“So I want to state that this is a time for self-accountability, that when you encroach or invite it or allow any person … and make such [housing] schemes, then nature reacts.”

Faisal Sheikh

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said in the National Assembly that any climate change in the country is due to “our own actions”.

He said the recent floods were the third or fourth major “catastrophe” in the country in the last 12 or 15 years.

“With that, we have done value addition that we created hotels and houses on waterways, the main route and path of the river has been encroached and presumed that it’s a sewer so housing colonies can be made here.

“So I want to state that this is a time for self-accountability, that when you encroach or invite it or allow any person … and make such [housing] schemes, then nature reacts.”

He said in all of Pakistan, from the cloudbursts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the rains in Punjab, the natural jurisdiction of rivers was interfered with by humans.

Meanwhile, the district administration in Islamabad has been placed on high alert after the capital city received fresh showers, as per Islamabad DC Irfan Memon.

The Islamabad DC has directed the relevant authorities to ensure monitoring of low-lying areas and drains. Memon also instructed respective assistant commissioners to be present in the field to oversee the situation.

The water level in the Punjab’s rivers is expected to rise after the High Commission of India informed Pakistan of incoming floodwater from Harike and Ferozpur headworks, according to the Pakistan Commission for Indus Water.

“Harike and Ferozpur along the Sutlej in India are at high flood level as of 8am on Sept 1, which will affect the water levels in the respective downstream districts,” the Punjab PDMA said in an advisory.

ISLAMABAD, SEPT 1 /DNA/ – Lieutenant General Thiab Saqer Abdulla Al Nuaimi, Chief of Staff, Bahrain Defence Force, called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force during his visit to Air Headquarters, Islamabad. The meeting focused on key areas of mutual interest and exploring avenues of enhanced cooperation between the two countries. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to sustained military-to-military engagement, emphasizing joint training and collective growth as a unified team.

Upon his arrival, a smartly turned-out contingent of Pakistan Air Force presented Guard of Honour to Lieutenant General Thiab Saqer Abdulla Al Nuaimi.

The Air Chief extended a gracious welcome to the distinguished guests, highlighting that Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy deep-rooted religious and historic bonds, which are reflected in the exemplary military to miltary relationships between the two countries. During the meeting, Chief of the Air Staff reiterated his resolve to further expand the bilateral military cooperation, particularly in the domains of joint training and knowledge-sharing initiatives. He further emphasized that Pakistan deeply values its strong diplomatic and defence ties with Bahrain, which are firmly anchored in shared commitment of both the countries on regional peace, security and stability.

The visiting dignitary lauded the professionalism of PAF personnel and commended the remarkable strides made by Pakistan Air Force, particularly in indigenization and technological advancement. Underscoring the significance of knowledge-sharing in Multi Domain operations to augment the operational readiness of Bahrain Air Force, he conveyed his earnest desire to gain deeper insight into PAF’s complete methodology of Multi Domain warfare, with the aim of learning from its rich operational experience. The visiting dignitary also expressed interest in initiating joint training programs for Bahraini pilots and engineers at all levels. Chief of Staff, Bahrain Defence Force was highly appreciative of PAF’s indigenization efforts and particularly commended the role of National Aerospace Science & Technology Park in spearheading innovation and building advanced indigenous capabilities. Later, the dignitary visited National ISR & Integrated Air Operations Centre and PAF Cyber Command, where he was briefed on the operational capabilities of Pakistan Air Force.

This meeting between Chief of the Air Staff and Chief of Staff, Bahrain Defence Force signifies a resolute commitment of both countries to reinforce military partnership, fostering collaboration and promoting robust relations.

Muhammad Irfan

The present world is rapidly growing in technology and the digital era. Technology has become an essential component in every aspect of life, from eating and drinking to sleeping and rising in the morning, from entertainment and enjoyment to medicine, education, jobs, agriculture, and advanced industries. Every single thing has become dependent on technology. In Pakistan, where over 100 million people now use the internet, this digital tide offers hope for a nation yearning to educate its youth, yet millions in rural areas remain cut off by patchy networks and power outages. Higher education, once confined to lecture halls and scarce resources, now stands at the cusp of a digital revolution. By embracing technology, Pakistan can transform its universities into gateways of opportunity, if it can overcome the barriers of underfunding and unequal access.

This technological wave beckons Pakistan to reimagine higher education, where students from the mountains of Chitral to the plains of Sindh can learn without limits. Still, the gross enrolment ratio in higher education is lower at 12 percent in the country compared to global standards, and public universities have been struggling with overcrowded seats and obsolete infrastructure. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has initiated digital projects such as online education and learning, but this is hampered by insufficient budgets and a lack of trained faculty. Technology is the solution to this, and it promises to fill these gaps with online courses and digital tools that can make education accessible and relevant in a digital world. The potential is immense- Pakistan can equip its young population of 60 percent to compete in the global market, only by using infrastructure and digital literacy to make sure that none of the students are left behind.

Libraries, once the sole keepers of knowledge, have been eclipsed by the internet’s vast digital libraries, e-books, and online databases, opening a world of information to students and educators alike. In Pakistan, where rural libraries are nearly nonexistent and urban ones often outdated, this shift is a lifeline, letting a student in Quetta access global research with a click. But digital literacy lags—many students, especially in remote regions, struggle to navigate online resources, and slow internet hinders their efforts. Yuval Noah Harari’s words capture the stakes: “The most important skills of the 21st century are not reading and writing, but critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.” The internet’s endless data can spark these skills, turning a young mind in Peshawar into a critical thinker, but Pakistan must train its youth to wield this tool effectively.

The delivery of education has been reshaped by technology, breaking barriers of distance and circumstance. Online platforms, like those transforming Allama Iqbal Open University from postal courses to digital classrooms, bring learning to Pakistan’s 60 percent rural population, where universities are often out of reach. An online program can allow a shopkeeper in Gwadar or a mother in Swat to obtain degrees through flexible programs. However, unstable internet and regular power outages undermine this promise, and most schools do not have the servers or the know-how to implement strong e-learning. Blended learning, which is a combination of online and face-to-face learning, could be a potential solution to personalize education; however, the digital infrastructure in Pakistan requires immediate improvements. Investment in connectivity and education can transform a dream into reality by making education the right of every individual in the country.

Communication, the soul of learning, thrives in the digital age. Tools like WhatsApp, email, and online forums allow students in Lahore to collaborate with students in Islamabad, exchanging ideas with professors at once. The virtual solution, such as Zoom, can save time and is a way to bring faculty spread across universities located in various parts of Pakistan to meet each other and become creative. The digital divide continues, however, with poor reception in the rural regions of Balochistan and resources strained in the urban megacities such as Karachi. Administrators share updates via digital tools, but most of them are incompetent in taking full advantage of these tools. The potential is obvious: professionally providing the universities with quality technology and educating personnel to forge dynamic academic societies that are as good as anywhere in the world can make the scholars in Pakistan a unifying force in the pursuit of knowledge.

In higher education, data seems to swim everywhere: grades, enrolments, and the demand for resources. The analytics enabled by technology can use this data to generate insights that could then guide an institution such as Punjab University to streamline its courses or assist students in need. In Pakistan, where universities are overcrowded and youth unemployment rates are running at nearly 8 percent, analytics could place education where employment opportunities prevail and enhance the future of graduates. However, not many institutions possess the tools or knowledge to make decisions based on data, and there is a low number of technical training programs. The possibilities are radical—envision universities forecasting dropouts or programming to meet industry demands and boosting Pakistan’s economy. Such an investment in analytics transforms education in the country, not merely making it available but effective in defining a future where all graduates prosper.

Technology’s revolution in higher education is Pakistan’s chance to soar, turning universities into engines of progress for a nation of 240 million. Digital libraries can break geographical barriers; those who are unreachable can be accessed through online platforms, and smarter institutions can be built through analytics. However, the journey is uphill because poor funding of universities, a lack of stable internet connections, and minimal digital literacy can widen existing gaps. To turn this around, Pakistan must take strong steps forward: increase investment in the HEC, collaborate with tech companies to invest in infrastructure, and educate teachers to adopt digital technologies. The young generation, the heartbeat of Pakistan, needs to be prepared through their education to live in a digital world. Will we seize this moment to build a future where knowledge knows no bounds, or will we let old barriers hold us back? The time to choose is now.

Muhammad Irfan

[email protected]

TIANJIN: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders on Monday strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s (IIOJK) Pahalgam area, on the Jaffar Express, and in Khuzdar, pledging deeper multilateral cooperation and concrete measures to combat terrorism.

In a joint statement issued after the Council of Heads of State meeting in Tianjin, the leaders stressed that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks must be held accountable, reaffirming their strong commitment to combating terrorism, separatism and extremism.

The SCO members underlined the unacceptability of using terrorist and extremist groups for political or selfish purposes, while recognising the primary role of sovereign states in countering these threats.

Pakistan and India recently engaged in a four-day armed conflict following the April 22 Pahalgam attack. New Delhi, without offering any evidence, claimed that Islamabad was behind the attack — allegations that Pakistan has denied.

In response to India’s cross-border strikes, Pakistan had launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos after downing six Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafales.

After the brief war, India in June refused to sign a joint document during a high-level SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in China due to its mentioning terrorist activities in Pakistan’s Balochistan and lack of reference to the Pahalgam incident. The huddle decided not to issue a joint statement over a lack of consensus on the terrorism issue.

However, Pakistan secured a major win after the United States formally designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its militant faction, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). Majeed Brigade was also listed as an alias to BLA’s previous listing as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group.

The India-backed BLA, first designated as an SDGT in 2019, claimed responsibility for the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, which left 31 civilians and security personnel martyred and saw more than 300 passengers taken hostage.

Today’s declaration — signed by all SCO members — also highlighted the importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing terrorism and its financing, noting the outcome of the International High-Level Conference on Border Security under the Dushanbe Process. The next round of the conference will be held in New York in 2026, the statement added.

The leaders appreciated the role of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in facilitating joint counterterrorism exercises, information-sharing, and monitoring efforts. They noted the results of the joint anti-terrorism drills “Interaction – Anti-Terror – 2024” held in China’s Xinjiang region last July, and affirmed readiness to expand such initiatives.

To counter extremist ideology, the SCO members adopted a new 2026–2030 Program of Cooperation, aimed at implementing the Convention on Countering Extremism signed in Astana in 2017. The program focuses on preventing the spread of radical ideologies, religious intolerance, xenophobia, aggressive nationalism, and racial discrimination within the SCO region.

Middle East crisis
Meanwhile, the SCO member states also noted that the only possible way to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East is through a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian question.

They strongly condemned the military strikes by Israel and the United States against Iran in June 2025.

“Such aggressive actions against civilian targets, including nuclear energy infrastructure, which resulted in the death of civilians, constitute a gross violation of the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter, and an infringement on the sovereignty of Iran,” the declaration added.

The SCO members undermined regional and international security, and have serious implications for global peace and stability.

“They noted that physical nuclear safety and security of nuclear facilities must be ensured on a permanent basis, including during periods of armed conflict, in order to protect the population and the environment from harm,” it added.

Xi and Putin round on West
During the summit aimed at putting Beijing front and centre of regional relations, Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin took turns to swipe at the West.

Xi told the SCO leaders that the global international situation was becoming more “chaotic and intertwined”. The Chinese leader also slammed “bullying behaviour” from certain countries — a veiled reference to the United States.

“The security and development tasks facing member states have become even more challenging,” he added in his address in the northern port city of Tianjin.

“With the world undergoing turbulence and transformation, we must continue to follow the Shanghai spirit … and better perform the functions of the organisation,” Xi said.

Putin used his speech to defend Russia’s Ukraine offensive, blaming the West for triggering the three-and-a-half-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands and devastated much of eastern Ukraine.

“This crisis wasn’t triggered by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, but was a result of a coup in Ukraine, which was supported and provoked by the West,” Putin said. “The second reason for the crisis is the West’s constant attempts to drag Ukraine into NATO.”

New global order
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi pressed his vision for a new global security and economic order — Global Governance Initiative (GGI) — that prioritises the “Global South”, in a direct challenge to the United States.

“We must continue to take a clear stand against hegemonism and power politics, and practise true multilateralism,” Xi said, in a thinly veiled swipe at the United States and President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

“Global governance has reached a new crossroads,” he added.

Outlining the framework, the Chinese president said the initiative rests on five principles: adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practising multilateralism, adopting a people-centered approach, and focusing on real actions.

Putin, whose country has forged even closer economic and security ties with China amid the fallout from the Ukraine war, said the SCO had revived “genuine multilateralism”, with national currencies increasingly used in mutual settlements.

“This, in turn, lays the political and socio-economic groundwork for the formation of a new system of stability and security in Eurasia,” Putin said.

“This security system, unlike Euro-centric and Euro-Atlantic models, would genuinely consider the interests of a broad range of countries, be truly balanced, and would not allow one country to ensure its own security at the expense of others.”

Xi called for the creation of a new SCO development bank, in what would be a major step towards the bloc’s long-held aspiration of developing an alternative payment system that circumvents the U.S. dollar and the power of US sanctions.

Beijing will provide 2 billion yuan ($280 million) of free aid to member states this year and a further 10 billion yuan of loans to an SCO banking consortium.

China will also build an artificial intelligence cooperation centre for SCO nations, which are also invited to participate in China’s lunar research station, Xi added.

— With additional input from Reuters and AFP.