Lahore, Karachi among world’s most polluted cities as smog deepens over parts of Pakistan
Lahore, Karachi among world’s most polluted cities as smog deepens over parts of Pakistan/node/2620194/pakistan
Lahore, Karachi among world’s most polluted cities as smog deepens over parts of Pakistan
A general view of boats amid dense fog and mist in the background during morning hours at China Creek area in Karachi, Pakistan January 17, 2020. (Reuters/File)
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani cities of Lahore and Karachi ranked among the world’s most polluted city on Saturday morning, according to Swiss monitoring group IQAir, as dense smog blanketed the capital of the Punjab province and surrounding areas.
Lahore ranked the second most polluted city in the world with an air quality index of (AQI) of 191, categorized as unhealthy, at around 2:30pm on Saturday. Karachi, in the country’s south, ranked 11 worldwide, with an AQI of 119.
The development comes a day after the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) warned of a rise in smog levels in major cities in the coming days, citing stable and dry weather conditions.
“The rise in smog levels may trigger an increase in respiratory illnesses, asthma cases, and other pollution-related health problems,” the authority said.
“Vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing health conditions, are at high risk.”
Calm wind pattern, lower temperatures and humidity may prevent pollutants from dispersing and causing thick layers of smog in Lahore, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalnagar and Khanpur districts, according to the PDMA.
Lahore, a city of around 14 million people and the capital of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, has been shrouded by toxic haze for days, with authorities using anti-smog guns for the first time in an effort to reduce airborne pollutants.
Cold, heavy air traps pollutants, including vehicle emissions, industrial smoke and dust, from November to mid-December. The seasonal crisis is often exacerbated by crop residue burning and lasts until February.
More than 60 UN members sign cybercrime treaty opposed by rights groups
The new global legal framework aims to strengthen cooperation against child pornography, transnational cyberscams and money laundering
Critics say the broad language of the framework could lead to abuses of power and enable the cross-border repression of government critics
Updated 23 min 6 sec ago
AFP
HANOI: Countries signed their first UN treaty targeting cybercrime in Hanoi on Saturday, despite opposition from an unlikely band of tech companies and rights groups warning of expanded state surveillance.
The new global legal framework aims to strengthen international cooperation to fight digital crimes, from child pornography to transnational cyberscams and money laundering.
More than 60 countries were seen to sign the declaration Saturday, which means it will go into force once ratified by those states.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres described the signing as an “important milestone,” but that it was “only the beginning.”
“Every day, sophisticated scams, destroy families, steal migrants and drain billions of dollars from our economy... We need a strong, connected global response,” he said at the opening ceremony in Vietnam’s capital on Saturday.
The UN Convention against Cybercrime was first proposed by Russian diplomats in 2017, and approved by consensus last year after lengthy negotiations.
Critics say its broad language could lead to abuses of power and enable the cross-border repression of government critics.
“There were multiple concerns raised throughout the negotiation of the treaty around how it actually ends up compelling companies to share data,” said Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, founder of the Tech Global Institute think tank.
“It’s almost rubber-stamping a very problematic practice that has been used against journalists and in authoritarian countries,” she told AFP.
‘WEAK’ SAFEGUARDS
Vietnam’s government said this week that 60 countries were registered for the official signing, without disclosing which ones.
But the list will probably not be limited to Russia, China, and their allies.
“Cybercrime is a real issue across the world,” Diya said. “I think everybody’s kind of grappling with it.”
The far-reaching online scam industry, for example, has ballooned in Southeast Asia in recent years, with thousands of scammers estimated to be involved and victims worldwide conned out of billions of dollars annually.
“Even for the most democratic states, I think they need some degree of access to data that they’re not getting under existing mechanisms,” Diya told AFP.
Democratic countries might describe the UN convention as a “compromise document,” as it contains some human rights provisions, she added.
But these safeguards were slammed as “weak” in a letter signed by more than a dozen rights groups and other organizations.
TECH SECTOR
Big technology companies have also raised concerns.
The Cybersecurity Tech Accord delegation to the treaty talks, representing more than 160 firms including Meta, Dell and India’s Infosys, will not be present in Hanoi, its head Nick Ashton-Hart said.
Among other objections, those companies previously warned that the convention could criminalize cybersecurity researchers and “allows states to cooperate on almost any criminal act they choose.”
Potential overreach by authorities poses “serious risks to corporate IT systems relied upon by billions of people every day,” they said during the negotiation process.
In contrast, an existing international accord, the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, includes guidance on using it in a “rights-respecting” way, Ashton-Hart said.
The location for the signing has also raised eyebrows, given Vietnam’s record of crackdowns on dissent.
“Vietnamese authorities typically use laws to censor and silence any online expression of views critical of the country’s political leadership,” said Deborah Brown of Human Rights Watch.
“Russia has been a driving force behind this treaty and will certainly be pleased once it’s signed,” she told AFP.
“But a significant amount of cybercrime globally comes from Russia, and it has never needed a treaty to tackle cybercrime from within its borders,” Brown added.
“This treaty can’t make up Russia’s lack of political will in that regard.”
ISLAMABAD: As the lunch bell rings, a wave of excitement sweeps across a bustling government-run primary school in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad as students walk out of classrooms under the supervision of their teachers.
For principal Shafia Khan, it has been one of the most rewarding sights of the day to see hundreds of children opening their lunchboxes, filled not just with hot, nutritious food but also with newfound “energy and hope.”
The free meals are distributed as part of the government-backed Islamabad School Meals Program (ISMP), launched in May 2024, to combat malnutrition, improve academic performance and promote attendance among children from marginalized communities.
Over 200 schools benefitting from the program have since reported 99 percent attendance and 88 percent student retention rates, with increase in energy levels among students translating into better academic performance and more active participation in extracurricular activities.
“As we have more than 1200 students in our school, so each and every child gets this opportunity to take this food,” Khan told Arab News at her Islamabad Model School in Islamabad’s I-8 sector.
“Most of the students bring tiffin from their home, they take it to home as well. This food is not only creating a sense of sharing, caring among the students, but it is also very beneficial for their character building.”
The ISMP, which functions under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), initially provided meals to 40 schools, according to Riffat Jabeen, the FDE director of academics and quality assurance.
Children having free meal at a school in Islamabad on October 23, 2025. (AN Photo)
The program has now been expanded to 210 schools in less than a year and currently, it provides meals to 65,000 primary school students.
Students are served healthy and nutritious meals from a weekly menu that includes chicken ‘biryani,’ chicken ‘haleem,’ chickpea rice, chicken, potato curry and ‘zarda’ (sweet rice).
“Meals are prepared in kitchens by 7am and delivered to classrooms by noon,” Jabeen said. “In addition to hot meals, the program includes health screenings such as BMI (body mass index) tracking and eye exams, reinforcing its holistic approach to student well-being.”
“It’s actually a complete health program,” she added.
NOURISHING BODIES, SHARPENING MINDS
In Pakistan, around 2.14 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Official figures suggest the country has more than 26 million out-of-school children.
The ISMP represents a vital step toward a more equitable education system, according to Jabeen. At just Rs70 ($0.25) per student a day, the program is not just feeding students, it’s fueling a generation with dignity, hope and the promise of lasting change.
“Initially, students [from the marginalized communities] would come to the school, leave the school because of poverty,” Jabeen said.
“Now the meal is being served and the parents who cannot afford two times meal a day, they are very happy with the initiative and they are sending the students to the school every day.”
‘HAPPIER, MORE ACTIVE’ STUDENTS
Teachers say the results have been “striking,” with a visible change in student enthusiasm and discipline.
“Food is a basic necessity for us,” Salmi Noor, a teacher at the Islamabad Model School, told Arab News. “So, when the child gets the energy, they are able to play well and able to concentrate on whatever is being taught.”
Children having free meal at a school in Islamabad's I-8 sector on October 25, 2025. (AN Photo)
Nazia Waseem, a 40-year-old mother from Dhok Kala Khan, drops her son, Jahanzaib, to the government school daily.
“My child often leaves home without breakfast, but thanks to the school meal, he never remains hungry. When he eats at school, I see a difference in his energy returns, and he’s full of life,” she said of her bright-eyed, 5-year-old son who is in kindergarten.
“He’s happier, more active, and looks forward to going to school every single day. As a mother, that brings me so much relief and joy.”
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday extended his heartfelt condolences to the royal family and the people of Thailand over the passing of Queen Mother Sirikit.
Sirikit, who brought elegance to a postwar revival in the country’s monarchy and who, in later years, would occasionally wade into politics, died aged 93, the Thai Royal Household Bureau said on Saturday.
She had been out of the public eye since a stroke in 2012. The palace said she had been hospitalized since 2019 due to several illnesses and developed a bloodstream infection on October 17 before passing away late on Friday.
In his message on X, Sharif said he was deeply saddened at the passing of the beloved Queen Mother of Thailand.
“The people and Government of Pakistan join me in extending our deepest condolences to His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the Royal Family, and the people of Thailand,” he said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time of national grief.”
The Thai government said public offices would fly flags at half-mast for a month and asked government officials to observe mourning for one year. Entertainment venues were asked to suspend activities for a month.
Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul canceled trips to the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur and the APEC summit in South Korea next week due to the Queen Mother’s death. He told reporters he would travel to Malaysia to sign a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia on Sunday but return to Thailand afterwards.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and Afghan officials are in Turkiye to hold a second round of negotiations on Saturday, officials said, after recent fighting between the neighbors killed dozens of people on both sides.
The neighbors are embroiled in a bitter security row that has become increasingly violent, with each side saying they were responding to aggression from the other.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of turning a blind eye to militant groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), that cross the border for attacks, a charge the country’s Taliban rulers reject.
Last weekend, Qatar and Turkiye mediated a ceasefire to pause the hostilities. The truce has largely held, although the countries’ border remains closed except for Afghan refugees leaving Pakistan.
“Pakistan also looks forward to the establishment of a concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism in the next meeting to be hosted by Türkiye in Istanbul on 25th October 2025 to address the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil toward Pakistan,” Tahir Andrabi, a Pakistani foreign office spokesman, said at a regular press briefing on Friday.
“As a responsible state committed to regional peace and stability, Pakistan does not seek escalation but urges the Afghan Taliban authorities to honor their commitment to the international community and address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns by taking verifiable action against terrorist entities.”
Andrabi said there was a clear message to Kabul to stop the attacks, control and apprehend armed groups, and their “relations could be back on track.” He did not say who was in the Pakistani delegation.
The Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Deputy Interior Minister Hajji Najib was leading the delegation heading to Istanbul.
“The remaining issues will be discussed at this meeting,” he said, without giving more details.
Pakistan has been battling a surge in militancy in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Besides accusing Kabul of allowing the use of its soil, Islamabad has variously accused India of backing groups like the TTP and Baloch separatists for attacks inside Pakistan. Both countries deny the allegation.
On Friday, Andrabi said there has been no major full-scale attack emanating from Afghan soil over the last two to three days.
“So, the Doha talks and outcome were fruitful. We would like the trend to continue in Istanbul and post-Istanbul,” he added.
KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Saturday resumed weekly flights to the United Kingdom (UK) after a hiatus of five years, with Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott bidding farewell to passengers at Islamabad airport.
The development came days after the UK Civil Aviation Authority issued a Foreign Aircraft Operating Permit to PIA and cleared the final administrative hurdle for Pakistan’s national carrier to resume flights to Britain, according to the Pakistani high commission in London.
Britain lifted restrictions on Pakistani carriers in July, nearly half a decade after grounding them following a 2020 PIA Airbus A320 crash in Karachi that killed 97 people. The disaster was followed by claims of irregularities in pilot licensing, which led to bans in the US, UK and the European Union.
A PIA flight left the Islamabad airport for Manchester with 284 passengers aboard at around noon on Saturday, according to a PIA spokesperson.
“PIA has initially started operations with two weekly flights, which will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays,” the spokesperson said. “The number of flights will be gradually increased, and flights to London and Birmingham will also be started.”
The airline had already received the Third Country Operator (TCO) approval for flight operations in the UK, according to the Pakistani high commission.
Defense Minister Asif directed PIA officials to further improve the flight schedule and aircraft cabins.
“Direct flights will provide better and more comfortable facilities to passengers, which was a long-standing demand of over 1.6 million Pakistanis living in the UK,” the PIA spokesman said.
Britain is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner, with bilateral commerce worth about £4.7 billion ($5.7 billion) annually.
The Pakistani government, which has repeatedly bailed out the loss-making carrier, is pushing ahead with its privatization as part of a broader plan to reduce losses at state-owned firms under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program.
PIA has accumulated more than $2.5 billion in losses over roughly a decade, draining public finances.
In Nov. 2024, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency lifted its suspension, allowing the airline to resume flights from Islamabad to Paris in January and later expand to Lahore–Paris in June. However, PIA suspended those services in recent months to prioritize resources for the UK relaunch. The airline remains barred from flying to the US.
