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LAHORE: At least 22 mouzas (villages) in Multan district have been submerged under three to four feet of floodwater from the River Chenab, forcing thousands of residents to move to safer places, while standing crops over large tracts have also been damaged, according to the district administration’s latest flood situation report.

The report compiled by the assistant commissioners, available with Dawn, said the district has 545 mouzas, of which 138 are flood-prone.

It said 22 mouzas have been partially inundated with up to 3-4 feet of water, including four in Multan Saddar, seven in Shujaabad and 11 in Jalalpur Pirwala tehsils.

Residents said the advancing floodwater drove thousands of people to relocate with their cattle to safer areas, while cotton, fodder and other standing crops were submerged, causing substantial agricultural losses.

The district administration said no mouza had been categorised as severely affected and no formal evacuation order had been issued. It added that water levels were receding and the situation was being monitored closely across all four tehsils.

In Multan Saddar, the affected mouzas are Abu Hatta, Vellan, Dhello and Zaman Pur. In Shujaabad, floodwaters have inundated Soman, Pounta, Tahir Pur, Marha, Agar Khawani, Dhundoon and Wanis.

The largest number of affected villages is in Jalalpur Pirwala, where Ripri, Manik Wali, Jung Wala, Narol, Wacha Sandila, Shahpur Lamma, Bait Kaitch Janubi, Shehni Shumali, Shehni Janubi and Bait Qaiser, among others, have been affected.

Civil society activist Majid Zahoor told Dawn that two union councils (UCs) of Tehsil Jalalpur, including Bait Kaitch and UC Sheeni of Jalalpur Pirwala, were submerged.

He said that all zamindara bunds constructed by locals on their own to stop the water from entering their crops and houses were washed away by the water.

Meanwhile, Multan Deputy Commissioner Dr Faisal Saleem said the flood wave in the River Chenab had receded to around 110,000 cusecs, but the district administration would remain on high alert until the river fully returned to normal.

He added that only minor inundation had occurred in a few riverine settlements, while residents living along the Chenab belt had been advised to remain vigilant and follow official instructions.

The DC also urged citizens to rely only on authentic government sources for updates on the flood situation and avoid rumours.

Separately, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said a low-level flood continued at Kalabagh and Taunsa on Indus River, while water flows in all other major rivers remained within normal limits.

According to the PDMA’s latest river situation report, Indus River recorded an inflow of 262,219 cusecs and an outflow of 253,979 cusecs at Kalabagh, and an inflow of 310,407 cusecs and an outflow of 290,407 cusecs at Taunsa, both remaining at low flood level.

At Tarbela, inflow stood at 246,000 cusecs and outflow at 242,100 cusecs, while Chashma recorded an inflow of 245,382 cusecs and an outflow of 236,582 cusecs, both at normal levels.

Similarly, Chenab River continued to flow within normal limits, with 92,901 cusecs recorded at Marala, 98,403 cusecs at Khanki, 89,017 cusecs at Qadirabad, 110,677 cusecs at Trimmu and 134,622 cusecs at Panjnad.

Jhelum River also remained normal, with 80,000 cusecs recorded at Mangla and 7,491 cusecs at Rasul.

On Ravi River, flows remained normal at Jassar, Shahdara, Balloki and Sidhnai, while Sutlej was also flowing within normal limits at Ganda Singh Wala, Sulemanki and Islam Head.

The PDMA warned that forecast rainfall in the upper catchment areas could increase flows in the eastern rivers and adjoining nullahs, raising the risk of flash floods.

It also cautioned about possible urban flooding in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Multan, and landslides in Murree, Galiyat and other hilly areas.

The authority urged people living in riverbeds to move to safer locations and advised the public to avoid unnecessary visits to rivers, canals and rain-fed streams. Flood relief camps were established in vulnerable areas where essential facilities and medicines were being provided.

Showers in Islamabad, parts of Punjab

Parts of Punjab and Islamabad received rain on Wednesday morning, marking the onset of a fresh monsoon spell in the country just as a previous one that caused flooding in several areas of Punjab and over 100 deaths ended.

An update by the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) at 11:30am said the highest amount of rainfall in the city by then was recorded in Tajpura at 44.8 millimetres.

It was followed by 44.4mm of rain in Mughalpura, 32.8 in Shadipura, 31.4 at Pani Wala Talab, 29mm at Chowk Nakhuda, 26.8mm in Johar Town, 26mm in Mannawan, 22.4mm at Lakshmi Chowk, 16.4mm in Farrukhabad, 7.6mm in Saggian, 6.2mm in Nishtar Town and 5.8mm at Upper Mall.

Gulshan-i-Ravi received 1mm of rain while 0.8mm of rainfall was recorded at Jail Road and 0.2mm in Iqbal Town. Trace amounts of rainfall were also recorded at Kahna, Hdyara Defence Road, Samanabad, Airport and the Wasa head office in Gulberg.

Separately, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that several areas of Sialkot, as well Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Narowal, Mangla and Murree also received showers between 2am and 5am.

According to a report by the Met Office, 54mm of rain was recorded in the Sialkot city during this period while Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Narowal, and Murree also received showers.

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The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and Amnesty International have expressed concern over reports of violence in the Rawalakot area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) Poonch district, and called on the authorities to probe the incidents.

Clashes took place between protesters and law enforcement personnel in Rawalakot on Monday and Mirpur on Tuesday, which reportedly resulted in several casualties.

The now-proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been demanding the abolishment of 12 seats in the local legislature reserved for refugees from Indian-held Kashmir, has been holding protests in the region for several weeks now.

The government has accused militant elements “pu­r­­s­u­ing a foreign age­nda and backed by Indian funding” of fomenting the unrest. The tensions come as elections are being held across AJK in three division-wise phases.

In a statement published on Tuesday, the HRCP said it was “deeply alarmed” at reports of deaths and injuries in clashes between protesters and law enforcement personnel in AJK’s Rawalakot area on Monday.

“The reported deaths in Rawalakot are a stark reminder of the human cost of the tensions that have gripped AJK in recent weeks,” the HRCP said. “While the authorities have a duty to maintain public order, this must never come at the expense of the right to life or the freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression,” it added.

HRCP urged an end to the “cycle of violence” and called for a “prompt, impartial and independent investigation” into the reports of deaths and injuries. It also called for “anyone responsible for unlawful use of force to be held to account”.

“We also urge the authorities to exercise restraint in responding to protests. As the remaining phases of the elections approach, the focus must shift from confrontation to protecting lives and restoring public confidence,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International called on authorities to lift a communications blackout in the region.

The statement, quoting Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for South Asia Isabelle Lassee, sought a “prompt, independent, and transparent investigation” into the reported use of force against protesters.

“So long as an internet and mobile services blackout remains in place, it will severely impede the independent verification of the full extent of the situation on the ground. We urge the Pakistani authorities to restore all communications access and allow media and independent observers into the area,” she stated.

Amid the suspension of mobile services in several parts of AJK, it remains difficult to obtain information from residents and officials in those areas. Secondary officials have also refrained from commenting on the situation.

Over the past month, the regional administration and the JAAC have been at odds over various issues, most notably the committee’s demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly, which has resulted in protests across the region.

On June 5, following the announcement of the JAAC’s June 9 strike, the AJK government declared the committee a proscribed organisation and placed it under the First Schedule of the region’s anti-terrorism act (ATA).

The next day, AJK authorities launched a crackdown on the JAAC, arresting scores of its leaders and later placing 147 of its activists on the Fourth Schedule of the ATA.

On Tuesday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that JAAC were not peaceful but violent, alleging the involvement of militant elements pursuing a foreign agenda and backed by Indian funding.

“Peaceful and transparent elections were held in AJK, with all the mainstream political parties participating fully. The people of Kashmir responded to the call of the election,” he stated, referring to the first phase of elections held in Mirpur division on Monday.

However, he said, the banned outfit could not accept this political activity, nor the peaceful and transparent elections.

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A specially modified Airbus A350 plane touched down in France on Tuesday after a record 24-hour test flight from Australia, ahead of its joining Qantas’s fleet next year.

Its 23,076-kilometre journey — across three continents and two oceans, and through two sunsets and two dawns — was one of the most-watched flights shown on the Flightradar24 tracking site.

It was also a crucial step before Australian airline Qantas receives its first A350-1000ULR in April next year, to be followed by 11 others for services able to link Australia non-stop to destinations in the United States and Europe.

The ULR in its designation stands for “ultra long distance”, a feat made possible by an additional 20,000-litre rear centre fuel tank being fitted to Airbus’s A350-1000 model.

The flight from Australia to France took precisely 24 hours and 24 minutes.

On its outbound flight last week, from Toulouse to Melbourne, the test aircraft flew 17,000 kilometres in 19 hours and 12 minutes.

The return trip simulated a trajectory the plane would take once put into commercial service. Qantas plans to start offering non-stop flights between London and Sydney from October 2027. Later, it intends to start flying between Sydney and New York.

On board the plane was a cockpit crew of eight people from Airbus’s testing division, accompanied by two Qantas pilots. Two Airbus engineers were also on board.

Some of the aspects studied on the flight were the modified architecture around the extra fuel tank, changes to make the cabin quieter, and the plane’s air circulation system.

Qantas’s ‘Project Sunrise’, using ultra-long-haul planes, has been on the cards for the past nine years — but has been repeatedly delayed.

Currently, the longest commercial flight service in the world is Singapore Airlines’ route between Singapore and New York, which covers 15,350 kilometres and lasts more than 18 hours using another variant of the A350.

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KARACHI: Two suspected robbers were shot dead and a policeman was martyred in an encounter in Karachi’s Orangi Town early on Tuesday morning, according to police and rescue services officials.

The senior superintendent of police (SSP) of District West, Tariq Illahi Mastoi, said that four police officials of District West were conducting routine motorcycle patrolling near Liaquat Chowk, within the limits of Pakistan Bazaar Police Station, when they encountered armed robbers.

Upon seeing the police party, the suspects opened indiscriminate fire. The police retaliated in self-defence, resulting in an exchange of fire, he said.

The SSP added that both armed suspects were killed during the exchange of fire. Two pistols along with ammunition, spent shell casings, and the motorcycle being used by the suspects were recovered from their possession.

However, during the encounter, 26-year-old constable Hassan Ali sustained firearm injuries and was immediately taken to the hospital for medical treatment.

“Despite the best possible medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and embraced martyrdom during treatment,” the SSP said.

The spokesperson for the District West police, Nabeel Ahmed Rajput, said that although the constable wore body armour, the bullets hit his body from the side.

He was unmarried and originally hailed from Sukkur. His coffin was taken there for burial after funeral prayers were offered at Garden police headquarters, which were attended by Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho, Additional IGP Azad Khan and other senior officials.

Later, the deceased suspects were identified, and it emerged that one of them had also martyred an assistant sub-inspector in 2021, for which he had been arrested.

According to a police statement, there were “at least 13 criminal cases” registered against the suspect, while one case had been registered against the other.

Last week, a suspected robber was gunned down and a policeman was wounded in a shoot-out on Mauripur Road.

Earlier this month, two suspected robbers were shot dead by as many citizens in Gulzar-i-Hijri and Cattle Colony. In another incident, a suspected robber was lynched by an angry mob and another was wounded by a bullet allegedly fired by an accomplice during a robbery in Korangi.

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AFTER two weeks of escalating violence, the US has halted its strikes on Iran, with Tehran also silencing it guns. But rather than any newfound belief in the benefits of peace, the Trump administration may have made the U-turn on account of the mounting practical costs of continuing the conflict.

Moreover, efforts by regional states, including Pakistan, may have also helped convince both sides to give diplomacy another chance. Whatever the motivations for the belligerents to refrain from hostilities, the cessation of conflict in the Gulf is a welcome development, and it is hoped that the dialogue process can be brought back on track and a more permanent peace established in the region.

America’s ambassador to the UN said that President Donald Trump wanted to give “talks some space”. While that may be so, there are also reports in the US media — denied by Mr Trump — that America was running low on munitions. Besides, some of America’s top generals have reportedly advised their bosses in the Pentagon and White House not to escalate matters with Iran. Mr Trump’s decision to halt hostilities may also have been impacted by the rising economic cost of the war.

Furthermore, hostilities in the Gulf have expanded to the Red Sea, with the pro-Iran Houthis enforcing a blockade of Saudi ships. If this conflict escalates, it could have a devastating impact on the global economy, as two major chokepoints for marine traffic — the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb — face indefinite closure.

While Mr Trump has done the right thing by stopping the attacks, he should realise that this war was a mistake from day one, and a negotiated settlement with Iran would have a better solution. Tehran must also show flexibility over the Hormuz issue and ensure that a long-term arrangement guarantees free passage for vessels through this critical waterway.

Yet, this respite from attacks does not necessarily signal the return of peace. Related conflicts in Lebanon and Yemen can lead to the resumption of fighting in the Gulf. Therefore, the mediators who are trying to revive the peace process as per the Islamabad MoU also need to convince the Houthis and the Saudis to revive their ceasefire. In Lebanon, Israel continues its brutal attacks.

In this regard, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that peace with the US will only be possible if there is peace in Lebanon. It should be remembered that the Lebanese ceasefire was an integral part of the MoU. Also, Ukraine’s targeting of an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea is a dangerous escalation. Kyiv’s Western supporters should advise it to stay out of what is already a very complicated theatre. It is hoped that the current lull can lead to a sustainable peace across the Middle East’s volatile front lines.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2026

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PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday restrained authorities from deporting a petitioner named ‘Quaid-e-Azam’ and directed him to appear before the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra)’s verification board.

A two-member PHC bench, comprising Justice Waqar Ahmed and Justice Inamullah Khan, was hearing a petition filed by resident Quaid-e-Azam against the blocking of his national identity card.

Advocate Saifullah Mohib Kakakhel appeared on behalf of the petitioner, while Nadra’s legal representative Shahid Imran Gigiyani represented the authority.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that his client was doing business in Dubai and Pakistan. He said the authorities had blocked his client’s national identity card. The counsel said his client was a Pakistani citizen who was running a business and paying taxes to the government.

He said his client was being penalised by the blocking of his identity card, which was causing him immense hardship.

Kakakhel said his client was now being asked to produce his uncle before Nadra. He said other members of his client’s family also held Pakistani identity cards.

Gigiyani, assistant director legal at Nadra, told the bench that the authority had submitted its response to the court.

However, he said the petitioner’s identity card was considered suspicious and had therefore been blocked.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the bench directed the petitioner to appear before Nadra’s verification board and restrained the authorities from deporting him until then.

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LAHORE: The PTI on Monday alleged that the party’s Punjab chapter chief organiser Aaliya Hamza, who is incarcerated in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail, had been subjected to a physical attack by some female inmates.

In March this year, Aaliya was arrested by the Punjab police and shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail. The police had claimed that she was absconding and organising gatherings of party legislators, ticket-holders and workers outside Adiala Jail.

According to claims made by PTI leaders, a woman inmate, along with around 10 other inmates, attacked Aaliya and attempted to strangle her over a water-related dispute in the jail toilet. “There has been an attempt on Aaliya’s life,” they alleged.

They stated that other jailed PTI members, Sanam Javed and Falak Javed, intervened and rescued Aaliya from the attackers.

Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja stated that disturbing news of an “attempt on Aaliya’s life” had been received from Kot Lakhpat Jail.

In a statement issued on X, Raja said that the Punjab government and the jail administration were responsible for the protection of the PTI leader in jail.

He demanded an immediate and transparent investigation into the attack, the dismissal of negligent staff and the registration of a case against them.

“A petition, in consultation with Aaliya’s family, will also be filed in court for her medical examination and protection,” he added.

However, when contacted, Punjab Inspector General Prisons Mian Salik Jalal rejected the allegation, asserting that there had been no physical clash.

“The women inmates had only exchanged heated words over fetching water from the jail toilet,” he said.

Aaliya was arrested when she was visiting her family members. She was in Lahore to celebrate Eidul Fitr and was preparing to leave when she was arrested. She was reportedly taken to Shadman Police Station before being shifted to the Kot Lakhpat Jail.

The PTI leader had been absconding at the time of her arrest.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said the case against Aaliya was fake, the sentence was unlawful and her arrest amounted to “fascism”. He had condemned the arrest.

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