The US newspaper, The National Interest, has strongly supported Pakistan’s stance on the Indus Waters Treaty after India’s move to suspend the treaty. The article states that India’s decision will lead to increased regional tensions in the area. India is trying to make water a strategic asset, which could become a major human threat in South Asia.
According to the report, the International Court of Arbitration has made it clear that India cannot unilaterally suspend the treaty. India is legally required to provide water from the western rivers to Pakistan. The report further states that India’s attempt to make water a weapon is unacceptable under international law and court judgments.
Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic accident in Karachi. He also announced plans to improve medical facilities for the injured. Karachi recorded a minimum temperature of 15°C, which is the lowest in recent years.
The Sindh Chief Minister has ordered an investigation into the fire safety arrangements in the building and directed the authorities to enforce fire safety laws strictly. The police said that several villages have been cut off from the rest of the country due to the collapse of the bridge.
The rescue team has transferred the body of firefighter Farhan to the Trauma Centre. A senior provincial minister said that the government machinery is working day and night to extinguish the fire. The extent of the damage to the building will be estimated once the fire is brought under control.
In a separate incident, a woman in the Khushab district was found to have shot and killed her sister in a case of sibling rivalry. The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shehbaz Sharif, had to cut short his visit to the district after being blocked by local leaders who refused to let him pass.
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has said that a crackdown is underway against a militant group and that more arrests are expected. The woman who was arrested in the case was already wanted in various cases.
An inquiry report has held the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) responsible for the tragic accident. The three-story building had over 1,000 shops and the ground and mezzanine floors were completely gutted.
In a separate incident, the son of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, married off his daughter, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s son, Janid Safdar, to his fiancée in a ceremony held at the Airlie House in Raiwind.
The police and forensic teams have collected evidence from the scene of the crime and shifted the bodies to the mortuary for post-mortem examination. The investigation is underway to track down the culprits.
The Sindh chief minister has directed the authorities to investigate the fire safety arrangements in the building and to enforce fire safety laws strictly.
