Good advice for boys who are stuck with #Facebook: read this>>
One of the best #UrduPoetry on new years by Aabi Makhnavi: read this>>
نتیجہ پھر وہی ہوگا سنا ہے چال .......بدلے گا
پرندے پھر وہی ہونگے شکاری جال.... بدلے گا
بدلنا ہے تو دن بدلو بدلتے کیوں ہو ہندسے کو
مہینہ پھر وہی ہوگا سنا ہے .......سال بدلے گا
چلو ہم مان لیتے ہیں مہینہ ساٹھ..... سالوں کا
بتاؤ کتنے سالوں میں ہمارا حال........ بدلے گا
Koi har gia koi jeet gia, yeh saal bhi akhir beet gia..read full >>
کوئی ہار گیا کوئی جیت گیا
یہ سال بھی آخر بیت گیا
کبھی سپنے سجے آنکھوں میں
کبھی بیت گئے پل باتوں میں
کچھ تلخ سے لمحات بھی تھے
کچھ حادثے اور صدمات بھی تھے
کچھ بے رخی کچھ بے چینی
کچھ منہ میں سمٹی ویرانی
پر اب کہ برس ہم نے
اللہ سے دعا یہ مانگی ہے
کوئی پل نہ تیرا اُداس گزرے
کوئی روگ نہ تجھے راس گزرے
تو پھولوں کی طرح کھلا رہے
کوئی شخص نہ تجھ سے گلا کرے
تو خوش رہے آباد رہے
تو جو چاہے وہ ہو جائے
تو جو مانگے وہ مل جائے
تیری معاف وہ ہر اک خطا کرے
تجھے ایسے ہی رب عطا کرے۔ـــــ!!!
Local court in Islamabad says - Abdul Aziz is a 'wanted' man: Police
A local court in Islamabad has declared Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid as 'wanted'. A policeman said this while talking to BBC Urdu on condition of anonymity.
A senior official of Islamabad police has stated that under FIR number F569/14, Panel Code 506, Article 2 crime Maulana is a wanted convict. The case against Abdul Aziz is of issuing death threats but there is no further progress in the case.
On the other hand, a few days back the Federal Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar stated in the Parliament that the Supreme Court had taken notice of what Aziz has done in the past. Nisar asked how could Aziz could be arrested since there is no case against him.
But according to Islamabad police he has been declared as a convict. The petitioner of this case is a civil rights worker Syed Naeem Akhtar Bukhari. As per confirmed sources Civil Judge of Abpara has declared him wanted.
Aziz had justified last year's APS attack, wherein 144 school children died. But folllowing an uproar by the masses he apologized and government ended the matter.
During a protest after his statement a civil rights activist was threatened by Lal Masjid management, through a press release. In a report submitted by intelligence agencies it was stated that Lal Masjid has connection with extremists and it can be a serious threat to the security of twin cities. But despite that why has the federal government not done anything about it?
In this regard the social worker Jibran Nasir said: ”Maulana Abdul Aziz has violated the government writ on number of occasions. He has even been nominated as member of negotiation committee by Taliban. And despite that if Chaudhary Nisar says that there is no need of interrogation or investigation against him then this is a irresponsible behavior.”
He further stated:”The state entities that have soft corner for Maulana have strengthen him and propagated the idea that his stance is right. The Pakistanis who want to root out the phenomenon of extremism have been weakened.”
The courts have already given him clean chit in the case of Lal Masjid Operation 2007, but after a long silence Aziz active again for the implementation of Sharia in Pakistan. Recently the female students of Lal Masjid invited ISIS to Pakistan to establish their government. Aziz claimed he had no knowledge of this statement but never declined or accepted it.
According to some analysts, as far as the case of Lal Masjid is concerned, the government not only seems to be helpless but also tends to ignore the issue.
Source: BBC
Screaming in agony, a woman collapses as she and a man are caned under Sharia law in Indonesia ....
The whipping girl: Screaming in agony, a woman collapses as she and a man are caned under Sharia law in Indonesia merely for being 'seen in close proximity' to each other without being married
Nur Elita was marched to the yard of Baiturrahumim Mosque in Banda Aceh for violating the region's strict Sharia laws, after she allegedly showed affectionate behaviour to a fellow university student.
Under the law men and women, who are not spouses, are not allowed to get too close due to the the 'khalwat' offence and punishment is by public caning.
Also being caned was the man she was accused of getting too close to and he was forced to stand while being whipped.
Meanwhile four other men were also forced to endure the punishment for gambling, which is also outlawed under Sharia law.
According to the Jakarta Post, the caning ceremony was carried out in front of the deputy mayor of Banda Aceh Zainal Arifin.
- The woman was accused of getting too close to a fellow university student
- As the pair are unmarried, she had committed an offence under Sharia law
- She was brought to a mosque where she was caned in front of a crowd
- The woman received five lashes and at end had to be taken to hospital
Nur Elita was marched to the yard of Baiturrahumim Mosque in Banda Aceh for violating the region's strict Sharia laws, after she allegedly showed affectionate behaviour to a fellow university student.
Under the law men and women, who are not spouses, are not allowed to get too close due to the the 'khalwat' offence and punishment is by public caning.
Also being caned was the man she was accused of getting too close to and he was forced to stand while being whipped.
Meanwhile four other men were also forced to endure the punishment for gambling, which is also outlawed under Sharia law.
According to the Jakarta Post, the caning ceremony was carried out in front of the deputy mayor of Banda Aceh Zainal Arifin.
Afghanistan’s $160m new defense ministry ‘mini-Pentagon’ inaugurated
افغانستان: میں امریکی تعاون سے منی پینٹاگون تعمیر کیا گیا، افتتاح افغان صدر نے کیا۔
The new Ministry of Defense (MoD) compound, dubbed as Afghanistan’s ‘mini-Pentagon’, was formally inaugurated by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah today.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by a number of other high level government officials, including acting Defense Minister Masoom Stanikzai as well as the commander of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission and US forces in Afghanistan Gen. John F. Campbell.
President Ghani said the inauguration of the new compound of the Ministry of Defense is a step towards professionalizing the Afghan army.
He thanked the international community, particularly the United States and Germany for their support towards the Afghan nation and security forces.
Ghani also thanked the Afghan national security forces for their sacrifices and bravery as Afghanistan is witnessing instability due to an imposed war on the Afghan nation.
He reaffirmed commitment to stand alongside the families of the deceased soldiers, insisting that the government wholeheartedly appreciates the Afghan forces.
The new ministry compound has been built with the financial support of the United States with an estimated cost of $160 million.
The compound is expected to serve as the headquarters of a modern military and will help the Afghan military streamline its operations and more effectively counter the Taliban now that the U.S. and NATO combat mission has officially ended.
Besides accommodating space for 2,500 employees of the ministry, the new compound will also have barracks for officers and enlisted men, an ancillary garrison as well as a wastewater treatment facility and a power plant.
The building also has a dining hall for 1,000 people, an auditorium for more than 900 people, gyms, clinics and military courtrooms.
According to US officials quoted by Associated Press earlier in June this year, another $33.3 million was also added for some 70 tons of furniture, along with fixtures and computer equipment with another $12 million to be added for information technology alone.
The design of the new compound for the 38,500 sq. meter (414,500 sq. foot) structure was announced for a nationwide competition where a combination of the top two designs was chosen from the entries.
Khaama Press (KP)
Daesh, Lashkar-e-Islam militants bombed in Nangarhar, at least 38 killed
افغانستان: ننگار ہار میں داعش اور لشکراسلامی کے ٹھکانوں پر بم باری ، 38 ہلاک ہوگئے۔
A joint gathering of the militants of Daesh and Lashkar-e-Islam led by Mangal Bagh has been bombed by Afghan Air Force in Achin District of eastern Nangarhar province.
According to the governor of Achin District the bombardment took place in Shadal Bazar area late Monday.
Haji Ghalib Mujahid immediately did not have information about casualties of the air strike.
Meanwhile, a statement released by the Ministry of Defense this morning states that Afghan Air Force has bombed a Daesh hideout in Sulaimankhil area of Chaparhar District in past 24 hours.
According to the statement, 38 militants were killed in the airstrikes and the hideout belonging to Habibzai and Mullah Naeem destroyed.
The 38 insurgents killed include two who were trying to escape the bombardment through a motorcycle.
Several different types of weapons were also destroyed in the air strikes, the Ministry of Defense statement adds.
This comes days after 68 militants belonging to Daesh group were killed in air strikes in Nangarhar province mainly in its Achin District which is the stronghold of Daesh in eastern part of the country.
The group has been engaged in heavy clashes with security forces and pro-government militia formed by a powerful lawmaker Haji Zahir Qadir.
Most recently the group beheaded four members of the pro-government militia after which their four fighters were also decapitated.
Afghan Air Force to receive additional combat aircraft in 3 weeks: Ghani
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said Monday that the Afghan Air Force (AAF) will receive additional combat aircraft within the next three weeks.
In his speech during the inauguration of the new compound of Ministry of Defense, President Ghani thanked India for the delivery of Mi-25 gunships, calling the close-air support for the Afghan forces a critical need durig the current situation.
President Ghani further added that three Mi-25 gunships have arrived in the country and the fourth one will be delivered soon.
He also thanked the commander of the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission and US forces in Afghanistan Gen. John Campbell regarding steps taken for the delivery of additional aircraft to Afghan Air Force.
President Ghani said the first batch of the aircraft will arrive in Afghanistan in the next three weeks as the loading has been done.
This comes as reports emerged earlier last week that the first batch of fixed-wing combat aircraft consisting of four A-29 Super Tucano planes will be delivered in the month fo January.
Meanwhile, the delivery of the aircraft comes as eight Afghan Air Force pilots completed their training recently and graduated from a program hosted by the 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base in United States and will return to Afghanistan for combat.
The A-29 is a multi-role, fixed-wing aircraft that will provide the Afghan air force with an indigenous air-to-ground capability and aerial reconnaissance capabilities to support the country’s counterinsurgency operations.
Source: Khaama Press
India police arrest ex-air force officer for spy links with ISI
پاکستان کے حساس ادارے ISIسے رابطے کے الزام میں بھارتی ایئرفوس کا سابق آفیسر گرفتار۔
NEW DELHI: Delhi police said on Tuesday they have arrested a former Indian Air Force officer on charges of passing secrets to Pakistan’s spy service.
Police said the man, who is accused of giving details of air force exercises to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), had fallen victim to a “honey trap”.
“Ranjith KK has accepted to have passed air force-related information pertaining to a recent air force exercise, movements of aircraft and deployment of various units in air force,” said Ravindra Yadav, Delhi police joint commissioner of crime, in a statement.
Police said the ISI used a woman to lure him into passing on top-secret information through mobile phone and the Internet.
“As per the investigation so far, it has been assessed that (he) was befooled by the cross-border spies,” Yadav added.
The arrest comes days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a surprise visit to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to try to ease troubled relations. AFP
Cow dung patties become popular online item in India
NEW DELHI (AP) — Like consumers around the globe, Indians are flocking to the online marketplace in droves these days. But there’s one unusual item flying off the virtual shelves: Online retailers say cow dung patties are selling like hot cakes.
The patties — cow poop mixed with hay and dried in the sun, made mainly by women in rural areas and used to fuel fires — have long been available in India’s villages. But online retailers including Amazon and eBay are now reaching out to the country’s ever-increasing urban population, feeding into the desire of older city folks to harken back to their childhood in the village.
Some retailers say they’re offering discounts for large orders. Some customers are asking for gift wrapping.
“Cow dung cakes have been listed by multiple sellers on our platform since October and we have received several customer orders” since then, said Madhavi Kochar, an Amazon India spokeswoman.
The orders come mostly from cities where it would be difficult to buy dung cakes, she said.
In India, where Hindus have long worshipped cows as sacred, cow dung cakes have been used for centuries for fires, whether for heating, cooking or Hindu rituals. Across rural India, piles of drying cow dung are ubiquitous.
Radhika Agarwal of ShopClues, a major online retailer in India, said demand for the cow dung cakes spiked during the recent Diwali festival season, a time when Hindus conduct prayer ceremonies at their homes, factories and offices. On a recent day, ShopClues’ website showed that the patties had sold out.
“Around Diwali, when people do a lot of pujas in their homes and workplaces, there is a lot of demand for cow dung cakes,” said Agarwal, referring to rituals performed during the popular festival.
“Increasingly, in the cold weather, people are keeping themselves warm by lighting fires” at outdoor events, she said, adding that people who grew up in rural areas find the peaty smell of dung fires pleasant.
“It reminds them of the old days,” she said.
Online retailers said people were also buying the dung cakes to light fires for ritual ceremonies to mark the beginning of the new year and for the winter festival known as Lohri, celebrated in northern India.
The cakes are sold in packages that contain two to eight pieces weighing 200 grams (7 ounces) each. Prices range from 100 to 400 rupees ($1.50 to $6) per package.
Dung cakes are also used as organic manure, and some sellers are marketing them for use in kitchen gardens.
Source: http://wishtv.com/
Watch: Hafiz Saeed launches 24X7 cyber cell, mobile app to attack India
Zee Media Bureau
One of the most wanted terrorist in India for masterminding 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Jammat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed has now created a 24-hour cyber cell to launch attacks on India.
He reportedly attended a two-day conference on terror on December 26 and 27 in Lahore, where cyber war against India was discussed.
It was called the social media conference and on the poster was written - Cyber Team, JuD.
Saeed's son was also said to be present in the conference.
One of the most wanted terrorist in India for masterminding 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Jammat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed has now created a 24-hour cyber cell to launch attacks on India.
He reportedly attended a two-day conference on terror on December 26 and 27 in Lahore, where cyber war against India was discussed.
It was called the social media conference and on the poster was written - Cyber Team, JuD.
Saeed's son was also said to be present in the conference.
Watch: Hafiz Saeed launches 24X7 cyber cell, mobile app to attack India
Zee Media Bureau
One of the most wanted terrorist in India for masterminding 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Jammat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed has now created a 24-hour cyber cell to launch attacks on India.
He reportedly attended a two-day conference on terror on December 26 and 27 in Lahore, where cyber war against India was discussed.
It was called the social media conference and on the poster was written - Cyber Team, JuD.
Saeed's son was also said to be present in the conference.
One of the most wanted terrorist in India for masterminding 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Jammat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed has now created a 24-hour cyber cell to launch attacks on India.
He reportedly attended a two-day conference on terror on December 26 and 27 in Lahore, where cyber war against India was discussed.
It was called the social media conference and on the poster was written - Cyber Team, JuD.
Saeed's son was also said to be present in the conference.
#UrduJoke - Jurwaan bachay... ☺
دو (2) جڑواں بچوں میں سے ایک رورہا تھا…..
Dad: تم اتنا رو کیوں رہے ہو۔؟
A life changing story - must read it - The rich King's four wives - read this >>
ایک بادشاہ تھا۔ جس کی چار بیویاں تھیں۔۔۔ وہ چوتھی بیوی سے سب سے زیادہ محبت کرتا تھا۔اور سب کچھ اس کی خاطر قربان کرنے کے لیے تیار تھا۔
وہ تیسری بیوی سے بھی محبت کرتا تھا، لیکن اس قدر نہیں جتنی چوتھی سے، اور کسی اور کی خاطر اس تیسری بیوی کو چھوڑ بھی سکتا تھا۔
وہ ہر مشکل وقت میں دوسری بیوی کے پاس آتا تھا، اور اس سے مشورہ لیتا تھا، اور اس کے پاس آکر سکون محسوس کرتا تھا؛
لیکن پہلی بیوی کو وہ کوئی اہمیت نہ دیتا تھا۔۔۔ حالانکہ اسے اس بیوی سے بھی محبت تھی، اوروہ ہر مشکل وقت میں اس کے کام آتی تھی۔ ایک دن بادشاہ بیمار ہوا۔
اس نے سب بیویوں سے پوچھا:
میری چار بیویاں ہیں۔ میں قبر میں اکیلے ہرگز نہ جاوں گا۔ تم میں سے کون میرے ساتھ جانے کے لیے تیار ہے؟؟
چوتھی نے کہا: ہرگز ایسا ممکن نہیں۔ یہ نہیں ہو سکتا۔
تیسری نے کہا: ہرگز ٰ نہیں۔ زندگی بہت پیاری ہے۔ میں تمہارے بعد کسی اور سے شادی کروں گی۔
دوسری نے کہا: میں تمہارے ساتھ قبر میں تو نہیں جا سکتی۔ ہاں تمہیں قبر تک پہنچا دوں گی۔
اب پہلی بیوی کی باری آئی تو اس نے کہا:
میں قبر میں تمہارے ساتھ ہوں گی۔ تم جہاں جاو گے میں ساتھ ہوں گی۔ اب بادشاہ کو اپنے کئے پر شرمندگی ہوئی۔ کہ زندگی بھر اس باوفا بیوی کے ساتھ اچھا سلوک نہیں کیا تھا۔ حقیقت یہ ہے۔
کہ ہم میں سے ہر کسی کی چار بیویاں ہیں:
چوتھی: ہمارا جسم۔ جتنا اس کا خیال رکھیں موت کے وقت ساتھ چھوڑ دیتا ہے۔
تیسری: مال ودولت۔ موت کے وقت اوروں کے ہاتھوں میں چلا جاتا ہے۔
دوسری : دوست اور رشتہ دار۔ جتنے بھی اچھے ہوں ہمیں صرف قبر تک پہنچا دیں گے۔
پہلی : ہمارے نیک اعمال۔ اس بارے ہم عام طور پر بے پروائی کرتے ہیں۔ لیکن صرف اسی نے ہمارے ساتھ قبر میں جانا ہے۔
The above story in #English
The Rich King's Four Wives
Once upon a time there was a rich king who had four wives. He loved the fourth wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the third wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another man.
He also loved his second wife. She was his confidante and was always kind, considerate, and patient with him. Whenever the king faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.
The king's first wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!
One day, the king fell ill and knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, 'I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone.'
Thus, he asked the fourth wife, 'I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?'
'No way!' replied the fourth wife, and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.
The sad king then asked the third wife, 'I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?'
'No!' she replied. 'Life is too good! When you die, I'll remarry!'
His heart turned cold. He then asked the second wife, 'I have always turned to you for help, and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?'
'I'm sorry, but I can't help this time!' replied the second wife. 'At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.' Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning. The king was devastated.
Then a voice called out: 'I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.'
The king looked up and saw his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, he said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!'
In truth, we all have the four wives in our lives:
- Our fourth wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.
- Our third wife is our possessions, status, and wealth. When we die, these will go to others.
- Our second wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, they can't go with us past the grave.
- Our first wife is our soul.
We often neglect it in pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasures of the world. However, our soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go. Cultivate, strengthen, and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue with us throughout eternity.
$7.6 million project to prevent glacial lake flash floods in G-B
by Reuters
BAGROT VALLEY: Nestled at the foot of five snow-capped mountain peaks in Gilgit-Baltistan, the villages of the Bagrot valley face fearsome flooding risks.
As glaciers retreat, they leave behind lakes supported by ice dams or accumulations of rock and soil. Inherently unstable, these dams often burst, sending huge volumes of water rushing into the villages below them.
But a project to build protective structures around vulnerable villages has found a way to lessen the risks and the damage.
“Outbursts can trigger a release of millions of cubic metres of water and debris in a few hours,” said Khalil Ahmed, national manager of the Pakistan GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) project. But walls can help divert the water, he said.
The four-year, $7.6 million project, which focuses on Bagrot valley in Gilgit-Baltistan and Bindo Gol valley in the northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, has since 2011 built flood diversion walls around more than 10 vulnerable villages.
Some of the barriers are made up of concrete steps, while others use stone-filled wire-mesh cages to divert floodwater, debris and ice away from buildings and land and instead direct it into the rivers flowing through the valleys.
Diverting the water
With funding and logistical support from the UN’s Adaptation Fund, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Pakistan government, the project is already producing promising results, experts say.
When a glacial lake burst in April 2014 and another in July 2015, both triggering flash floods in the Bagrot valley, the walls saved village properties and maize and vegetable crops from being washed away, said Shahadat Noor, a potato farmer in Bagrot.
“The structures veered the floodwater flow off the settlements and croplands, sending it gushing safely through the valley,” he told Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Local people say the project has also helped mountain communities regain confidence in their ability to withstand such floods.
“We do know we cannot control glacial melt and erratic or intense rains,” said Mazhar Hussain, a community development specialist who runs the Dubani Development Organisation, which works on the Pakistan GLOF Project.
“But we can, at least, minimise the risk of GLOF, (flash) floods, landslides or land erosion by adapting to the impacts of global warming on the valley’s glaciers,” he said.
As well as bolstering Bagrot’s defences against glacial flooding, said Hussain, the project has designated nine safe havens from flooding: high, open and flat areas, equipped with toilets and access to drinking water, that villagers can use as temporary shelters when floods hit.
Over the last three years, construction on such defences has begun in 15 different Bagrot mountain villages identified by the communities as vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods or flash flooding, Hussain added.
Sajid Ali, a young farmer in the Bagrot valley, said his village used to fear flash floods that threatened to sweep away homes, farm plots and centuries-old irrigation channels.
“But such is the case no more,” he said, standing in the shadow of the Hinarchi glacier.
Adapting to the inevitable
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, in 2010 there were about 2,400 glacier lakes in Pakistan’s north. Now there are over 3,000, according to the department, and the number is expected to keep growing as temperatures continue to rise, summers grow longer and warmer, and winters get shorter.
Ghulam Rasul, the meteorological department’s director-general and former senior climatologist, said more than seven glacial lake outbursts have been recorded in the last two years in the country’s north.
The department currently has 52 glacial lakes in the north flagged as likely to burst at any time, he said.
And the problem isn’t limited to Pakistan. Nepal, Bhutan and India are also critically vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods and flash floods, climatologists say.
In June 2013, devastating flooding in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand killed more than 5,000 people, and the Sunkoshi landslide tragedy in Nepal in August 2014 left at least 150 dead.
Climatologists at Pakistan’s Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC) and the Pakistan Meteorological Department warn that as the number of glacial lakes continues to grow, outbursts will be hard to avoid. The focus should be on finding ways to protect communities from the inevitable, they say.
Replicating the measures in the Bagrot valley could “help stave off loss of life and livelihoods in the mountain communities and downstream areas,” said Munir Sheikh, former head of climatology and environment at the impact studies centre in Islamabad.
Read more on Express Tribune
What does the Paris Agreement mean for Pakistan?
Twenty-three years after the Earth Summit of 1992, it took just a few minutes for the Paris climate agreement to be adopted on December 12th at COP21. I watched it happen live on a video screen put up in the hallways of the Le Bourget conference center, as with my media badge, I could not get into the plenary that final day.
Ministers hugged each other and there were plenty of wide smiles and applause. The media stationed outside the plenary went into a frenzy, with bleary-eyed TV journalists from all over the world, excitedly announcing the “victory” to their cameras.
Yes, the 196 countries of the world that are signatory to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (which was born at the Earth Summit) had finally come to a consensus agreement on climate change, and that was a moment to celebrate.
Governments across the world have now given a commitment to keep the rise in global temperatures “well below” 2 degrees C compared to pre-industrial times, while striving to limit them even more, to 1.5 degrees.
However, will the outcome of the Paris agreement be enough to save the poorest and most vulnerable countries from the devastation caused by impacts like floods, hurricanes and droughts?
A few hours earlier that Saturday, when the final draft of the agreement was released online, I had hurried to the conference centre from my hotel in the heart of the city, taking the train, and then the shuttle to the Le Bourget center.
At the enormous conference center set up on the site of an old airport outside Paris, the halls were rather quiet – many delegates had already gone home as the conference was supposed to have ended on Friday.
The media room was buzzing with activity as the text of the new agreement was printed out and almost every computer terminal was taken. I had reached in time for the press conference organised by the Climate Action Network (CAN), a coalition of around 150 NGOs working on climate issues. Their spokeswoman, Ria Voorher informed us that the agreement would “be graveled through later today”; so in effect, the final deal was more or less reached.
The next day, there were to be regional elections in France and it was important for French President Francois Hollande to have the climate deal featured in the media by Saturday night, as a boost for his ruling party.
It was also important for President Obama to have a successful outcome in Paris included in his legacy, as he prepares to leave the White House. He, along with the Secretary General of UN, Ban Ki Moon worked tirelessly all year long with the French government to ensure that there would be an agreement in Paris.
At the press conference organised by CAN, Samantha Smith of WWF International explained: “It was important to include the 1.5 degrees critical threshold (for global warming) – the survival of the Arctic, coral reefs and Pacific islands depends upon this… the latest draft sends a very strong signal that governments have committed to be in line with the science. Governments have recognised the climate crisis and now we need to see action on the ground in all countries – the Paris Agreement gives us the framework to do it and as for actions, it is up to everyone to deliver”.
Kumi Naidoo, the head of Greenpeace International added: “We are still not out of the hole as yet, however. Nations who caused the problem have promised little help to vulnerable countries – we will need to mobilise in greater numbers… we stand for a future powered by renewable energy and we believe we can win. Paris is just a stop on an ongoing journey”.
Earlier that day, thousands of people gathered in the streets of Paris with long red banners urging the world “not to cross the lines that will lead to catastrophic global warming”. More than 10,000 people participated in the rally, which came after the French government lifted a ban on protests issued after the terrorist attacks of November 13.
The protesters unfurled the banners starting at the Arc de Triomphe and stretching along the boulevard Avenue de la Grande Armée. They read: "It's up to us to keep it in the ground” referring to fossil fuels. Thousands carried red tulips and foghorns sounded to honour victims of climate change. There are countless numbers of people around the world who have lost their lives in disasters caused by climate change.
Pakistan, which ranks number 8 in the global list of countries most affected by climate related disasters, is now hit by flooding each year; in 2015 it was the district of Chitral that was devastated by unprecedented floods.
My friend Meera Ghani Ceder, a Pakistani climate activist who participated in some of the protests held during COP21 and who has been attending these global negotiations since Bali in 2007 wrote about:
“Behind the scene’s politics at the COPs where the powerful twist the arms of the poor and most impacted, give ultimatums and deals that go in the favour of these powerful are hailed as successes. I don't know how much people actually believe it was ambitious and how much of it is just being thankful we got something after 8 years of non-stop pushing and nudging leaders (for some 23 years). Maybe it’s celebrating the work people have put in all these years, paying homage to those we lost along the way.... and the millions of lives impacted. All I know I'm not satisfied with the outcome”.
The CAN activists pointed out that the most ambitious pledges (for curbing carbon emissions) have actually come from the developing countries and that it was the Philippines, which has repeatedly been battered by hurricanes, and the threatened Pacific islands which played a major role behind the scenes at COP21, ensuring the 1.5 degrees inclusion and, at least the mention of “loss and damage” in the agreement in the “brutal power politics” that were in play.
Also read: Drowning with the enemy
Rich countries ensured that they would not give any significant funding to poor countries aside from the 100 billion dollars from 2020 promised in Copenhagen and that the words “liability and compensation” were excluded from the agreement. The carrot given was the falling prices of renewable energy around the world, while the stick of course is the increasing cost of climate change in all countries, which will be borne by all of us.
As Oxfam pointed out, “Paris will be the floor not the ceiling for climate action”.
Widespread flooding devastated large parts of the Chitral District this year, paralysing life in Mustuj, Lot Koh and the Kalash valleys. —Syed Harir Shah
I left the conference center that night with mixed feelings: glad it was over with a final consensus agreement, unlike in Copenhagen and yet, sad that it would clearly not be enough for vulnerable communities like the impoverished mountain villagers in Chitral who might have to face flooding each year.
The agreement made in Paris clearly needs to be nurtured so it becomes stronger. The global economy must be transformed and I’m relieved that civil society will be there to push for it.
But, will world leaders actually deliver on the ground? It is up to all of us to make sure they do, including in Pakistan, currently, one of the most vulnerable countries in the world.
Read more on Dawn
‘Melting glaciers pose threat to whole country’ - read full >>
CHITRAL: “If you want to save the plains of Pakistan, then rush to save Chitral at first. This is the message and motto of our awareness campaign through which we want to expose the impending dangers to the whole country, emanating from melting of glaciers to deforestation in Chitral,” said Sartaj Ahmad Khan, convener of “Save Chitral, save Pakistan” campaign.
Talking to Dawn here on Sunday, he said that during the past couple of decades, unprecedented flash floods in Chitral inflicted losses on infrastructure worth of billions of rupees besides inundating thousands of acres of fertile land and bringing life activities to a standstill for many weeks.
Mr Khan said that no effort was made to stem the tide by the successive governments as a result of which the situation was becoming worse both in Chitral and other parts of the country.
Convener of ‘Save Chitral, Save Pakistan’ campaign says floods inflicted losses on infrastructure
He said that the Chitral River re-entered the plains of the country near Peshawar, where it was named as the Kabul River, after passing through Afghanistan. “Flood in the Chitral River causes flood in Peshawar valley and downstream,” he added.
Mr Khan said that Chitral was home to 540 glaciers which fed different tributaries of the Chitral River and the phenomenon of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) wiped out a number of villages in the summer season causing high flood in the river.
“The high floods in the Chitral River also caused silting of both Warsak and Tarbela dams which are fed by the river water and thereby reduce their life span,”
Mr Khan said, adding that steps should be taken to stop melting down of glaciers on war footings.
“The flash floods are the direct effect of deforestation at large scale while the local people have no alternative sources to fulfil their growing needs of both timber for construction and fuel for heating and cooking,”
he said.
Mr Khan said that both flash floods and the GLOF in Chitral were man-made disasters to a great extent for which remedial measures could be taken but it was not possible without addressing the basic needs of the local people, who must be provided with alternative means and ways to utilise the natural resources.
Mr Khan said that Chitral acted as water reservoir for the plains of the country and its disturbance to any degree could lead to a colossal loss and it was driving force behind the campaign launched in Chitral.
Mr Khan said that the campaign was aimed at highlighting the danger and diverting the attention of the government towards it for which different modes of expression were being adopted including seminars, walks and protest processions.
Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2015
Send your daughters to fight for India, appeals #Indian Army Chief
New Delhi: Stressing on the need to empower girls, Indian Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Saturday said that he wants maximum girls to join armed forces.
"Give your daughters the best education and opportunities that are at par with boys to prepare them as future soldiers of the country," Suhag was quoted as saying by Time of India during his first visit to his native village Bishan in Haryana's Jhajjar district after assuming the office of Indian Army chief.
Well received by his fellow villagers, Suhag also sought blessings from his clan deity. He was accompanied by his wife and children.
Suhag said that if he could become army chief after studying under the trees in Bishan, then they could achieve anything in life. Suhag said that he wants to see more defence officers from the village on General rank. He also announced to institute two scholarships of Rs 2,100 each which would be given to the meritorious students of the school every year. The scholarship would continue till his lifetime, TOI report stated.
Published ZeeNews: Sunday, December 27, 2015
4-yr-old sexually assaulted by 68-year-old landlord in Madangiri
New Delhi: A four-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by her 68-year-old landlord in a south Delhi locality here, police today said.
A senior Delhi Police official said that the incident yesterday took place when the alleged victim was alone at her house in Madangiri and her mother was away for work.
The accused allegedly used different pretexts to get the two minor brothers of the girl to go out of the house and then assaulted her while she was sleeping, he said.
“She tried to resist but the accused threatened her and also told her he would thrash her if she spoke of the incident to anybody,” the official added.
He further stated that by the time the girl’s brothers returned home, the accused had left.
“The victim recounted the entire incident to her mother after she returned from work. The mother then made a PCR call following which a police team reached the scene and took the girl to AIIMS for a medical examination,” he said.
“We arrested the man immediately and the assault was also confirmed,” the official added. The victim’s parents are professional beauticians and work at different salons.
PTI
A senior Delhi Police official said that the incident yesterday took place when the alleged victim was alone at her house in Madangiri and her mother was away for work.
The accused allegedly used different pretexts to get the two minor brothers of the girl to go out of the house and then assaulted her while she was sleeping, he said.
“She tried to resist but the accused threatened her and also told her he would thrash her if she spoke of the incident to anybody,” the official added.
He further stated that by the time the girl’s brothers returned home, the accused had left.
“The victim recounted the entire incident to her mother after she returned from work. The mother then made a PCR call following which a police team reached the scene and took the girl to AIIMS for a medical examination,” he said.
“We arrested the man immediately and the assault was also confirmed,” the official added. The victim’s parents are professional beauticians and work at different salons.
PTI
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