Families of Pakistan snowstorm victims blame government for 'nightmare' in Murree

A woman cries inside an ambulance after she lost her family member during a heavy snowfall-hit area in Murree, some 28 miles (45 kilometers) north of the capital of Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. (AP)
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Updated 09 January 2022
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Families of Pakistan snowstorm victims blame government for 'nightmare' in Murree

  • At least 22 people died on Saturday in freezing temperatures while being stranded in their vehicles in Murree
  • Families say administration should have issued red alert, blocked vehicles from entering the area to watch snowfall

ISLAMABAD: It was on the evening of January 7 that a holiday to the Pakistani mountainside town of Murree to view the winter snowfall turned into a nightmare for Muhammad Bilal.

Bilal, 21, was among tens of thousands of visitors that thronged to Murree this weekend to see unusually heavy snowfall and ended up stuck in a major traffic jam on snow-clogged roads on Friday evening.

At around 4pm, Bilal, who hails from Mardan in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, called his family and said the group, which comprised Bilal, two relatives and a friend, were returning home because of the unmanageable snowfall. During another call at 9pm, Bilal told his family the group’s car was now stuck in a traffic jam.

“His last words were that they will reach back as soon as the road opened,” Muhammad Ghafoor, Bilal’s father, told Arab News via phone from his hometown of Katlang. 




In this photo provided by the Inter Services Public Relations, people walk past vehicles trapped in a heavy snowfall-hit area in Murree, some 28 miles (45 kilometers) north of the capital of Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. (AP)

On Saturday morning, when Bilal’s mother called his cellphone to get an update on his whereabouts, a stranger picked up and told her that her son had been found dead in his car.

Bilal is among at least 22 people who died in Murree in freezing temperatures on the night between Friday and Saturday. Police say some of the victims froze to death in their cars, while others died from asphyxiation after inhaling exhaust fumes in snow-bound vehicles.

“This was so shocking and unbelievable that she [mother] almost fainted,” Ghafoor said. “Then we called on the numbers of the other persons who were with Bilal on the trip and got the same reply from another person .. they discovered their bodies after opening their car doors as they were not responding after multiple knocking on the windows.”

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had predicted heavy snowfall in Murree and the Galiyat mountainous regions from January 6 to 9. But despite appeals by authorities to postpone travel plans due to bad weather and roadblocks, tens of thousands of snow-tourists arrived in Murree, 64 km (40 miles) northeast of the capital Islamabad, in the past two days. 




Women cry inside an ambulance after they lost their family members during a heavy snowfall-hit area in Murree, some 28 miles (45 kilometers) north of the capital of Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. (AP)

The resort town built by the British in the 19th century as a sanatorium for colonial troops clutches the sides of steep hills and its narrow roads are jammed even in good weather. Critics of the government say local authorities were ill-equipped to handle the annual influx of snow-tourists but did not prepare to deal with an emergency amid unusually heavy snowfall. They say even though authorities warned last weekend that too many vehicles were trying to enter Murree, they failed to discourage hordes of day trippers from going up the mountain from the capital.

It was only on Saturday, after the first reports emerged that people may have died, that the administration jolted into action to clear roads and begin rescue work. The army and paramilitary troops were also then called in to assist. An operation to clear roads and rescue stranded people was ongoing on Sunday afternoon.

In a tweet on Saturday, Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has personally promoted tourism to Murree and its surrounding areas, appeared to be blaming the tourists for negligence.

“Unprecedented snowfall & rush of ppl proceeding without checking weather conditions caught district admin unprepared,” Khan said on Twitter.

Ghafoor blamed the government. 




Ambulance carry the dead body of victim after they lost their life after a heavy snowfall-hit area in Murree, some 28 miles (45 kilometers) north of the capital of Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. (AP)

“We accept it as will of Allah,” he said of his son’s death. “But the government should have warned the tourists about severe weather conditions and closed the entry to the hill station to avoid the traffic congestion.”

Zahoor Ahmed, whose cousin was married to another victim, Sohail Ahmed, echoed the sentiment.

“We are not putting blame on anyone but timely response could have saved many lives,” he told Arab News. 

Like Bilal’s family, the Ahmeds too found out about Sohail’s passing because a stranger picked up his cellphone and informed them that he had been found dead with three others in a car. 

Local journalist Tayyab Gondol also traveled to Murree by public transport on Friday to enjoy the snow and said he survived and made it back only because he got off the bus and trundled through the snow on foot. 

“We were on public transport,” he told Arab News. “We were lucky that we were not having our own car, otherwise could have met the same fate.”

His cousin Naveed Iqbal, a police officer from Islamabad, however, was not so lucky. Iqbal died in his car with seven others — three daughters, a son and his sister, niece and nephew. 

When the nightmare struck on Friday evening, Iqbal called Gondol and asked for help, saying his car was stuck amid continuing snowfall.

“After talking to Iqbal, I called every responsible official CTO (chief traffic officer), Murree police officers, local administration and other high officials in Rawalpindi but no one responded with concrete actions,” Gondal said, adding that he kept sharing the live location of Iqbal with various officials but most responded that they were aware of the situation and promised that the roads would be clear “very soon.”

“I received his last message at 4am on Saturday in which he said they were still stuck on the same spot without any help,” Gondol said. 

He lamented that the government had only spring into action once news of the crisis went viral on social media. 

“The administration should have issued a red alert about the weather and snow and stopped vehicles at the toll plaza,” He added. “That could have saved many precious lives.”
 


Pakistan says 98 percent of pilgrims under government scheme issued Hajj visas

Updated 05 May 2025
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Pakistan says 98 percent of pilgrims under government scheme issued Hajj visas

  • Remaining 2 percent could not be granted Hajj visas due to biometric verification, particularly for pilgrims from remote areas, says official
  • Says Pakistan Hajj Mission has so far received approximately 14,670 Pakistani pilgrims in Madinah, who arrived via 60 flights from various airlines

ISLAMABAD: Ninety-eight percent of Pakistani pilgrims under the government scheme have been issued Hajj visas so far, state-run media reported, adding that the remaining two percent could not be granted the travel permit due to a biometric data issue. 

Pakistan launched its Hajj flight operations on Apr. 29 which will continue till May 31. Pilgrims will continue to leave for Madinah during the first 15 days of the operation and afterwards will land in Jeddah and travel directly to Makkah.

This year’s annual pilgrimage will take place in June, with nearly 89,000 Pakistanis expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme and 23,620 Pakistanis through private tour operators. The total quota granted to Pakistan was 179,210, which could not be met.

“Hajj visas have been issued to 98 percent of intending Pakistani pilgrims so far, while the remaining cases are expected to be cleared shortly,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Sunday. 

Quoting religious affairs ministry spokesperson Muhammad Umer Butt, APP said the remaining two percent of visas could not be granted due to a biometric data issue, particularly for pilgrims residing in remote areas of the country.

“The Ministry of Religious Affairs is actively pursuing the pending visa cases, and the process will be completed soon,” Butt was quoted as saying. 

He said the religious affairs ministry’s Hajj IT cell is in constant contact with pilgrims to facilitate the process. Butt said pilgrims who were unable to travel to Saudi Arabia due to visa delays or personal issues would be accommodated on alternative flights.

The official said Hajj camps set up by the ministry are operating seven days a week to assist pilgrims. 

According to Butt, the Pakistan Hajj Mission has so far received approximately 14,670 Pakistani pilgrims in Madinah by Sunday. They arrived through 60 flights operated by various airlines from Pakistan’s major cities under the government scheme.

“As many as 11 flights, carrying 2,500 more pilgrims are scheduled to arrive in the holy city of Madinah on Monday,” Butt was quoted as saying. 

Butt said the first group of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims who completed their eight-day stay in Madinah will depart for Makkah on May 7.

Pilgrims from across the world are converging in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, which begins on the 8th of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar.


Russia says willing to help resolve India-Pakistan differences over Kashmir

Updated 05 May 2025
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Russia says willing to help resolve India-Pakistan differences over Kashmir

  • Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks to Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar amid regional tensions
  • Russia has been India’s largest weapons provider for decades, with both enjoying close ties since Soviet times

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to his Pakistani counterpart on Sunday and offered Russia’s help in resolving tensions between Pakistan and India over Kashmir, the Foreign Ministry said.

“Particular attention was paid to the significant rise in tension between New Delhi and Islamabad,” the ministry said in a statement, referring to Lavrov’s conversation with Ishaq Dar, who is also Pakistan’s deputy prime minister.

“It was stressed that Russia is ready to act for a political settlement of the situation resulting from the act of terrorism of April 22 in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley, in the event of a mutual desire on the part of Islamabad and New Delhi,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on Telegram.

Lavrov’s conversation with Dar took place two days after he spoke with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and also called for a settlement of differences between the two neighboring countries.

Suspected militants killed at least 26 people in last week’s attack on a mountain tourist destination in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley.

Muslim-majority Kashmir is claimed by both countries and has been the focus of several wars, an insurgency and diplomatic standoffs.

Russia has been India’s largest weapons provider for decades and New Delhi and Moscow have had close ties since Soviet times. 
 


Iranian FM arrives in Pakistan to strengthen bilateral ties, discuss regional developments

Updated 47 min 22 sec ago
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Iranian FM arrives in Pakistan to strengthen bilateral ties, discuss regional developments

  • Iran has offered to mediate amid tensions between India, Pakistan over Apr. 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir
  • Seyyed Abbas Araghchi to meet Pakistan’s president, prime minister and deputy prime minister, says foreign office

ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan on Monday, the Pakistani foreign office said, with his visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and discussing regional developments amid Islamabad’s soaring tensions with New Delhi. 

Pakistan and Iran enjoy close ties and have signed several pacts in trade, energy and security in recent years. The two countries have also been at odds over instability on their shared porous border, but have quickly moved to ease tensions each time.

Araghchi’s visit comes in the background of surging tensions between India and Pakistan after the Apr. 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 tourists were killed. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, a charge which Islamabad strongly denies. Tensions have soared between the nuclear-armed neighbors who have announced a raft of punitive measures against each other, while their forces have exchanged fire along their de facto border in Kashmir for 10 consecutive days.

“Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on an official visit,” the Pakistani foreign office said, adding that he was received by Additional Secretary West Asia Syed Asad Gillani, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan and other senior officials.

“He will hold important meetings with the Pakistani leadership including the president, prime minister and the deputy prime minister.”

In an earlier statement on Sunday, the foreign office said Araghchi’s visit reflects both countries’ commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation. It said that the two sides will also exchange views on regional and global developments.

Iran has offered to mediate the crisis between Pakistan and India, with Araghchi saying his country is “ready to use its good offices” to resolve the standoff. The offer came amid fears that India may carry out limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the border with Pakistan. A Pakistani minister said last week that Islamabad has “credible intelligence” India is planning to attack Pakistan within days.

Pakistani leaders, who have already reached out to foreign capitals over India’s aggressive posturing since the Kashmir attack, are expected to discuss with Araghchi the latest crisis with New Delhi.


Pakistan says wants peace, promises ‘befitting reply’ in case of any aggression by India

Updated 04 May 2025
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Pakistan says wants peace, promises ‘befitting reply’ in case of any aggression by India

  • Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Kashmir that killed 26 tourists
  • There have been fears that New Delhi may carry out limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the border with Pakistan, leading to a wider conflict

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan wants peace in the region, but it will give a “befitting reply” if a war was imposed by India, security sources said on Sunday, citing a Pakistani military spokesman.
The statement came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam town that killed 26 tourists on April 22. New Delhi has blamed the assault on Pakistan, Islamabad denies involvement and calls for a credible international probe into it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth” and there have been fears that India may carry out limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the border with Pakistan. A Pakistani minister said this week Islamabad had “credible intelligence” India was planning to attack Pakistan.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry held a closed-door meeting with Pakistani political leaders on Monday, wherein the participants pondered over national security affairs in view of the “Pahalgam false flag operation,” according to security sources.
“Pakistan is a peaceful country and wants peace in the region,” the sources quoted Lt. Gen. Chaudhry as telling the participants. “But if aggression is imposed on Pakistan, then the Pakistani forces are ready to give a befitting reply to the enemy.”
During the meeting, Information Minister Tarar informed the participants about the government’s diplomatic measures after India’s accusations, while Lt. Gen. Chaudhry gave a briefing about the Pakistan’s preparations to thwart any possible Indian military action.
Top Pakistani leaders have reached out to foreign capitals and senior officials in China, United States, Russia, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Iran and other countries, amid fears that India’s possible action over the April 22 attack may lead to a wider conflict in the region.
On Monday, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, spoke with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov and apprised him of the recent regional developments.
“He [Dar] rejected India’s baseless allegations and inflammatory rhetoric against Pakistan, and condemned India’s unilateral & illegal move to hold the IWT [Indus Waters Treaty] in abeyance which is a violation of its international obligations,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
“DPM/FM emphasized that Pakistan would resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and national interests.”
India suspended the 1960 World Bank-mediated treaty a day after the Pahalgam attack, saying the suspension would last until “Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.” Pakistan has described the suspension of treat as an “act of war.”
There have been reports of skirmishes between Pakistani and Indian troops along their de facto border in Kashmir since the April 22 attack. The disputed region is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety. The two countries have fought two wars and one limited conflict over the Himalayan territory.
“FM Lavrov expressed concern over the situation and stressed the importance of diplomacy to resolve issues. He emphasized that both sides should exercise restraint and avoid escalation,” the Pakistani foreign ministry added.


OIC’s COMSTECH to hold International Water Conference in Islamabad this week

Updated 05 May 2025
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OIC’s COMSTECH to hold International Water Conference in Islamabad this week

  • The conference is being held at a time when India has threatened to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty that ensures water for 80 percent Pakistani farmland
  • The global event on emerging technologies, water security will provide a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and collaborative dialogue, COMSTECH says

ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) will hold an International Water Conference in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on May 6–7, the committee said on Sunday, aiming to ensure sustainable management of water resources.
The conference on ‘Emerging Technologies for Water Security and Socio-Economic Development’ will take place at the OIC-COMSTECH Secretariat Islamabad. It will convene researchers, practitioners, academicians, and policymakers from around the world to address critical issues related to water management and sustainability.
Water security remains a critical issue for many OIC member states, while challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, pollution and inefficient resource management continue to threaten economic and social development.
Pakistan is among countries with highest rate of water consumption in the world. Rainfall has steadily declined over the past few decades and experts have been warning for years the South Asian country will approach “absolute scarcity” of water by 2025.
“The conference aims to foster in-depth discussions that will inform policy and practice, stimulate cross-sectoral collaboration, and promote innovative approaches for the sustainable management of water resources,” COMSTECH said on Sunday.
“Proceedings and a detailed post-conference report will be published to capture key insights, research findings, and actionable recommendations for long-term impact.”
Pakistan witnessed drought conditions in several areas amid a below-normal rainfall deficit of 40 percent from Sept. 1 to Mar. 21, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. There was an “acute shortage” of stored water in the Tarbela and Mangla dams, while water in different rivers flowed at an “extreme low level.”
Pakistan’s agriculture sector, which contributes nearly a quarter of Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 37 percent of the national labor force, uses the most amount of fresh water than any other sector. The South Asian country generally relies on water from the Indus river which bisects it from north to south, where it empties into the Arabian Sea.
The water conference is being held at a time when Islamabad is facing a threat from India to suspend the 1960 World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty, which ensures water for 80 percent of Pakistani farms, amid tensions between the two neighbors over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists on April 22.
Islamabad has described the move as an “act of war” and said it would take “all appropriate steps” to safeguard its due share of water.
COMSTECH said the International Water Conference in Islamabad will provide a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and collaborative dialogue, with attendees engaging in academic presentations, interactive panel discussions, and specialized technical sessions.
“Over 80 scholarly papers will be presented under diverse sub-themes, including Environment and Climate Change, Food and Agriculture, Glaciology and Snow Hydrology, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Circular Water Economy, Policy and Governance, and Artificial Intelligence for Water Security,” it said.
COMTECH is organizing the conference in collaboration with the Riphah Institute of Public Policy, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Water Aid and the University of Haripur.