Pakistan

Lahore holds the sad record of being the most polluted city in the world. The health of 127 million inhabitants is at risk. Hospitals are overwhelmed with respiratory diseases, with children most at risk. Experts say it is ‘no longer’ just a ‘seasonal’ problem. Drastic and coordinated action is needed, but the government is failing to act.

In a statement, a group representing Australia’s Pakistani community described the incident as a "horrific act of violence" that "shocked our community." The Bondi Beach attack in Sydney was allegedly the work of a father and son of Pakistani origin who had ties to the Islamic State. The hero who risked his life to disarm them was from Syria. In Pakistan, political leaders slammed the attack, saying that their country is “also victim of terrorism." For Pope Leo, “Enough with these forms of antisemitic violence!”

Retired General Faiz Hameed, former director of Pakistan's intelligence services, was court marshalled for abuse of power and conspiracy related to the May 2023 violence, when hundreds of people protested demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. This is the first time a former intelligence chief was formally convicted. The sentence is part of a reorganisation of relations between the military and political leaders, following the recent strengthening of the military's role, raising concerns about the rule of law.

After focusing on the opportunities opened up by the US withdrawal, China now has to contend with the new winds of war between Kabul and Islamabad, which are also affecting the thousands of Chinese working on one of the most important routes of the Belt and Road Initiative. Meanwhile, the Taliban are recruiting contingents from the Uighur diaspora.

The NGO Minority Concern calls for "concrete and measurable steps”. Despite some commitments made by the authorities, major gaps persist. Minorities are still victims of discrimination, violence, and socioeconomic marginalisation. Naveed Walter laments the growing use of blasphemy legislation to target Christians, Ahmadis, and Hindus.

AsiaNews met with residents of Kartarpur, in the district of Narowal, devastated by floods in recent months. For days, people found refuge on the roof of the church, one of the few buildings to have survived the fury of the waters. Thanks to international support and donations collected by a parish in Hong Kong, food, clothing and medicines arrived.

The Punjab government has increased fines for traffic violations and introduced a penalty point system. For activist Zafar Iqbal, “the positive impact is already visible.” Decades of negligence have led to chaos, notes journalist Hamza Arshad. Unhappy, ordinary people want a review of priorities.

The country wants to diversify its trade routes with the region, reducing its dependence on Pakistan. This trend has strengthened after recent hostilities with its neighbour. In the last month, Afghan traders have lost 200 million dollars. The trade balance with the five Central Asian countries has reached 1.7 billion.

Pakistan lacks the infrastructure needed to dispose of its ever-increasing waste, which includes an estimated 270,000 tonnes of textile waste produced each year. Poverty and inflation are pushing millions of Pakistanis to rely on second-hand clothing. In 2021, the EU exported about 1.4 million tonnes of used textiles or unwanted clothing worldwide.

India wants China to open a flight corridor over Xinjiang, even though the area is highly militarised. Tensions with India have led Pakistan to close its airspace to Indian aircraft, causing Air India losses estimated at over US$ 450 million a year. Meanwhile, closures of land crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan are paralysing regional trade, leading Ariana Afghan Airlines to lower fares to Indian markets.

An explosion outside a district court in the Pakistani capital killed at least 12 people and injured dozens. The attack comes at a time of growing internal instability and heightened tensions with India and Afghanistan. While the army is busy fighting the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) in the border regions, the Senate yesterday approved the 27th constitutional amendment, which expands the army chief's powers and creates a new Federal Constitutional Court.

For years, a mother suffering from health problems and her son lived in conditions of slavery in a brick kiln in Pakistan. A debt contracted with the owner after the husband’s death turned out to be a trap. Their freedom was regained thanks to the intervention of a Christian activist. Now they face the challenge of rebuilding their lives from scratch — without a home, savings, or a stable source of income.