singh said at a military factory opening in July.
Ashok Malik, of The Asia Group business consultancy, said the conflict acted 鈥渓ike a market demonstrator.鈥
鈥淚t is one thing for me to buy something which you鈥檝e made,鈥 Malik said. 鈥淚t is another to buy something which you鈥檝e made and successfully used in the field.鈥
AIR DEFENSE
India鈥檚 defense budget has more than doubled in the past decade, reaching $78 billion.
At the same time, India has sought to ease its reliance on Russian hardware, signing import and production deals with the United States, France and Israel.
The industry push comes as New Delhi balances relations with Washington and Moscow, while also countering China 鈥 Pakistan鈥檚 chief arms supplier.
That tightrope act has grown harder since Washington imposed 50 percent tariffs on many Indian products to punish New Delhi for buying Russian oil.
Hence the 鈥淢ake in India鈥 drive as the country seeks to develop fighter jet engines and pledges to build an Israeli-style Iron Dome system it calls 鈥淪udarshan Chakra鈥 鈥 the spinning discus weapon of the Hindu god Vishnu.
India has also highlighted its fast-growing drone sector, which it says could be worth $11 billion by 2030, including several models developed while working closely with Israeli firms.
However, challenges remain.
Murlidhar Mohol, junior minister for civil aviation, told parliament in April that 39 percent of critical smaller drone components had been 鈥渟ourced from manufacturers based in China.鈥
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan T20 cricket captain Salman Ali Agha dedicated his team鈥檚 victory in the tri-nation series in the UAE to flood victims in his country, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Sunday, urging others to come forward and help victims of the calamity.
Floods in Pakistan鈥檚 eastern Punjab province, also known as the country鈥檚 breadbasket, have caused devastation for millions since late August. Torrential rains and excess floodwaters released by India have inundated over 4,100 villages in the province, killing at least 56 in Punjab and affecting over four million.
Pakistan stomped Afghanistan in the final of the tri-nation series on Sunday in Sharjah, which also featured hosts UAE. The Green Shirts won the toss and elected to bat first, putting on 141/8 on a pitch that offered turn and bounce to spinners. In response, Afghanistan were bundled out for a paltry 66 runs in 15.5 overs, courtesy of stellar spin bowling by all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, who returned figures of 5/19 from his four overs.
鈥淲e stand with our brothers and sisters in this difficult time of hardship,鈥 Agha was quoted as saying by the PCB. 鈥淓veryone should come forward together to help the flood victims.鈥
Agha and lethal left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi both announced they would dedicate their entire match fees from the tri-nation series to the government鈥檚 flood relief fund.
鈥淭he soil of our homeland is demanding from us today to help the flood-affected people,鈥 Afridi was quoted as saying by the board. 鈥淚 appeal to the nation to actively contribute to the flood relief fund.鈥
The Green Shirts will now prepare for the upcoming Asia Cup tournament, slated to be held in the UAE from Sept. 9-28. Pakistan will begin their campaign to win the title on Sep. 12 against Oman before taking on defending champions India on Sept. 14 in Dubai.
ISLAMABAD: In Pakistan鈥檚 federal capital, where public transport options remain limited, Aisha Umar waits at her doorstep with her handbag clutched tightly under her arm. Within minutes, a motorbike with pink and white hues glides to a stop in front of her. The rider 鈥 helmet strapped 鈥 is not a man but a woman.
For Umer, a 29-year-old working woman, this is more than just a commute. It is relief, safety and a sense of dignity on the road.
While there is a lack of consolidated data, women in Pakistan have long complained of harassment by captains of mainstream ride-hailing apps, with some documented incidents. The helpline of non-profit Digital Rights Foundation, for instance, received eight complaints related to Careem and inDrive in 2022, while police have occasionally registered complaints against drivers in major cities. But experts say most of these cases go unreported, with UN Women and Aurat Foundation surveys showing up to 90% of women face some sort of harassment during commutes, which underscores why women-only services like VSisters are filling the gaps.
Launched in June this year, VSisters is Pakistan鈥檚 first women-only ride-hailing service, a bold move aimed at providing safe, comfortable and harassment-free transportation through cars and motorbikes exclusively for women, with both riders and passengers being female.
Currently, the app operates in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore, with active female captains numbering 464 in total: 64 in Islamabad, 44 in Rawalpindi and 356 in Lahore.
鈥淚 got to know about VSisters through Instagram,鈥 Umar told Arab News. 鈥淚 felt very happy that I can now travel with a female rider. I never felt comfortable with male captains, and the best thing is that their rates are much lower than other apps.鈥
According to Pakistan鈥檚 2023 population census, women comprise 48.51% of the country鈥檚 roughly 241.5 million people. Thousands of them travel daily for education, work and other commitments.
Women wait for transportation in Islamabad on April 21, 2020. (AFP/File)
Umer said she was satisfied with the service, as they reached the desired pick-up point within five to ten minutes.
鈥淚 prefer bike because it is easy to get out in a rush and the best thing about them [female riders] is that they never speed recklessly,鈥 she added.
Pakistan鈥檚 ride-hailing market is currently dominated by inDrive, Bykea, and Yango after Uber shut down its app in 2024 and Careem suspended its core ride-hailing service in June this year, citing 鈥渨orsening economic conditions and stiff market competition.鈥
Hassan Tariq, the founder of VSisters, said the idea came from a painful memory of an incident at a traffic signal in Islamabad, where a woman jumped off the back of a bike and began beating the rider for his humiliating behavior.
鈥淚 could feel that the women are actually not very comfortable driving around with the stranger men,鈥 he told Arab News.
鈥淚t made me believe that this is the right time to have a dedicated service exclusively for women, where female drivers operate both cars and motorbikes, and the service caters only to female passengers,鈥 he added.
Tariq said the aim of the platform is for women to feel safe and secure, with services run by women, for women and centered entirely around them.
He said the service has completed over 3,500 rides in this short time in three cities and expansion is already underway.
鈥淚n just one week, we will expand to Karachi, Faisalabad and Multan, and in the near future, we aim to grow into a nationwide company,鈥 he added.
Describing the criteria to become part of VSisters, he said that for both motorbikes and cars, the requirement was the same: applicants had to be over 18 years of age, with a valid license and a Computerized National Identity Card.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 it. We don鈥檛 require anything else on the ground,鈥 he added.
Tariq said that women have to bring their own cars, while motorbikes are provided by the company, as he neither had sponsors nor wanted to run the platform with heavy commercial interests.
鈥淚 only keep a small share of 10%, which is very nominal and quite normal,鈥 he added.
Like drivers on other apps, VSisters captains are also considered independent contractors, not formal employees. Pakistan has yet to pass laws guaranteeing benefits for gig workers.
Uzma Ahmed, a VSisters captain, said she found strength behind the wheel.
A 50-year-old divorcee and mother of three, she previously worked as a schoolteacher before deciding to leave her job since her salary could no longer cover her rent and her children鈥檚 fees.
鈥淚 had no choice,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 had to run the house.鈥
Now, as a car captain, she not only earns a respectable livelihood but also gives comfort to other women riding with her.
鈥淲hen women sit with me, they are happy,鈥 she said, adding sometimes the passengers call their families and tell them they are going with a woman driver.
鈥淲e both feel comfortable and talk openly, which is very different from when women ride with men,鈥 Ahmed added.
Today, she drives her own car across Islamabad鈥檚 gated communities, confident in her independence.
鈥淚t is respectable work,鈥 she added with pride. 鈥淲ith this, I can pay my rent, my children鈥檚 fees and stand on my own feet.鈥
Nadia Shehzad, a bike rider and instructor at VSisters, said she first learned to ride a motorbike through the platform before its launch, and now she trains other young women so they too can start their own work.
鈥淚 teach them how to ride the bike, how to use the app, and it is going great,鈥 she said, adding that the whole training was free of cost.
Talking about her experience as a rider, Shehzad said occasionally she faced jeers and abusive remarks, which she ignored.
鈥淎ll men are not bad, even some praise and give good comments, but others make offensive remarks we usually ignore,鈥 she added.
She explained that the service is mostly used by female university students and working women, whose parents feel more at ease with women drivers, and many passengers prefer bikes as the more affordable option.
鈥淭he income depends on the number of rides but usually if a rider does 12 rides in a day, she earns around Rs2,500 ($8.90),鈥 she added.
At approximately Rs2,500 ($8.81) a day, a VSisters rider can earn more than Pakistan鈥檚 minimum wage of Rs37,000鈥40,000 ($140.8) a month. This is a little less than what many Careem and Bykea captains report taking home at around Rs3500 ($12.46), though incomes vary by number of hours.
Pakistani lawyer and activist Nighat Dad, who runs the not-for-profit Digital Rights Foundation organization, termed VSisters a welcome initiative that responds to the 鈥渧ery real fears鈥 women face in Pakistan鈥檚 transport sector.
鈥淚t not only offers safer commuting options but also new economic opportunities for women drivers,鈥 she told Arab News.
Dad said for VSisters to truly set a new benchmark, it needs to strengthen privacy protections and app reliability alongside its bold vision of women driving women.
鈥淕enuine safety must also mean digital safety and at present the app鈥檚 own disclosures show that sensitive location and contact data is collected without encryption, in a country where we still lack a comprehensive data protection law,鈥 she said.
