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ISLAMABAD: Disaster authorities on Monday issued a fresh alert of flooding in rivers and streams as well as urban floods in multiple cities in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province as the nationwide monsoon death toll hit almost 800.

There is a risk of high to very high flooding in the Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers in the next 48 hours, according to the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

Urban flooding is expected in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Gujranwala divisions, while flash floods are likely in the northern and northeastern districts of the province, with alerts issued to local administrations.

“Deploy rescue teams in advance at sensitive locations to deal with the emergency situation,” PDMA Director-General Irfan Ali Kathia said in alerts sent to commissioners and deputy commissioners of at-risk areas.

“In case of heavy rain, inform the citizens in advance. Announcements should be made in mosques and instructions should be issued to the citizens at the local level to stay in safe places.”

Medium to high flows have also been expected in nullahs originating from the Pir Panjal Range, particularly Bein, Basantar and Deg, with low to medium flooding likely at Jassar in the next 24 hours.

Pakistan has so far reported 799 deaths in incidents relating to rains, floods and landslides since late June, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The most devastating spell of the monsoon began on August 15 and has killed at least 485 people in just 10 days.

The NDMA earlier asked residents of low-lying and flood-prone areas to remain alert, avoid unnecessary travel near riverbanks and strictly follow official flood warnings. It advised communities to prepare emergency kits with food, water and medical supplies for up to five days, secure valuables and livestock, and avoid crossing causeways, low bridges and flooded roads.

The Punjab PDMA has said the province is experiencing its eighth monsoon spell, which is likely to last until August 27. Heavy rains have been forecast in the next 24 hours across most districts, with upper Punjab, including Murree, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal, likely to receive the heaviest downpours.

Annual monsoon rains are crucial for Pakistan’s agriculture and water supply but in recent years have also unleashed devastation, intensified by shifting climate patterns.

Authorities say the ongoing monsoon season is expected to last until at least September 10 and the NDMA has warned the rains could rival the scale of the catastrophic floods of June 2022, which killed more than 1,700 people and caused over $30 billion in damage, according to government estimates.

Experts warn that without urgent adaptation and mitigation measures, the human and economic toll of climate change in Pakistan will only deepen in the years ahead.

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Pakistan’s eastern city of Faisalabad on Monday sentenced senior aides of former prime minister Imran Khan to up to 10 years in prison for their role in riots that took place on May 9, 2023, according to a written court order. 

The case relates to an attack on the Faisalabad residence of then–Minister for Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah during riots on May 9, which erupted after Khan was briefly arrested in a corruption case. Authorities say supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party attacked state buildings and military facilities and vehicles. Khan and the PTI deny inciting supporters to violence. 

“The prosecution has succeeded in proving the charges against the accused persons beyond any shadow of doubt,” the court order said. 

It added: “Accordingly, the accused persons are convicted and each is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for ten years under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.”

The order said 75 out of 109 accused were convicted, while 34 were acquitted. Among those sentenced to 10 years were senior Khan aides Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz and Zartaj Gul Wazir, as well as Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, Kanwal Shauzab, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Ahmad Chattha, Ansar Iqbal, Bilal Ijaz, Ashraf Sohna, Mehr Javed and Shakeel Niazi.

Those acquitted included former information minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Zain Qureshi, son of senior PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi. 

“Under the guise of May 9, innumerable injustices have been inflicted upon ordinary citizens, families and leadership of PTI, harassed, lives shattered, and individuals subjected to unspeakable torment,” the PTI said in a message to reporters after Monday’s verdict was announced. 

The government denies political persecution. 

Earlier this month, courts in Lahore and Sargodha handed down similar sentences of up to 10 years to other PTI leaders and workers linked to the May 9 riots, including Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mahmood-ur-Rashid, Umar Sarfaraz Cheema, Alia Hamza and Sanam Javed.

Pakistan’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, welcomed that ruling, accusing PTI supporters of setting fire to government buildings, damaging military property and injuring law enforcement personnel during the unrest. 

Khan, ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022, has dismissed all cases against him and other party leaders and members as politically motivated. The government denies this and says PTI uses violent protests to derail economic progress and destabilize the country. 

Pakistan’s top court last week granted bail to Khan in eight May riot cases. He has been jailed since August 2023, when he was convicted of illegally selling state gifts, a ruling that also barred him from contesting the 2024 general elections. He is currently serving a 14-year jail sentence in a land graft case he says is politically motivated to keep him away from public office.