News

Pakistan flooding death toll tops 1,000 as rains continue to pour

Published

4 years ago

2022/08/29

(AL Jazeera)

The death toll from ravaging monsoon floods in Pakistan has crossed 1,000, as several countries, including Qatar and Iran, pledged emergency support in the wake of a deluge that has been described as a “humanitarian disaster of epic proportions”.

The country’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Sunday that the toll since June has reached 1,033, with 119 people dying in the last 24 hours. It warned of “very high” level flooding in some areas alongside the Kabul and Indus Rivers, particularly in Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and Kalabagh and Chashma in Punjab province.

Large parts of the country remain submerged – particularly the provinces of Balochistan, KP and Sindh in the south – as heavy rains continue to lash parts of the country. At least 347 people have died in Sindh followed by Balochistan (238) and KP (226).

The annual monsoon is essential for irrigating crops and replenishing lakes and dams across the Indian subcontinent, but each year it also brings a wave of destruction. This year, precipitation in some regions was 600 percent higher than average.Officials say this year’s catastrophic flooding has affected more than 33 million people – one in seven Pakistanis – destroying crops, livestock, and nearly a million homes.

The NDMA said more than 809,000 hectares (two million acres) of cultivated crops have been wiped out, 3,451 kilometres (2,150 miles) of roads destroyed, and 149 bridges washed away.Meanwhile, the government declared the devastating floods a “national emergency” and is seeking aid from friendly countries.

Reporting from Charsadda district in northern Pakistan, Al Jazeera’s Kama Hyder said rescue efforts have been further complicated by “ice-cold” water temperatures, with much of the flood waters coming from mountainous areas.

“The water is gushing and inundating the villagers, and that of course poses a grave threat,” he said. “There’s extensive damage to property…people are taking shelter under plastic sheets on top of poles. They’ve been telling us that they’ve been getting help from the local population who are bringing them food and water. However, they say they’re in bad need of tents and tarpaulins.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has postponed an official trip to the United Kingdom as he appealed for funds from friendly countries and international institutions.Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – among other leaders – spoke to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the grim flood situation.French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted his support for Pakistan. “France stands ready to provide help,” he said in this tweet.The Qatar Red Crescent Society on Saturday announced the allocation of $100,000 for the flood victims.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

8 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

8 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

8 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.