New warehouse fire breaks out in Karachi as factory blaze continues for second day
New warehouse fire breaks out in Karachi as factory blaze continues for second day/node/2603912/pakistan
New warehouse fire breaks out in Karachi as factory blaze continues for second day
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The still image taken from a video shows a fire that broke out at an oil warehouse near Karachi’s Mauripur truck terminal on June 9, 2025. (Rescue 1122)
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Firefighters battling a blaze that erupted at the Karachi’s Landhi Export Processing Zone on June 9, 2025. (Photo courtesy: @diaryofali/ X)
KARACHI: A fire broke out at an oil warehouse near Karachi’s Mauripur truck terminal on Monday, rescue officials said, as firefighters continued battling a separate blaze that erupted a day earlier at the city’s Landhi Export Processing Zone and has yet to be fully extinguished.
Karachi, Pakistan’s financial hub, is home to thousands of industrial units but suffers from outdated firefighting infrastructure and lax safety enforcement.
“Fire and rescue teams were dispatched with one ambulance and two fire brigade trucks immediately upon receiving the alert,” Rescue 1122 said in a statement. “Efforts are under way to bring the blaze under control.”
Meanwhile, firefighting operations at the Landhi zone, which began on Sunday, entered their second day, with flames still active inside some of the affected factories.
Authorities said the fire has been partially contained but full extinguishment and cooling may take additional time.
At least five people were injured on Sunday after part of a building collapsed at the industrial site, which houses multiple textile factories, officials confirmed.
The injured were moved to a nearby hospital.
A total of 11 fire brigade trucks and a snorkel were involved in efforts to control the blaze, which were hindered by thick smoke and water shortages in the city of over 20 million.
Hundreds of fire incidents are reported every year in Karachi.
Last November, a shopping mall blaze killed a dozen people.
In April 2023, four firefighters died responding to a garment factory fire, and in 2021, a chemical factory blaze claimed 10 lives.
The deadliest such incident in the city’s history occurred in 2012, when 260 workers were killed in a garment factory fire.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank foreign exchange reserves rose to $14.51 billion by the end of June, an increase of $5.12 billion over the previous fiscal year, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Wednesday, marking a key milestone as the country closed out its 2024-25 financial year.
The new figure exceeds the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) June 2025 reserves target under Pakistan’s ongoing $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), and reflects a significant turnaround in the country’s external account after years of balance-of-payments stress.
Pakistan’s forex reserves stood at $9.39 billion at the end of FY24, and have now climbed to their highest level since early 2018. The increase also pushes Pakistan’s import cover — a key indicator of external sector strength — to 2.5 months, up from 1.7 months a year ago and less than one month during the 2022-23 crisis period.
The rise in reserves was driven largely by non-debt inflows, including improved exports, growth in IT services, higher foreign direct investment, and record remittances from overseas Pakistanis, according to government finance adviser Khurram Schehzad.
“Reserves rising. Debt falling. Stability strengthening,” Schehzad posted on X, formerly Twitter, noting that the central bank’s reserves now exceed the IMF’s end-June target.
He added that the debt-to-GDP ratio has declined from 75 percent in FY23 to an estimated 69 percent in FY25, reflecting improved macroeconomic management.
Pakistan entered FY25 facing a challenging external financing outlook, with over $20 billion in debt repayments due during the year. However, a combination of improved current account discipline, fiscal consolidation, and bilateral inflows helped ease pressure on the rupee and shore up confidence in the central bank’s position.
Pakistan’s economy grew an estimated 2.4 percent in FY25, up from 0.3 percent in the previous fiscal year, as inflation cooled and the rupee stabilized after a steep depreciation cycle in 2022-23. The IMF has encouraged Pakistan to maintain exchange rate flexibility and strengthen domestic revenue collection in order to ensure macroeconomic resilience.
The improvement in external buffers is likely to boost investor sentiment at a time when the government is stepping up efforts to attract foreign direct investment and privatize state-owned enterprises.
Further inflows, particularly from Gulf countries and China, are expected in the first half of FY26, which could help Pakistan meet its gross financing needs without resorting to expensive commercial borrowing.
Despite the progress, risks remain. Pakistan’s external debt servicing burden remains high, and its ability to maintain reserve adequacy will depend on continued inflows and fiscal discipline.
Still, the end-June reserve level marks a notable turnaround from just two years ago when Pakistan was on the brink of default and foreign reserves had fallen below $4 billion, barely enough for three weeks of imports.
With reserves now exceeding $14.5 billion, the country has gained critical breathing space to manage its external obligations and restore market confidence.
ISLAMABAD: In Pakistan, the abaya is undergoing a quiet but striking transformation. Long associated with uniform modesty and religious conservatism, this traditional black cloak worn by many Muslim women is now being reimagined by a new generation — one that blends cultural heritage with bold personal expression, often inspired by the glitz and fluidity of Gulf fashion capitals.
Originally worn across the Arabian Peninsula, the abaya has deep roots in Bedouin dress and later became a symbol of modesty under Islamic influence. In Pakistan, it gained prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, a period marked by rising religiosity, increased migration to Gulf countries, and the influence of satellite television beaming in images of Arab fashion.
For decades, black reigned supreme: functional, symbolic, and widely accepted.
But today, the abaya has become more than a religious garment. It is now a medium of fashion, expression and cultural exchange.
“The Middle East has turned abayas into a fashion trend,” said Nimra Saleem, a designer who is preparing to launch a dedicated abaya brand.
“The Gulf states introduce new cuts, designs, colors, and fabrics every year. So, the cuts of my abayas, the inspiration was taken from Saudi Arabia itself, and I made such cuts that are not available in Pakistan yet.”
Nimra Saleem, a designer, is making sketches in Islamabad, Pakistan, on June 26, 2025. (AN Photo)
Saleem grew up in Saudi Arabia and returned to Pakistan six years ago to pursue a degree in textile design at the National College of Arts in Rawalpindi. Her thesis focused on women migrating from the Gulf, and she explored how Arabic aesthetics could merge with Pakistani tastes. Now, the abaya brand she plans to launch will reflect this evolving sensibility, she hopes.
“Initially, abayas here were limited to plain black, but now people are using them as a form of self-expression, wearing them in vibrant colors, pairing them with colorful hijabs, and choosing fabrics like georgette and silk. Printed abayas are also becoming more popular.”
To accommodate Pakistan’s climate while staying true to Gulf-inspired styles, Saleem uses lightweight fabrics similar to those worn in the Middle East.
“These abayas can be worn in Pakistan too because they’re very weather friendly,” she said.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE
The cultural pull of the Gulf, particularly from style hubs like Dubai and Jeddah, continues to influence aesthetics across South Asia, especially among upwardly mobile urban Pakistanis. Social media has only amplified that impact, offering a steady stream of Gulf fashion influencers and modestwear labels that are increasingly global in reach.
For designers like Abdul Rahman, a boutique owner in Rawalpindi with a strong social media following, the shift in tastes is undeniable.
“Over the past five years, trends have changed,” he said. “We design abayas according to customer choice, some like party wear, some need casual wear, and some prefer normal embroidery.”
Rahman’s business, which once catered mostly to domestic buyers, now processes online orders from across the globe.
“We get a lot of orders from South Africa, the United Kingdom, and UAE because abayas there are costly,” he explained.
His store offers options ranging from Rs3,000 ($11) to Rs20,000 ($71), making Pakistani-made garments more affordable for diaspora communities seeking modestwear.
This intersection of modesty and style also resonates with many young women in Pakistan, who say the abaya is no longer seen as restrictive, but adaptable.
“The time is changing, and people are understanding that it’s not about the black color,” said Areeba Faisal, a university student in Islamabad. “It’s about modesty and how you carry yourself.”
While she personally favors black abayas for most occasions, she appreciates the variety now available.
“On some occasions, I prefer to wear this kind of stuff— colored and embroidered abayas,” she said. “Islam does not mandate wearing a specific type of gown, nor does it require it to be black or free of embellishments.”
Another student, Humaira Javeed, echoed that view. “Everything evolves with time— including clothing. Abayas are no exception,” she said.
She prefers light colors, such as skin tones or pastels, but still sees black as modern and versatile. For her, wearing an abaya is more cultural than religious, and there’s space within tradition for creativity.
“It’s not something to be stigmatized in any way,” she added.
Indeed, the new wave of abaya culture in Pakistan reflects broader conversations about identity and modernity in the Muslim world.
In places like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where strict dress codes once mandated uniform black cloaks, fashion-forward abayas now come in soft hues, adorned with intricate embroidery, pleats, lace, and avant-garde silhouettes.
These trends are finding fertile ground in Pakistan, where decades of exposure to Gulf culture through migration, media, and remittances have reshaped everything from food to fashion.
“Girls expressing themselves through abayas inspired me to create pieces that prove modesty can be just as fashionable and trend-aware,” said Saleem. “You can be modest, and you can still be in trend.”
Blast claimed by Daesh kills four in northwest Pakistan
Officials were traveling in a car in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when attack happened in a market in Bajaur city
Around 300 people, mostly security officials, have been killed in attacks in KP and Balochistan provinces since start of year
Updated 42 min 48 sec ago
AFP
PESHAWAR: An explosion in northwest Pakistan killed at least four local government officials and police Wednesday, an officer told AFP, in an attack claimed by a branch of the Daesh group.
“One senior government official, along with another government official and two police officers, were killed in the attack. Eleven people were wounded,” said Waqas Rafiq, a senior police official stationed in Bajaur, a city near the border with Afghanistan.
The officials were traveling in a car in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when “the attack happened in a market in Bajaur city,” Rafiq added.
Hours later the IS-K group of Daesh claimed to have detonated an explosives-laden moped that targeted the vehicle in which the officials were traveling.
The deadly blast came four days after 16 soldiers were killed in the same province in an attack claimed by the Pakistan Taliban, a group which is very active in the area.
Around 300 people, mostly security officials, have been killed in attacks since the start of the year by armed groups fighting the government in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, according to an AFP tally.
Last year was the deadliest in a decade for Pakistan, with a surge in attacks that killed more than 1,600 people, according to Islamabad-based analysis group the Center for Research and Security Studies.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in violence in its regions bordering Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, with Islamabad accusing its western neighbor of allowing its soil to be used for attacks against Pakistan — a claim the Taliban denies.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb this week stressed on the importance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for the country’s economy, highlighting his government’s policy to increase their lending portfolio to enhance their contributions to employment, exports and the national GDP.
Pakistan’s finance czar was speaking at a high-level panel discussion titled “Scaling up SME Finance” on Wednesday, hosted at the International Business Forum on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Sevilla, Spain.
The minister underscored the importance of SMEs to Pakistan’s economy, noting that these enterprises account for approximately 40 percent of the country’s GDP, 25 percent of exports and nearly 78 percent of non-agricultural employment.
However, Aurangzeb noted that despite their contributions, SMEs access to formal finance remains “disproportionately low,” with a small percentage of private-sector lending currently directed toward them, the finance ministry said. He said the government is actively working through the central bank to encourage commercial banks to expand their SME lending portfolios.
“This expansion is expected to enhance the contribution of SMEs to GDP, exports, employment, youth and women’s digital empowerment, and overall financial inclusion, laying the foundation for sustained and inclusive economic growth,” the finance ministry said.
The minister said the government’s parallel efforts are underway to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) so it can extend market linkages, provide regulatory relief, enhance advisory services and lead capacity-building initiatives.
“Deregulation efforts, such as reducing reliance on NOCs and increasing e-inspections, are also being introduced to reduce compliance burdens for SMEs,” the finance ministry added.
Aurangzeb expressed his desire to learn from successful models across other emerging markets and fostering partnerships that promote technology-driven, climate-compliant, and socially inclusive SME development.
Pakistan’s government has increasingly spoken about achieving sustainable economic growth and moving the country away from his usual “boom and bust” cycle.
The government has attempted to pursue this through financial reforms, signing trade and business agreements with regional allies worth billions of dollars and enhancing its exports.
ISLAMABAD: Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are likely to face each other in the upcoming Asia Cup cricket tournament on September 7 in the UAE, a report by an Indian publication said on Wednesday.
According to a report in Indian publication ‘Times of India,’ the Asia Cup is likely to start on September 5 with the title clash taking place on September 21. It said that all participating nations, including official hosts India, are close to getting clearances from their respective governments for the tournament which is set to be played in the UAE.
Already-soured relations between India and Pakistan further worsened after four days of intense fighting before a ceasefire was announced in May. Bilateral cricket has been suspended since 2013 between the Asian neighbors, who play each other only in multi-team events as per an International Cricket Council arrangement.
“The 17-day window has been almost finalized by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and India are set to take on Pakistan on September 7 as per the initial schedule,” a report by the Times of India said.
The tournament is set to feature hosts India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and UAE, the report said, adding that it is set to follow the group stage and Super Fours format. This means fans will witness the India-Pakistan contest at least twice, and the second contest could take place on September 14, the report said.
Uncertainty has clouded over the Asia Cup after the two countries were locked in conflict in May. Political tensions have always adversely affected cricket ties between the two countries.
India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy this year and played all their matches, including the March 9 final, in Dubai.
India will host the women’s 50-overs World Cup this year but Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka under an arrangement made by the International Cricket Council.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir is against playing Pakistan even in neutral venues but will follow whatever the BCCI decided, he said in May.