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Pakistan says Bahrain interested in learning from PAF’s multi-domain operational expertise

Pakistan says Bahrain interested in learning from PAF’s multi-domain operational expertise
Bahrain’s Chief of Defense Staff Lt. Gen. Thiab Saqer Abdulla Al-Nuaimi, in a meeting with PAF’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad on September 1, 2025. (PAF)
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Updated 21 min 22 sec ago

Pakistan says Bahrain interested in learning from PAF’s multi-domain operational expertise

Pakistan says Bahrain interested in learning from PAF’s multi-domain operational expertise
  • The statement comes months after a Pakistan-India standoff, in which officials said the PAF conducted multi-domain operations to down six Indian jets
  • In meeting with PAF chief, Bahrain’s chief of defense staff urges initiation of joint training programs for Bahraini pilots and engineers at all levels
Updated 21 min 22 sec ago
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Bahrain’s Chief of Defense Staff Lt. Gen. Thiab Saqer Abdulla Al-Nuaimi has expressed interest in learning from the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) experience in multi-domain operations, the PAF said on Monday.

The statement came after the Bahraini chief of defense staff’s meeting with PAF’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad, according to the PAF.

It follows a four-day Pakistan-India military standoff in May, during which officials said the PAF successfully conducted multi-domain operations to down six Indian fighter jets, including the French-made Rafale jets. While India has acknowledged losses in the air, it has not specified the number of aircraft lost.

Monday’s meeting in Islamabad was focused on key areas of mutual interest and exploring avenues of enhanced cooperation, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to sustained military-to-military engagement and emphasizing joint training and collective growth.

“Underscoring the significance of knowledge-sharing in Multi Domain operations to augment the operational readiness of Bahrain Air Force, he (Al-Nuaimi) conveyed his earnest desire to gain deeper insight into PAF’s complete methodology of multi-domain warfare, with the aim of learning from its rich operational experience,” the PAF said in a statement.

“The visiting dignitary also expressed interest in initiating joint training programs for Bahraini pilots and engineers at all levels.”

The hour-long India-Pakistan fight, which took place in darkness, involved some 110 aircraft, experts estimate, making it the world’s largest air battle in decades.

Pakistan’s Chines-made J-10s shot down at least one Rafale, Reuters reported in May, citing US officials. Its downing surprised many in the military community and raised questions about the effectiveness of Western military hardware against untested Chinese alternatives.

The Bahraini chief of defense staff was highly appreciative of the PAF’s indigenization efforts and particularly commended the role of National Aerospace Science & Technology Park in spearheading innovation and building advanced indigenous capabilities, according to the statement.

During the meeting, Air Chief Marshal Sidhu reiterated his resolve to further expand bilateral military cooperation, particularly in the domains of joint training and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

“He further emphasized that Pakistan deeply values its strong diplomatic and defense ties with Bahrain, which are firmly anchored in shared commitment of both the countries on regional peace, security and stability,” the statement read.

Later, the dignitary visited the Integrated Air Operations Center and PAF Cyber Command, where he was briefed on the operational capabilities of the PAF.

“This meeting between Chief of the Air Staff and Chief of Staff, Bahrain Defense Force signifies a resolute commitment of both countries to reinforce military partnership, fostering collaboration and promoting robust relations,” the PAF said.

Pakistan and Bahrain have maintained close diplomatic, security, trade and defense ties through defense training, joint security initiatives and regular high-level exchanges.

Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met his Bahraini counterpart General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa in July to further strengthen security collaboration in various fields.

In March, Bahrain National Guard Commander General Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa called on the PAF chief to improve the bilateral military cooperation between both the countries at all levels.

Topics: Pakistan Bahrain Ties

WHO warns of disease outbreaks in Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province

WHO warns of disease outbreaks in Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province
Updated 01 September 2025

WHO warns of disease outbreaks in Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province

WHO warns of disease outbreaks in Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province
  • An upsurge has been detected in malaria, dengue, diarrhea and skin diseases, the WHO says
  • Punjab government says has mobilized resources, with over 100,000 treated at field hospitals
Updated 01 September 2025
Waseem Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday warned that Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province has been witnessing an increase in vector-borne diseases even though provincial authorities have not yet reported any major outbreak.

Punjab, the country’s most populous and breadbasket province, has been facing a flood-emergency, fueled by above-normal rains and India’s release of excess water, which has affected more than 2.4 million people and killed 41 people in the last 10 days, according to the provincial disaster management authority (PDMA).

Authorities have relocated more than 850,000 people to relief camps, where the WHO says unsafe drinking water and mosquitoes pose the main epidemic risks, making displaced people vulnerable to diarrhea, typhoid, malaria, dengue and skin infections.

“Although no major outbreak has been reported so far, an upsurge has been detected for vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue, water-borne diseases like acute watery diarrhea, and skin diseases like scabies and eye infections,” Dr. Jose Ignacio Martin Galan, head of communications at the WHO Pakistan Country Office, told Arab News.

To reduce these risks, WHO has urged authorities to prioritize access to essential health services, medicines, diagnostic kits and psychosocial support, along with shelters, food, safe drinking water and sanitation facilities.

“Equally important are water, sanitation and hygiene interventions to reduce outbreak risks and the protection of vulnerable groups in relief camps,” Dr. Galan told Arab News.

Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, but increasingly erratic and extreme weather patterns are turning the annual rains, which are vital for agriculture, food security and the livelihoods of millions of farmers, into a destructive force.

The Punjab government says it has already mobilized resources and more than 100,000 patients have received treatment at field hospitals in flood-hit districts.

“In Lahore alone, 9,000 people have been treated so far,” Punjab Health Minister Imran Nazir told Arab News, adding that over 850 relief camps are providing medicines and treatment for malaria, fever, rabies, snake bites, diarrhea and skin diseases.

“We are prepared for epidemics that may spread in the coming days. All kinds of medicines have been stocked in district, tehsil, and field hospitals.”

Nazir said special facilities have also been arranged for pregnant women who have been displaced by the deluges.

Health experts, however, urge more effective measures, saying unsafe drinking water remains the biggest threat to public health in flood-affected areas.

“If safe water supply cannot be ensured, simple filters or chlorine tablets with clear instructions in the local language should be provided,” Rana Asghar, an epidemiologist and former resident adviser at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told Arab News.

Topics: Monsoon 2025 2025 Floods Pakistan Floods

First Afghan families allowed into Germany from Pakistan

First Afghan families allowed into Germany from Pakistan
Updated 01 September 2025
AFP

First Afghan families allowed into Germany from Pakistan

First Afghan families allowed into Germany from Pakistan
  • The 10 families have been among more than 2,000 Afghans caught in limbo in Pakistan
  • Germany’s conservative-led government this year froze program to offer them sanctuary
Updated 01 September 2025
AFP

HANOVER: A group of 45 Afghans who fled the Taliban arrived in Germany on Monday after months of waiting in Pakistan until German court rulings forced Berlin to offer them refuge.

The 10 families have been among more than 2,000 Afghans caught in limbo in Pakistan as Germany’s conservative-led government this year froze a program to offer them sanctuary.

They arrived in Hanover on a commercial flight from Istanbul around 2:00 p.m. (1200 GMT), said an AFP reporter and the Airbridge Kabul initiative set up to help those affected.

An interior ministry spokeswoman later confirmed that “45 Afghan nationals entered Germany. These are all individuals who obtained visas through legal proceedings... All of these individuals have fully completed the admission procedure and security screening.”

After the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Germany set up a scheme to offer sanctuary to Afghans who had worked for German institutions or were otherwise deemed at high risk of persecution, including rights activists and journalists.

But the scheme was frozen under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who took office in May, as part of a wider crackdown on immigration.

While the Afghans have been left stranded in Pakistan, authorities there have also stepped up a crackdown on Afghans living in the country without residency.

Last month, Berlin said around 450 Afghans waiting to come to Germany had been detained, and more than 200 of them were sent back to their Taliban-run homeland.

While alarm has grown about their fate, Germany has agreed to resume accepting some of the others.

The government said last week that Afghans for whom “courts have found that Germany is legally obliged to issue visas” would travel to Germany “in stages” once they had cleared security checks.

The 10 main applicants who arrived on Monday were eight women and two men who had been involved in “politics, the justice system and journalism,” said Eva Beyer, a spokeswoman for the Airbridge Kabul initiative.

Around 85 other stranded Afghans have begun legal proceedings against Germany, “and there are more every day,” Beyer said.

Topics: Afghan refugees Germany

Punjab flood devastation threatens Pakistan’s economy

Punjab flood devastation threatens Pakistan’s economy
Updated 01 September 2025
Reuters

Punjab flood devastation threatens Pakistan’s economy

Punjab flood devastation threatens Pakistan’s economy
  • Floodwaters have submerged rice, sugarcane, maize, vegetables and cotton fields
  • Farmers and exporters warn the impact on agriculture in Punjab will be staggering
Updated 01 September 2025
Reuters

CHINIOT: Across the fertile plains of Pakistan’s Punjab, families are struggling to rebuild their lives after the worst flooding in decades swept away homes, destroyed crops, and drowned livestock.

“Thirteen of my 15 acres are gone,” said Muhammad Amjad, 45, a rice and potato farmer in Chiniot, as he stood by submerged fields. “Our rice is completely destroyed. Women and children have evacuated. Men are left guarding what remains.”

The provincial disaster management authority said more than two million people have been affected, with more than 2,000 villages inundated. Approximately 760,000 people and 516,000 animals have been evacuated, and at least 33 people have died in less than a week.

Amish Sultan, 50, lost his only source of income.

“I have 10 buffaloes. They’re so weak there’s no milk left for my children, let alone to sell. I used to earn 100,000 to 150,000 rupees a month. That stability is gone.”

Farm laborer Mehdi Hassan, 40, said entire neighborhoods were washed away.

“My home is completely destroyed. We’ve been left on the roadside with whatever we could carry. We tried to build our own dams but the water still took everything.”

Bar charts with deaths and injuries in floods that hit Pakistan. (NDMA/ Reuters)

Officials say the floods are the worst in decades, with major dams near capacity, and more rain is forecast.

BUMPER TO BUST

Farmers and exporters warn the impact on agriculture will be staggering. Rice, sugarcane, maize, vegetables, and cotton fields across Punjab are under water.

“We were expecting a bumper rice crop this year,” said Ibrahim Shafiq, export manager at Latif Rice Mills.

“Paddy was forecast to open at 3,200–3,600 rupees per 40kg, but with flood damage, prices could rise to 5,000–5,500. That will push rice prices up for local consumers and make us uncompetitive against India internationally.”

Cotton losses also threaten the textile industry, which makes up more than half of Pakistan’s exports, at a time when the country faces a 19 percent US tariff in its biggest market.

Agriculture technology firm Farmdar said the damage is likely to be exponential, given the vast stretches of farmland along the rivers now under water.

A pie chart showing the causes of Pakistan's flood deaths. (NDMA/ Reuters)

Ghasharib Shoukat, co-founder of commodities platform Zarai Mandi warned wheat, vegetable, and cotton shortages would ripple through supply chains, hurting exports and household budgets.

The disaster comes at a sensitive moment for Pakistan’s fragile economy. Inflation had cooled to 4.1 percent in July from 11.1 percent a year earlier, and food inflation, which spiked above 50 percent in 2023, had eased.

Officials now expect the August inflation reading, due Monday, to come in at 4–5 percent, with food shortages already driving prices higher. Analysts say delayed wheat sowing, shrinking rice exports and the need to import cotton will deepen the pressure.

TENTS NOW, TOMORROW UNKNOWN

The destruction extends beyond fields. In Lahore, 38-year-old rickshaw driver Aslam said he waded through six feet (two meters) of water to pull his three-wheeler vehicle to safety.

Map showing the Indus River system flowing into Pakistan and the major dams. (Natural earth/ Reuters)

“I’ve lived near the Ravi all my life and it never flooded my home before. This time it came inside in hours. If I hadn’t saved my rickshaw, we would have lost everything. It is my only livelihood,” said Aslam, who is now living in a relief tent.

A muddy tent city has been erected near the Ravi River, where families huddle under tarpaulins and tents, some beside foul-smelling drains.

About 150 to 200 camps have been set up for the displaced just in that area, said Dr. Ijaz Nazeer of Al Khidmat Foundation. Each tent is home to around five to eight people.

With three of Pakistan’s main rivers in flood, authorities in the Punjab have set up 511 relief camps, 351 medical sites, and 321 veterinary facilities, evacuating nearly 481,000 people and 405,000 animals so far. More than 15,000 police officers have been deployed as monsoon rains continue.

Farmers and experts warn the cost of recovery will run into billions of rupees to rebuild homes and re-establish farms.

Farmer and activist Aamer Hayat Bhandara said unless the recovery is supported, food insecurity will deepen.

“Farmers grow the food that sustains us all. If they are left alone in times of disaster, the whole nation will suffer,” he said.

Topics: Monsoon 2025 2025 Floods

Rains put Islamabad on flood alert as swollen rivers continue to threaten new inundations 

Rains put Islamabad on flood alert as swollen rivers continue to threaten new inundations 
Updated 12 min 30 sec ago

Rains put Islamabad on flood alert as swollen rivers continue to threaten new inundations 

Rains put Islamabad on flood alert as swollen rivers continue to threaten new inundations 
  • Authorities warn of rising flows in Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej as monsoon continues
  • Punjab still reeling from deadly deluges that killed 41, displaced millions last week
Updated 12 min 30 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Pakistan’s federal capital issued a flood alert on Monday amid heavy rains, as swollen rivers Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej continued to swell from downpours and cross-border water releases, raising the risk of fresh inundations across the Punjab province and beyond.

The warning came after days of devastation in Punjab, where more than two million people have been affected, with more than 2,000 villages inundated. Approximately 760,000 people and 516,000 animals have been evacuated, and at least 41 people have died in less than a week, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

Nationwide, rains and floods have killed 854 people since June 26 when the monsoon season began. 

The emergency has revived memories of the catastrophic 2022 deluge, when a third of Pakistan was submerged, more than 1,700 people were killed, 30 million displaced and damages estimated at $35 billion.

“Rain in the federal capital, district administration on high alert,” the deputy commissioner of Islamabad said in a statement as he issued orders for “special monitoring of low-lying areas and drains.”

Muhammad Nasir Butt, spokesperson for the deputy commissioner, told Arab News most parts of the capital remained unaffected by the rains, with only minor water accumulation reported. He said teams were working in the D-12 neighborhood and on Margalla Road to clear water patches.

“A total of 42 millimeters of rain was recorded today at Saidpur village, but conditions have cleared and there is no major flooding in the federal capital,” Butt added.

A PDMA update issued on Monday reported the Chenab flowing at 91,940 cusecs at Marala Headworks, 136,039 at Khanki, and 159,940 at Qadirabad, with Trimmu recording 550,965 cusecs and steady. At Chiniot Bridge, water was at 132,675 cusecs and rising.

 

 

On the Ravi, Balloki registered 152,415 cusecs and steady, while Sidhnai recorded 99,250 cusecs and rising. The Sutlej was flowing at 253,068 cusecs at Ganda Singh Wala, 124,274 at Sulemanki, and 121,013 at Panjnad.

“All relevant departments are on alert due to water being released into the Chenab by India,” Irfan Ali Kathia, director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab, told reporters. “Punjab is monitoring the situation in the rivers round the clock.”

Kathia warned of an “extremely high flood level” at Balloki on the Ravi, while Panjnad, the confluence of Punjab’s five rivers, was expected to swell to nearly one million cusecs between Sept. 2–3.

Separately, Pakistan’s commissioner for Indus Waters circulated a letter to government departments citing an Indian High Commission warning of possible “high flood” levels at Harike and Ferozepur on the Sutlej. 

India routinely releases excess water from its reservoirs when they reach capacity, under arrangements governed by the Indus Waters Treaty. 
 

Topics: Monsoon 2025 floods 2025 Floods Ravi

Pakistan seeks deeper China ties with new push on finance, ports and CPEC

Pakistan seeks deeper China ties with new push on finance, ports and CPEC
Updated 01 September 2025

Pakistan seeks deeper China ties with new push on finance, ports and CPEC

Pakistan seeks deeper China ties with new push on finance, ports and CPEC
  • Development comes as Pakistan slowly recovers from a macroeconomic crisis under a $7 billion IMF program
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif invites Chinese companies to establish Special Economic Zones, broaden bilateral trade
Updated 01 September 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is seeking to broaden its partnership with China by advancing cooperation in finance, port development and the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), top Pakistani officials said on Monday, signaling Islamabad’s renewed focus on strengthening economic integration with its longtime strategic ally.

Pakistan sees China as its top economic and diplomatic ally, with Beijing making extensive investments in energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of CPEC, a major segment of China’s Belt and Road Initiative that aims to build land and maritime trade routes linking Asia with Africa and Europe.

On Monday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is on a visit to China since Saturday, and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held key meetings with senior Chinese officials and discussed with them further strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of finance, ports and connectivity.

In a meeting with Communist Party Secretary of Tianjin-Binhai New Area, Lian Maojun, Sharif noted the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has played a significant role in developing Pakistan’s energy sector and building infrastructure, according to the Pakistan PM’s office.

“The second phase of CPEC would focus on cooperation in smart cities, the agricultural industry, and next-generation technology,” Sharif said, adding that Pakistan seeks to expand economic cooperation and trade with Tianjin-Binhai New Area.

“Pakistan wants to broaden cooperation and trade between its Karachi Port, Port Qasim, and Gwadar Port with China’s Tianjin Port. Pakistan wants to benefit from Tianjin-Binhai New Area’s expertise in port handling and port operations.”

Launched in 2015, the CPEC infrastructure program includes energy projects, highways, railways and the development of the Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea. Pakistan and China are currently working to advance into “CPEC 2.0,” focused on industrialization, agriculture, energy and connectivity.

Communist Party Secretary Lian briefed PM Sharif on Tianjin-Binhai New Area industries, which focus on intelligent technology, green petrochemicals, automotive, biomedicine, new energy, aerospace, cold chain storage, deep-sea mining, gene therapy and many other sectors.

“Pakistan welcomes Chinese companies to establish Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the country,” Sharif said. “Pakistan seeks to expand cooperation with Tianjin-Binhai New Area’s industries in pharmaceuticals, biomedicine, and animal vaccines.”

The development comes as the South Asian country slowly recovers from an economic meltdown under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program and looks to boost trade, tourism and foreign investment for a sustainable economic growth.

Separately, Finance Minister Aurangzeb met with Dr. Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), and Liao Lin, chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), in Beijing on Monday to advance Pakistan–China financial cooperation, the Pakistani finance ministry said.

During his meeting with the People’s Bank of China governor, the finance minister appreciated China’s longstanding economic support to Pakistan and briefed him on Islamabad’s recent economic performance, reform agenda and the positive outlook reflected in improved international credit ratings.

“The Minister acknowledged the crucial role of the PBOC in supporting Pakistan through multilateral engagements and in strengthening financial cooperation between the two countries,” the ministry said. “He underscored the importance of deepening financial integration and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.”

The development comes months after China rolled over $3.4 billion in loans to Islamabad, Reuters reported in June. Beijing rolled over $2.1 billion, which has been in Pakistan’s central bank’s reserves for the last three years, and refinanced another $1.3 billion commercial loan, which Islamabad had paid back two months ago.

The loans are critical to shoring up Pakistan’s low foreign reserves, which the International Monetary Fund (IMF) required to be over $14 billion at the end of the current fiscal year on June 30.

In his meeting with the ICBC chairman, Aurangzeb conveyed Pakistan’s gratitude for the continued support in development financing, commercial facilities, and the refinancing of existing obligations. He emphasized that ICBC’s strong presence in Pakistan reflects the deepening financial and economic partnership, and discussed prospects for enhanced cooperation in investment, trade financing and Pakistan’s forthcoming initiatives in financial diversification, according to the finance ministry.

Aurangzeb underlined that Pakistan’s economic reform program is designed to deliver long-term stability, resilience, and sustainable growth. He emphasized that partnerships with Chinese financial institutions are not only vital for meeting immediate financing needs but are also integral to Pakistan’s broader strategy of diversification, financial innovation, and regional integration, highlighting that new initiatives, such as accessing the Chinese onshore markets, will help open fresh avenues for investment, strengthen market confidence, and align Pakistan’s financial system more closely with regional dynamics.

“Both sides agreed that the Pakistan–China economic partnership has entered a new phase, with opportunities to deepen cooperation across banking, investment, and capital markets,” the Pakistani ministry said.

“Senator Aurangzeb reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a forward-looking partnership with China, where financial cooperation will serve as a cornerstone for broader economic engagement.”

Topics: Pakistan China Ties

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