Pakistan Grapples Again With Deadly Flash Floods – Foreign Policy

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The most prominent events this week: Sudden floods In northern Pakistan, killing nearly 400 people Commercial conversations with India It deals with another blow to bilateral relations, and sees the emerging South Asia Russia-Ukraine, the peace process Close.

The latest climate disaster in Pakistan

Dozens of people died in the sudden floods that followed heavy rains starting last Thursday in northern Pakistan, especially in the province of Khaybar Bakhtongua, but also in the regions of Gilgit in Pinch and Pakistani Kashmir. Floods destroyed infrastructure, farms and homes – even the entire villages. Some families buried by clay collapses.

The number of deaths of the floods has risen to nearly 400 people. Since the heavier seasonal winds began than usual in late June, more than 700 people have died, according to the Pakistani government. The seasonal wind season does not end until mid -September. On Tuesday and Wednesday, deadly floods also hit Karachi, the capital of Pakistan’s financial capital.

Floods are common in Pakistan, but they have risen in intensity in recent years. The huge flooding accident in the flood killed more than 1,000 people and explained nearly 8 million in 2022. Scientists link the main concerns of these disasters – heavy monsoon and ice melting winds to climate change. Pakistan occupies one of the most changing countries.

The latest flood is a reminder of the high risks of Pakistan from international climate talks. At the United Nations Climate Conference in November 2022, known as COP27, Islamabad had a great hand in a great achievement: after only weeks of floods that year, Pakistani delegates helped persuade developed countries to agree to the loss and cancellation fund that will provide compensation for countries exposed to climate change.

But the efforts made to implement the initiative have been delayed. It can be said that US President Donald Trump had made the largest blow in March, announcing that the United States will completely retract the loss and destruction fund. This step, in addition to the American withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, indicates that American negotiators – even if they are participating in climate talks – will not have great interest in helping developing countries to enhance flexibility.

International climate assistance opponents may argue that countries need to do better with their resources. Critics pointed to a large number of political errors surrounding the recent floods in Pakistan, including weather consultations that have failed to provide guidelines on preparation, enforcement of construction restrictions in areas exposed to floods, early warning systems that have not been properly activated, and insufficient response to disasters.

On a wider scale, advocates of protecting the Pakistani environment previously expressed their concerns about the unimaginable government climate plans, the tendency to pass the new climate laws without properly enforcing the current authorities, and the authorities at the level of provinces that lack technical and financial ability to implement climate plans.

However, there are also many steps to mitigate the effects of climate change made by Pakistani decision-makers-from senior officials to community leaders-financing, technology and successful implementation infrastructure. This includes the increase in the use of climate construction materials, the construction of the most effective river dams and the most effective sewage systems, and building more powerful early warning systems.

More importantly, at the end of the day, Pakistan has no way to control – less than stopping – raising sea levels, heavy rains, and punishing heat; The country has contributed a little to the effects of global warming, for developed countries.

In COP30, the United Nations Climate Conference in 2025 to be held in November in Brazil, Pakistan may join a group of similar countries in thinking-in it, in a rare state of agreement, to try to stimulate discussions on the loss and integration box, even with the conclusion of the United States.

For South Asia, it is about being better equipped to manage the increasingly serious threat that climate change – with only last last Pakistan floods.

What we are following

The United States cancels commercial talks with India. Indian media reported during the weekend that the Trump administration launched trade talks with New Delhi next week. This greatly reduces the chances of a tariff before it enters an additional tax of 25 percent due to its imports of Russian oil on August 27.

It is not clear why the commercial talks, which was the sixth round of negotiations since Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to follow up on a new bilateral trade agreement in February. At that time, the two leaders committed to end the first stage of the deal by falling – a goal that may now be in danger.

The American decision should be seen against the backdrop of Trump’s intense efforts to search for a peace agreement Russia-Ukraine. Another pressure tactic may be to force India to reduce energy and weapons purchases from Russia. Looking at New Delhi’s own relationship with Moscow, it is unlikely to be a maneuver, as Sumit Gangoulis wrote from FP last week.

Instead, exit from commercial talks provides another blow to the relationship of the United States and India in free autumn and strongly needs to manage confidence enhancement like the commercial deal. Stalled relations also give India a stronger incentive to reduce tensions with China – a boost that has intensified in recent months as New Delhi has looked at hedging against unconfirmed relations with Washington.

This week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs S.

South Asia and Ukraine diplomatic. The two countries in the region will closely monitor what it becomes the emerging peace process to end the Russian war in Ukraine after the Trump summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week and his meeting with Ukrainian President Foludmir Zellinsky and European leaders at the White House on Monday.

South Asian capitals have long wanted to put an end to the war. India’s dilemma has received the greatest interest. The accumulation of Western pressure on New Delhi due to his close relations with Moscow, which has reached a temperature in recent weeks, as Trump threatened additional tariffs on India due to Russian oil imports.

Other countries in the region also have friendly relations with Moscow. Russia is a major investor in the nuclear energy sector in Bangladesh, and has explored investment opportunities in the electrical energy sector in Nepal, and recently began exporting oil to Pakistan. But South Asia does not benefit from a long war.

Thousands of poor workers from Nepal and Sri Lanka were deceived to fight for the Russian army. The global financial shocks of the War have achieved vulnerable economies. Most of the governments in the region have unlimited foreign policies and do not want to feel pressure by the United States or any authority to engage with Russia or more with Ukraine.

The National Party, Bangladesh plays before the elections. The BNP National Party (BNP) is strongly preferred to win the upcoming elections of the country, which is expected to take place in February. With the Awami-Party of the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina-from the participation, there is no party with influence or resources to compete with BNP face to face.

The only scenario in which BNP may face a challenge is whether it is a critical bloc of Islamic parties in the country – which encourages it left Hasina a year ago – could form an alliance. BNP has ended its former alliance with the most prominent religious party in Bangladesh, the Islamic Group, which has been associated with another Islamic party so far.

On this background, BNP leaders quietly sought to explore possible new alliances with other religious parties, but it is a sensitive issue: BNP does not want to be seen as supporting the Islamic forces, but it seems that it considers it the best strategy to neutralize its only major electoral threat.

Miscellaneous, one of the groups that BNP is said to flirt with the Haifzat of Islam-a non-governmental organization that gives up the threats of Islam and has a tremendous power in street mobilization. Since Hefazat is not an official political party, BNP can use a reasonable rejection against allegations that he uses the group to help its electoral horizons.

Under the radar

The infrastructure in South Asia has been a big story in recent years: tunnels, bridges and highways have been built throughout the region, which enhances communication and aims to positive results from more trade to less traffic. But a recent warning story from Nepal highlights how these major development projects can get worse.

A Kathmando Post The investigation, which was published this week, is highlighted by the multi -purpose Bheri Babai project conflicts in the west of the country. The tinnitus was born in 2019, when the first major initiative-seven miles was spent sponsored by a Chinese contractor-nearly a year before the specified date. Subsequent activities were suffering from problems.

This includes a new and project to transform rivers aimed at promoting irrigation and increasing electrical energy production, which face land acquisition conflicts, local resistance, and delays in obtaining materials and the environment. These projects were already scheduled to be completed in 2022-23, but it was not expected to end until 2027-28.

Chinese infrastructure projects have witnessed a recent slowdown in South Asia due to security concerns and economic restrictions. But the case of Nepal is a reminder that local factors – from bureaucracy to societal grievances – can also constitute obstacles.

Delay in the electrical energy project may have regional effects; This year, Nepal opened a new deal to share electricity with Bangladesh and India.

Read the most read this week

Regional voices

in Pakistan todayIndependent column writer Muhammad Bilal Khan He argues that popular initiatives reduce access to clean water amid insufficient government efforts. “Government plans talk about national water policies and preservation goals,” he writes. “But plans to procrastinate the lack of money or political will. Projects rise and silence when leaders change. People learn to live with broken promises and solve problems with their hands.”

A Kunsel Editorial He discusses how Bhutan should follow his ambitious goal of achieving a ten -fold increase in economic growth by 2035: “At the heart of the 10x vision it must be creation, especially with the rise of youth unemployment. Every initiative, every reform, and every investment must be judged not only because of the growth of revenues but through its ability to create meaningful opportunities for the butane.”

In the voices of South Asia, the researcher Bashir Ali Abbas He writes about the prospects for the re -appointed India in Pleadish, one year after Hasina’s fall from power: “In this critical stage in the political transition in Bangladesh, the neighbors must look forward to removing the list and putting the relationship to success when the next government takes power in Dhaka.”