Pakistan on Friday paid tribute to United Nations peacekeepers serving around the world, saying modern conflicts were becoming increasingly complex and warning that peacekeeping missions now face challenges ranging from cyber threats and misinformation to climate-driven humanitarian emergencies. The statements came as the international community marked the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, observed annually […]
climate
Pakistan’s Climate Frontline!
Pakistan finds itself at the heart of a profound global irony. While the nation contributes a negligible amount, less than 1%, to global greenhouse gas emissions, it has become a frontline casualty of the planet’s warming. From the vanishing glaciers of the north to the parched plains of the south, Pakistan is not just witnessing […]
Pakistan, UK seal £35m Green Compact to boost climate resilience
Pakistan and the United Kingdom have formalised a wide-ranging climate partnership with the launch of the UK-Pakistan Green Compact, a framework aimed at strengthening climate resilience, accelerating the clean energy transition and scaling up nature-based solutions, particularly mangrove conservation. The agreement, signed in Islamabad by Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik […]
Accelerating Climate Ambition
The Conference of the Parties, an annual global tradition for concerted efforts towards climate action, just concluded in Belém, Brazil. COP30 follows a grim year where the observed global mean surface temperatures and GHG emissions soared to record high values as compared to pre-industrial times. Conversely, it also marks the decadal anniversary of the iconic […]
Climate Deal
COP30 ended the way too many climate summits now end: applause in the hall, and a deal that sidestepped the hardest question. In Belém, nearly 200 countries approved an agreement that increases finance for climate-vulnerable states all the while avoids any commitment to phase out the fuels driving global heating. For two weeks, delegates fought […]
Iranians pray for rain amid severe drought in Tehran
TEHRAN: Hundreds of residents gathered at Emamzadeh Saleh mosque in northern Tehran on Friday to pray for rain, as Iran faces one of its worst droughts in decades. The capital has recorded its lowest rainfall in a century, and half of the country’s provinces have seen no significant precipitation for months. Read More: Tehran faces severe […]
Govt committed to improving investment climate: minister
Minister for Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh on Wednesday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improve country’s investment environment through deregulation, institutional reforms, and greater private-sector participation, emphasizing that sustained policy focus was key to unlocking the country’s economic potential. Addressing the Pakistan Prosperity Forum (PPF) hosted by the Policy Research Institute of Market Economy (PRIME), the […]
Fight for Climate Justice
When Pakistan lands at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil next week, it will do so with both a burden and a bold new voice. For the first time, Punjab, the country’s largest province, will join as a full participant. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, leading the delegation, brings a portfolio of “Clean Punjab” projects […]
Lahore tops world’s most polluted cities
LAHORE: The city’s air quality hit “Hazardous” levels on Monday morning, claiming the top spot in the global IQAir ranking with a US Air Quality Index (AQI) of 471 and PM2.5 concentration at 311 microgrammes per cubic metre at 8:00 a.m., according to IQAir’s live dashboard. The PM2.5 level was reported to be 62.2 times […]
At least 47 dead as floods devastate central Mexico
At least 47 people have been killed after torrential rains triggered floods and landslides across central and eastern Mexico, leaving behind scenes of destruction and grief. The hardest-hit areas include the states of Hidalgo, Puebla, Queretaro, and Veracruz, where swollen rivers and mudslides have swept away homes and roads. In the mountain town of Huauchinango, […]