Staff Reporter

PESHAWAR: Authorities in Pakistan&rsquo;s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have issued a high weather alert for November 4 and 5, warning of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall in multiple districts already recovering from devastating floods earlier this year.&nbsp;The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said the incoming weather system poses a &ldquo;significant risk,&rdquo; particularly in mountainous areas weakened by the August 2025 cloudburst disaster that claimed nearly 400 lives across the province.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is not a routine weather advisory,&rdquo; the PDMA said in its alert. &ldquo;Given recent damage to terrain and infrastructure, even moderate rainfall may trigger landslides and disrupt mobility and essential services.&rdquo;&nbsp;The weather system is expected to affect nearly the entire province.&nbsp;Rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall are forecast in northern districts including Upper and Lower Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, and Mohmand.&nbsp;Rain and thunderstorms are also likely in central and southern areas such as Peshawar, Kohat, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, North and South Waziristan, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan.&nbsp;Saeda Saleh, a meteorologist with the Pakistan Meteorological Department, said the system is being driven by &ldquo;western winds,&rdquo; adding that authorities have urged the public to remain alert.&nbsp;&ldquo;People should stay cautious, especially in areas where the land is still unstable,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;Officials fear that already weakened slopes in flood-affected districts could give way. The Met Office has specifically warned of possible landslides in Abbottabad, Battagram, Dir, Chitral, Kohistan, Kurram, Shangla, and Swat, many of the same regions heavily impacted in August.&nbsp;In response, PDMA has directed all district administrations to activate emergency protocols, including &ldquo;cleaning of drainage systems to prevent urban flooding&rdquo; and ensuring &ldquo;full readiness of emergency response teams&rdquo; for rapid deployment. Authorities have also been instructed to issue timely alerts to residents and travelers, particularly in high-risk valleys.&nbsp;Residents have been strongly advised to avoid non-essential travel during the weather spell. Farmers and livestock owners, who suffered severe losses in the August floods, have been urged to move animals and stored crops to safer areas as a precautionary measure.&nbsp;PDMA said it will continue to monitor developments and provide further updates as the system approaches.

Climate & Environment

Pakistan’s disaster authority issued a high alert for November 4–5 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, warning of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall that could trigger landslides in flood-weakened mountain districts and disrupt essential services.

Pakistan issues landslide warning in new weather alert across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday confirmed the outcomes of several Code of Conduct proceedings following incidents in the matches between India and Pakistan on September 14, 21, and 28, a press release issued by the council said. According to the press release, Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf was found guilty on the same offense twice, bringing his total to four demerit points within 24 months. The pacer was found guilty of breaching Article 2.21 of the code twice, which is imposed on &ldquo;conduct that brings the game into disrepute,&rdquo; the press release said. Consequently, as per the rules of the council, the Pakistani pacer was suspended for Pakistan&rsquo;s One Day International games against South Africa on November 4 and 6. Rauf was also fined 30% of his match fee on both offenses. &nbsp; Sahibzada Farhan was found breaching the same article; however, the batter was issued an official warning and one demerit point.&nbsp; Indian Skipper Suryakumar Yadav was also found guilty of breaching Article 2.21 and was fined 30% of his match fee and received two demerit points. Whereas pacer Jasprit Bumrah accepted a charge under Article 2.21 and &ldquo;the proposed sanction of an official warning, which resulted in one demerit point. As he accepted the sanction, no formal hearing was required,&rdquo; the statement said. The ICC also said that Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh was &ldquo;found not guilty of an alleged breach of Article 2.6, which pertains to using a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting, and therefore no sanction was imposed.&rdquo;

Cricket

Pacer Rauf found guilty on same offense twice, bringing total to four demerit points within 24 months; has been suspended for Pakistan’s ODI games against South Africa on November 4 and 6. 

ICC fines Indian, Pakistani players over conduct in Asia Cup

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Pakistan on Tuesday welcomed more than 2,200 Sikh pilgrims from India for the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first major cross-border pilgrimage since deadly border clashes in May suspended travel between the two countries. Earlier in June, India halted Sikh pilgrimage travel for the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, drawing criticism from Sikh community leaders. Tuesday&rsquo;s crossing therefore marked an important resumption of religious exchange. Officials and volunteers from the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) welcomed the pilgrims, known as &ldquo;yatrees,&rdquo; with garlands, rose petals, and greetings. According to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, more than 2,100 visas were issued for the 10-day festival, while border officials said the actual number of arrivals was closer to 2,500. &ldquo;The number of visitors this year is slightly below the agreed protocol of 3,000,&rdquo; Nasir Mushtaq, additional secretary for shrines at the ETPB, told Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;All arrangements, reception, lodging, medical facilities, and transportation are at par with international standards. Only transportation is paid by the pilgrims; the rest is covered by the Government of Pakistan.&rdquo; The pilgrims will remain in Pakistan from November 4 to 13, visiting Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassan Abdal, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, before returning to Lahore for departure. Many described emotional reunions and heartfelt hospitality on arrival. A Sikh pilgrim from Ajnala town in Indian Punjab said the group felt &ldquo;overwhelmed&rdquo; by the welcome in Pakistan. &ldquo;We received more love and respect on this side of the border,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;We were welcomed with garlands. Last time, when I requested water on the Indian side, I was denied, but here we are escorted and cared for.&rdquo; Sakwinder Kaur from northwestern Gurdaspur district, visiting Pakistan for the first time, said: &ldquo;We are given immense love. It feels like home. I pray that the Kartarpur Corridor reopens so pilgrims can visit regularly and stay longer.&rdquo; Another pilgrim expressed gratitude toward Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, citing her administration&rsquo;s efforts to protect gurdwaras during recent Ravi River flooding. &ldquo;She has shown she respects all religions equally,&rdquo; he said. Kuldip Singh from Jalandhar urged both governments to insulate religious travel from politics. &ldquo;Faith should not become hostage to border crises,&rdquo; he said. Baaj Singh from Amritsar said returning to Sikh holy sites in Pakistan was deeply emotional. &ldquo;I just want to fly to Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It feels like home when we are here.&rdquo; The ETPB has arranged accommodation, security, medical support, and transport, consistent with the 1974 bilateral protocol governing visits to sacred sites across the India-Pakistan border. The Kartarpur Corridor, inaugurated in 2019 to allow visa-free access to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, remains closed from the Indian side, though Pakistan continues to keep its side operational. Despite political tensions, both governments allowed this year&rsquo;s pilgrimage to proceed, underscoring the enduring spiritual and cultural ties of Sikhism, a faith rooted on both sides of Punjab prior to the 1947 Partition. The pilgrims will attend the main ceremony at Nankana Sahib on Wednesday before traveling onward to other historic gurdwaras.

Culture

The pilgrims will remain in Pakistan from November 4 to 13, visiting Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassan Abdal, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, before returning to Lahore for departure.


Pakistan welcomes Indian Sikh pilgrims as major cross-border pilgrimage resumes

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump will host Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa for talks on November 10, the White House announced on Tuesday, saying the former fighter had made &quot;good progress&quot; toward establishing peace in his war-torn country. &quot;I can confirm that that meeting will be taking place here at the White House on Monday and this is part of the president&#39;s efforts in diplomacy to meet with anyone around the world in the pursuit of peace,&quot; spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told a briefing. It will be the first-ever White House visit by a Syrian head of state. Leavitt noted that Trump had announced the lifting of US sanctions on Syria during a trip to the region in May, a move which aimed &quot;to give them a real chance at peace.&quot; &quot;And I think the administration, we&#39;ve seen good progress on that front, under their new leadership,&quot; she added. Though it will be Sharaa&#39;s first visit to Washington, it will be his second to the United States after a landmark UN trip in September, where he became the first Syrian president in decades to address the UN General Assembly in New York. In May, the interim leader, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, met Trump for the first time in Riyadh during the US president&#39;s regional tour. Syria&#39;s top diplomat, Asaad al-Shaibani, said last week that Sharaa would visit Washington sometime early this month to discuss lifting remaining sanctions, reconstruction and counter-terrorism. On Saturday, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said Sharaa was heading to Washington &quot;hopefully&quot; to sign an agreement to join the international US-led alliance against the Islamic State (IS). Formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda, Sharaa&#39;s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was delisted as a terrorist group by Washington as recently as July. Since taking power, Syria&#39;s new leaders have sought to break from their past and present a moderate image more tolerable to ordinary Syrians and foreign powers.

Americas

Middle East

Will be the first-ever White House visit by a Syrian head of state; is al-Sharaa’s second visit to US after a landmark UN trip in September when he became the first Syrian president in decades to address the UN General Assembly in New York.

Trump to meet Syrian president at White House on Nov 10

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh&rsquo;s Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, on Tuesday praised the Punjab government&rsquo;s innovative efforts to combat air pollution in its provincial capital, Lahore and expressed keen interest in learning and adopting similar practices in Bangladesh. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, she further expressed Bangladesh&rsquo;s desire to replicate the Pakistani model for promoting renewable energy, particularly through rooftop solar installations. Syeda Rizwana Hasan is visiting Pakistan to attend 28th Sustainable Development Conference organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad from November 4 to 7. The Punjab government has rolled out a multi-pronged smog mitigation campaign that includes truck-mounted anti-smog guns, fog cannon units that spray ultra-fine water mist to capture PM2.5 and PM10 particles (tiny airborne particles that cause smog) and bring them to the ground. &ldquo;I was very encouraged to hear that Lahore is dealing with its air pollution problems with new innovations,&rdquo; Hasan said, adding that Bangladesh would be happy to learn from Punjab government to adopt these innovations. &ldquo;I will be very happy if the lessons of Lahore can be communicated to us, so that Bangladesh can adopt to the same practices that Lahore has introduced,&rdquo; she added. Hasan said Bangladesh was also looking to convert to renewable energy and Pakistani model of popularising rooftop solars could be very useful in this regard. &nbsp; &ldquo;We know that Pakistan already has got huge success in popularising renewable energy through the usage of solar panels on their rooftops and this is a model that can be very useful for the government of Bangladesh,&rdquo; she added. Bangladesh&rsquo;s climate advisor said both countries could also cooperate in other areas in terms of water security, natural resource based protection, and plastic waste management. Speaking about international community&rsquo;s response to the climate change issue, she said Pakistan and Bangladesh together with other developing countries took the lead back in 2022 in conference of parties of the UNFCCC, and managed to push forward and get a fund for loss and damage set up at the international level. She added that both countries were instrumental in establishing the Loss and Damage Fund and should now collectively press global leaders to honor their commitments regarding its disbursement, noting that the fund will be operationalized soon. The adviser said both countries are positively considering the launch of direct flights between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Beyond Borders

Bangladesh’s climate adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan praised Lahore’s anti-smog innovations and Pakistan’s rooftop solar model, expressing interest in adopting them. She urged stronger Pakistan-Bangladesh cooperation on climate action, renewable energy, waste management, and operationalizing the UN Loss and Damage Fund.


Bangladesh looks to learn from Lahore’s innovative anti-pollution measures, Pakistan’s solar energy model

LONDON: Possessing or publishing pornography showing strangulation or suffocation is to become a crime in the UK, the government announced Tuesday. The plan follows an independent review which found that depictions of strangulation are rife online and that this had helped make the act a &ldquo;sexual norm,&rdquo; a government statement said. Non-fatal strangulation is already a criminal offense in the UK, but it is not currently illegal to show it online. These measures will help protect women and girls from online abuse, the government said. &ldquo;Viewing and sharing this kind of material online is not only deeply distressing, it is vile and dangerous,&rdquo; technology minister Liz Kendall said. &ldquo;Those who post or promote such content are contributing to a culture of violence and abuse that has no place in our society.&rdquo; Tech platforms will be legally required to take &ldquo;proactive steps&rdquo; to prevent users from seeing such content, such as through moderation tools or stricter controls, the government said. A separate amendment will extend the time limit for victims of intimate image abuse to report these crimes from six months to three years. The UK implemented its Online Safety Act in July aiming to hinder youngsters from encountering content relating to porn as well as suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. It requires websites and apps hosting potentially harmful pages and posts to implement age checks using measures such as facial imagery or credit cards. Those found to be failing can face fines of up to &pound;18 million ($23 million) or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater.

Europe

The UK will criminalize pornography depicting strangulation or suffocation, requiring tech firms to block such content. The move expands protections under the Online Safety Act and extends victims’ reporting time for intimate image abuse to three years.


Online porn showing strangulation to be banned in UK

PARIS: National commitments to slash heat-trapping pollution would limit global warming up to 2.5C this century &mdash; nowhere near enough to avoid devastating climate impacts despite a sweep of new pledges, the UN warned Tuesday. Scientists are in broad agreement that warming above 1.5C relative to pre-industrial times risks catastrophic consequences, and every effort must be made to stick as close as possible to this safer threshold. But the world is set to blow past 1.5C in a matter of years and planet-warming emissions keep rising, hitting a new record high in 2024, according to a report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The sobering assessment was published just days before world leaders gather in Brazil on Thursday and Friday ahead of the COP30 climate summit in the rainforest city of Belem. With an overshoot of 1.5C now inevitable, focus has shifted to how quickly temperatures can be returned to less-risky levels. &ldquo;Our mission is simple, but not easy: make any overshoot as small and as short as possible,&rdquo; UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday at the launch of UNEP&rsquo;s Emissions Gap report. Big polluters most responsible for the crisis have been urged to pledge faster and deeper emissions cuts to bend the curve back to 1.5C by the end of the century. Instead, the latest round of carbon-cutting targets announced ahead of the UN climate talks &ldquo;have barely moved the needle,&rdquo; concluded UNEP&rsquo;s latest assessment. &ldquo;Ambition and action are nowhere near the levels needed globally or collectively,&rdquo; Anne Olhoff, the report&rsquo;s chief scientific editor, told AFP. &lsquo;Bleak picture&rsquo;The latest assessment projects that the world&rsquo;s collective commitments to tackle climate change, if enacted in full, would result in 2.3C to 2.5C of warming by 2100. That poses an unacceptable threat to the survival of nations most at risk by rising seas and extreme weather, and the global failure to rise to this challenge will loom over COP30. Scientists have strong evidence that warming above 1.5C &mdash; let alone a degree or more &mdash; increases not only the intensity of hurricanes, floods and other disasters, but the likelihood of catastrophic climate tipping points. At 1.4C above pre-industrial times, the Earth is already too warm for most tropical coral reefs to survive, while ice sheets and the Amazon rainforest could suffer severe and lasting changes below 2C, with consequences for the entire planet. Under the Paris Agreement, each round of climate pledges is supposed to be more ambitious than the last to keep long-term warming &ldquo;well below&rdquo; 2C and as close as possible to 1.5C. Despite being obligated to do so, only around one-third of countries announced a 2035 emissions reduction target by September 30, UNEP said. This year&rsquo;s warming projections are 0.3C lower than last year, but Olhoff said little of that reduction was thanks to these latest pledges. Updates to methodology accounted for 0.1C while another 0.1C was attributed to US commitments made under the Biden administration. These gains are unlikely to materialize as President Donald Trump has vowed to pull the United States out of the Paris accord and ditch the climate policies of his predecessor. &ldquo;If we don&rsquo;t include the US, then the progress is quite limited,&rdquo; Olhoff said. The dozens of other climate pledges made by governments in recent months &ldquo;do not have a large effect on the temperature projections,&rdquo; she added. &ldquo;That is a very bleak picture, you can say.&rdquo; Record emissionsGlobal emissions grew 2.3 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year, an increase driven by India followed by China, Russia and Indonesia. This rise was quite high in the context of recent years &ldquo;and comparable to the emissions growth in the 2000s,&rdquo; the report said. Wealthy and powerful G20 economies accounted for three-quarters of global emissions and of the six largest polluters, the EU was the only one to cut greenhouse gases in 2024. As they come under pressure to set new and ever-more ambitious targets, UNEP said most nations were not even on track to meet their earlier 2030 goals. Based on just the current policies in place, Earth is expected to be 2.8C hotter in 2100. COP30 will seek to allay fears that climate action is on the back burner as the United States shuns the process, collective targets are missed and governments prioritize other concerns. &ldquo;We still need unprecedented cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, in an ever-compressing timeframe, amid a challenging geopolitical context,&rdquo; wrote UNEP chief Inger Andersen in the report.

On track for dangerous warming, record 2024 emissions push global temperature rise toward 2.5°C, far beyond the 1.5°C safety limit, UN warns.

World on track to dangerous warming as emissions hit record high: UN

Syed Maisam Ali

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan and South Africa continue their multi-format series, the spotlight now moves to Faisalabad, marking the city&rsquo;s first international cricket match in 17 years. Excitement is high as fans pack the Iqbal Stadium to witness the ODI leg of the tour.&nbsp;&ldquo;After 17 long years, international cricket finally returns to Faisalabad,&rdquo; Pakistan Cricket Board Chairperson Mohsin Naqvi said in a post on X. &ldquo;Delighted to see the excitement as Pakistan and South Africa begin the ODI series here in Pakistan&rsquo;s own &lsquo;Manchester&rsquo;.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1985647598078980446&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8b347d42e83f712d4833b1b879296a1bdde10ec5&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 418px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The ongoing tour, covering Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi, arrives at a symbolic moment: ten years since Pakistan successfully restored international cricket at home. Today&rsquo;s packed stadiums stand in stark contrast to the difficult period when cricket in Pakistan was forced into exile, and reflect a revival now recognized around the world.&nbsp;2009: Years of silence&nbsp;The journey back began amid adversity. In March 2009, an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore forced international cricket out of Pakistan indefinitely. Stadiums fell silent. Home series were relocated to the UAE. Generations of fans grew up watching their national team play &ldquo;home&rdquo; matches abroad, waiting for a day when the familiar roar of a Pakistani crowd would return.&nbsp;2015: Zimbabwe breaks the deadlockThat day finally came in May 2015, when Zimbabwe agreed to tour Pakistan, the first international side to do so in six years. Sixteen players and officials were welcomed at Lahore&rsquo;s airport to scenes of emotion and relief.The series, two T20Is and three ODIs, was played before sold-out stands at Gaddafi Stadium, a moment many still refer to as &ldquo;the rebirth.&rdquo;&nbsp;Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore described the occasion as deeply meaningful, recalling how the packed stadium sang Pakistan&rsquo;s national anthem in unison and how players and fans alike expressed gratitude for the team&rsquo;s courage to tour.&nbsp;Gradual return to normalcyZimbabwe&rsquo;s visit paved the way for others. Over the following years, Pakistan hosted Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa, Bangladesh, Australia, and England in bilateral tours. Each successful series strengthened global confidence, supported by upgraded stadiums, advanced security protocols, and comprehensive logistical planning.&nbsp;Pakistan Super League: The turning pointThe launch of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2016 accelerated cricket&rsquo;s return. Originally played in the UAE, the league gradually shifted home. Soon, foreign stars were playing in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Multan, in front of passionate crowds.&nbsp;The PSL demonstrated Pakistan&rsquo;s ability to host major events consistently and safely. More importantly, it restored the joy and energy of live cricket in Pakistani stadiums.&nbsp;2023 Asia Cup: Regional stage returnsA major breakthrough came in 2023, when Pakistan co-hosted the Asia Cup. Matches in Lahore and Multan drew overwhelming attendance and praise from the Asian Cricket Council. The successful tournament further strengthened the nation&rsquo;s case as a dependable host.&nbsp;Champions Trophy 2025: Revival fully realizedThis resurgence culminated earlier this year when Pakistan hosted the ICC Champions Trophy, its first major global event in nearly three decades. Matches in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi delivered world-class organization, enthusiastic crowds, and a festive nationwide atmosphere. International players spoke highly of Pakistan&rsquo;s hospitality, culture, and cricketing passion.&nbsp;The Champions Trophy confirmed one thing: Pakistan was not just ready for cricket, cricket was home again.&nbsp;Decade of pride and CelebrationFrom empty stands to overflowing stadiums, Pakistan&rsquo;s recovery stands as one of world cricket&rsquo;s most compelling revival stories. Today, as packed crowds cheer Pakistan against South Africa, the applause carries ten years of resilience, belief, and national unity.&nbsp;Sports data analyst and journalist Azeem Siddique, speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, emphasized that the return of international cricket extends beyond sport.&nbsp;&ldquo;The revival of cricket in Pakistan is a major milestone, not just for cricket but for the entire country,&rdquo; Siddique said. &ldquo;Whenever international teams visit, industries like hotels, transportation, and food services all experience growth. It has a real economic impact.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added that while Pakistan is now a proven safe destination, perceptions built after 2009 still need time to change.&nbsp;&ldquo;Security arrangements today are comprehensive and players feel protected,&rdquo; Siddique noted. &ldquo;But the restrictions placed during tours can limit their freedom. As the environment continues to improve, that comfort and confidence will keep growing.&rdquo;&nbsp;A decade ago, Pakistan waited for cricket to return. Today, cricket does not simply return, it thrives. The journey has come full circle, and the cheers across Faisalabad speak for millions: cricket is home.

After the 2009 attack halted cricket in Pakistan, the 2015 Zimbabwe tour marked its revival. Gradual returns by Sri Lanka, West Indies, and others, alongside PSL’s success, restored global confidence and reignited Pakistan’s cricketing spirit.


Decade of homecoming: Pakistan’s remarkable journey back to international cricket

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday strongly condemned India&rsquo;s &ldquo;weaponization of water,&rdquo; saying the practice threatens regional stability and the basic rights of millions of people in South Asia.&nbsp;The president met United Nations Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha.&nbsp;&ldquo;We face a new threat in the form of water weaponization,&rdquo; President Zardari said in the official statement. &ldquo;Water, which the world recognizes as a fundamental human right, cannot be turned into a tool of pressure. Such tactics cannot and will not succeed.&rdquo;&nbsp;The president&rsquo;s remarks come amid Pakistan&rsquo;s continued concerns regarding India&rsquo;s suspension of key cooperative mechanisms under the Indus Waters Treaty.&nbsp;Signed in 1960 through World Bank facilitation, the agreement allocates the western rivers to Pakistan and the eastern rivers to India. Tensions have risen in recent years as India expanded hydropower projects on the western tributaries, prompting warnings from Pakistan over reduced downstream flows.&nbsp;The situation escalated in April 2025 when India placed the treaty in abeyance following an incident in Indian-occupied Kashmir. A move unprecedented since the treaty&rsquo;s signing. Pakistan has maintained that any attempt to restrict its lawful water share would constitute a grave and unacceptable act.&nbsp;Pakistan People&rsquo;s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who was also present in Doha meeting, said that India&rsquo;s recent actions had already resulted in &ldquo;severe humanitarian and environmental consequences&rdquo; inside Pakistan.&ldquo;India&rsquo;s withdrawal from treaty obligations and withholding of river data has contributed directly to floods and disasters in Pakistan,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It is deeply concerning and demands urgent global attention.&rdquo;&nbsp;During the meeting, President Zardari praised the Secretary-General&rsquo;s leadership and his &ldquo;consistent support for Pakistan&rdquo; in navigating global challenges.&nbsp;He reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s call for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with UN Security Council resolutions and highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s longstanding role in United Nations peacekeeping missions.&nbsp;Secretary-General Guterres acknowledged Pakistan&rsquo;s contributions to global peace and expressed solidarity with Pakistan in its efforts against terrorism.&nbsp;President Zardari also welcomed the Doha Political Declaration as a step toward renewing international commitment to poverty reduction and social development.&nbsp;He noted that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) remains a successful model for advancing social inclusion and women&rsquo;s economic empowerment.&nbsp;Reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s foreign policy priorities, the president called for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders and the realization of the Palestinian people&#39;s right to self-determination.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan fully supports the United Nations&rsquo; central role in promoting peace, justice, and prosperity,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador to Qatar were present during the meeting.

Foreign Affairs

On Doha summit sidelines, Pakistan’s president meets UN chief, condemns water “weaponization,” raises Kashmir and Palestine, highlights peacekeeping role, and supports global social development efforts.


Pakistan condemns India’s ‘water weaponization’ in meeting with UN chief

LONDON:&nbsp;Former England football captain David Beckham on Tuesday received his knighthood from King Charles III at Windsor Castle, calling it his &quot;proudest moment&quot;. The football star, 50, who played 115 times for England as well as for some of the world&#39;s most high-profile clubs including Manchester United and Real Madrid, was knighted for services to sport and charity. Beckham said it was &quot;quite a moment&quot; for a boy from the east end of London to be &quot;here at Windsor Castle, being honoured by His Majesty the King &ndash;- the most important and the most respected institution in the world&quot;. &quot;This is without doubt my proudest moment,&quot; he told the PA news agency. Beckham, known as a stylish dresser, wore a grey suit made by his pop star-turned fashion designer wife Victoria. She accompanied him to the ceremony at Windsor, west of London, along with his parents Ted and Sandra. Beckham has been known as &quot;Sir David&quot; since the honour was announced in June while Victoria, a former member of the Spice Girls, became &quot;Lady Beckham&quot;. Asked whether he managed to speak to Charles during the ceremony, Beckham said Charles had been &quot;quite impressed with my suit&quot;. &quot;He&#39;s kind of the most elegantly dressed man that I know, so he inspired quite a few of my looks over the years and he definitely inspired this look. &quot;I looked at old pictures of him when he was quite young in morning suits and I was like, OK, that&rsquo;s what I want to wear, so I gave it to my wife and she did it,&quot; he added. Beckham added that receiving the honour was particularly special for him as he had &quot;always been a huge fan of the monarchy&quot;. &quot;I&#39;ve been very obviously lucky in my career to have won what I&#39;ve won and done what I&#39;ve done but to receive an honour like this, of a knight, is beyond anything that I ever thought that I would receive,&quot; he said. Beckham&#39;s knighthood is the culmination of years of tireless efforts to transcend football and turn himself into a global icon at the intersection of sport, fashion and business. He was believed to have been on the verge of receiving a knighthood after helping London win its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. But UK authorities placed a red flag on his nomination due to his involvement in an alleged tax avoidance scheme, according to previous reports. He was subsequently cleared.

United Kingdom

David Beckham received a knighthood from King Charles III at Windsor Castle for his contributions to sport and charity, calling it his “proudest moment.” The football icon was accompanied by wife Victoria and his parents.

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