ֱ

Iran says it killed six ‘terrorists’ linked to Israel in province bordering Pakistan

Iran says it killed six ‘terrorists’ linked to Israel in province bordering Pakistan
General view of a closed gate at Pakistan and Iran’s border posts in Taftan, Pakistan on February 25, 2020. (REUTERS/File)
Short Url
Updated 23 August 2025

Iran says it killed six ‘terrorists’ linked to Israel in province bordering Pakistan

Iran says it killed six ‘terrorists’ linked to Israel in province bordering Pakistan
  • Iranian media says the group planned an attack on a ‘vital’ site in eastern Iran, without providing details
  • Authorities say seven ‘non-Iranian’ suspects were involved in the main team, with no nationality disclosed

TEHRAN: Iranian forces have killed six militants in a raid in the restive southeast, state media reported Saturday, saying they were members of a “terrorist” group linked to arch enemy Israel.

“During an intense exchange of fire with terrorists in Sistan-Baluchistan province, six assailants were killed and two others arrested,” official news agency IRNA said, citing a statement from the intelligence services.

The report did not provide an exact location or say when the raid took place.

Sistan-Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long been a flashpoint for clashes between security forces and armed groups, including drug traffickers and separatists.

IRNA said there were “documents” indicating “the Zionist nature” of the group targeted in the latest raid, adding that its members had planned to attack a “vital” facility in Iran’s east, without elaborating.

The report said that “the main operation team” was composed of “seven non-Iranian terrorists,” but did not specify their nationality.

Two intelligence agents and a police officer were wounded in the gunfight, IRNA said.

Iran regularly reports deadly ambushes in the province targeting police or members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

On Friday, the Sunni jihadist group Jaish Al-Adl (Army of Justice), which Tehran outlaws as a “terrorist” organization, claimed an attack in Sistan-Baluchistan that killed five police officers.

On Sunday, Iranian state media said security forces had killed seven members of another jihadist group, Ansar Al-Furqan, also in Sistan-Baluchistan.

The province, which is home to a large Sunni Muslim Baluch minority, is one of the poorest regions of the Shiite-majority country.


Lahore ranks world’s No. 2 for air pollution as city braces for Diwali smog

Lahore ranks world’s No. 2 for air pollution as city braces for Diwali smog
Updated 5 sec ago

Lahore ranks world’s No. 2 for air pollution as city braces for Diwali smog

Lahore ranks world’s No. 2 for air pollution as city braces for Diwali smog
  • On Monday, Lahore’s PM2.5 concentration was 31.1 times the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline value
  • Smog routinely worsens Oct–Feb in Punjab, prompting school closures and emergency curbs in recent years

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani city of Lahore ranked the second-worst country globally for air quality on Monday, with pollution hitting levels reported as 31 times the WHO’s annual PM2.5 guideline value, according to global monitoring data, as the provincial government launched anti-smog operations ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali.

Punjab province, and its capital Lahore, face a recurring “smog season” from October to February, driven by crop-residue burning, vehicular and industrial emissions, and stagnant winter weather conditions. The hazy blanket has previously pushed the Air Quality Index (AQI) into hazardous levels of above 300 in Lahore in November 2024, forcing school and office closures and reduced construction activity. 

On Sunday, the Punjab Smog Monitoring Center forecast Lahore’s AQI between 210 and 230 and cautioned that morning and night hours would see the worst pollution, with a slight improvement expected between 1-5pm. On Monday morning, Pakistan ranked the second worst country globally for air quality, after Delhi, data from the Swiss air-quality monitoring organization, IQAir, revealed. The city had a PM2.5 concentration 31.1 times the World Health Organization annual PM2.5 guideline value.

Winds of 4–7 km/h from the east and west could carry pollution from the Indian cities of Amritsar, Ludhiana and Haryana toward cities in Pakistani Punjab including Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Multan, the Punjab government advisory said.

“Every citizen’s role in preventing and reducing smog becomes a cause of major change and success,” Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said, appealing for adherence to environmental SOPs.

The advisory urged residents to wear masks, and said children, older people and those with respiratory illness should stay indoors due to low winds and no rain keeping particles suspended.

Municipal agencies including Water and Sanitation Agency, Lahore Development Authority and district and municipal bodies were directed to conduct water sprinkling, prevent burning of garbage and crop residue and ensure construction sites and material-carrying vehicles are covered. 

Punjab has also begun targeted “anti-smog gun” operations this season after trial runs, part of a wider push that includes new enforcement rules and traffic measures to cut emissions in the provincial capital. 

The smog crisis in Lahore, similar to the situation in India’s capital Delhi, tends to worsen during cooler months due to temperature inversion trapping pollution closer to the ground.


Pakistan’s first biopharma plant introduces breakthrough diabetes drug Zeptide

Pakistan’s first biopharma plant introduces breakthrough diabetes drug Zeptide
Updated 6 min 32 sec ago

Pakistan’s first biopharma plant introduces breakthrough diabetes drug Zeptide

Pakistan’s first biopharma plant introduces breakthrough diabetes drug Zeptide
  • Tirzepatide launched as pre-filled syringe, developed using IPO proceeds, BF Biosciences says
  • Pakistan faces one of the world’s highest diabetes burdens, affecting over 33 million adults

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s BF Biosciences Limited, a subsidiary of Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, has launched its new product Zeptide® (Tirzepatide) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, the company said in a filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) this month.

The launch comes as Pakistan faces one of the world’s highest diabetes burdens, affecting over 33 million adults, which is about 26 percent of the adult population. The country ranks third globally in the absolute number of people with diabetes and faces a growing crisis as nine million people remain undiagnosed. According to the World Health Organization, 57 percent of women and 41 percent of men in the country are overweight or obese, with obesity increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 7 times.

“Tirzepatide is a synthetic polypeptide molecule that acts as a dual agonist for the GLP-1 and GIP receptors, meaning it targets both the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor pathways,” the company said in a listing earlier this month.

BF Biosciences said Zeptide, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is produced at its new state-of-the-art European prefilled-syringes facility. 

“The pre-filled syringe is in a patient-friendly format that eliminates dosing errors,” it said, adding that the product had been tested for “quality, chemical structure and potency” both in the United States and at a leading national university in Pakistan.

The company said the development of Zeptide® was part of the IPO proceeds utilization outlined in its prospectus.

“As the 1st Biopharmaceutical Plant in Pakistan, BF Biosciences Limited has remained committed to the production of essential medicines for the treatment of HCV, Cancer, Cardiology, Diabetes, nephrology and other therapeutic areas for over a decade,” the company said.

“We are confident that the launch of Zeptide® will have a positive impact on the Company’s growth and will further strengthen our mission to address critical unmet patient needs,” the filing added.


Pakistan launches first hyperspectral satellite from China to boost agriculture, climate mapping

Pakistan launches first hyperspectral satellite from China to boost agriculture, climate mapping
Updated 20 October 2025

Pakistan launches first hyperspectral satellite from China to boost agriculture, climate mapping

Pakistan launches first hyperspectral satellite from China to boost agriculture, climate mapping
  • HS-1 satellite to strengthen Pakistan’s space-based monitoring of agriculture, urban growth and climate resilience
  • SUPARCO says data from the mission will improve crop yield estimates and disaster-response capability across the country

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) on Sunday launched the country’s first Hyperspectral Satellite (HS-1) from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, state-run Radio Pakistan reported, marking what officials described as a major leap in national space and climate-monitoring capability.

The HS-1 mission will capture hundreds of spectral bands across visible and infrared wavelengths to help detect changes in soil, vegetation, water bodies and man-made structures with far greater precision than conventional imaging satellites. Officials say the technology will be applied to improve agricultural productivity, monitor environmental degradation and strengthen early-warning systems for floods and landslides.

“Pakistan has achieved a major milestone in its space program with the successful launch of its first Hyperspectral Satellite, HS-1, from the Chinese Satellite Launch Center,” Radio Pakistan reported. 

“The satellite is expected to significantly enhance national capacities in areas such as precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, urban planning, and disaster management. Its high-resolution data will support improved resource management and strengthen Pakistan’s resilience to climate-related challenges.”

SUPARCO, the national space agency, said last week the satellite will provide “detailed insights into crop health, soil moisture and irrigation patterns, enhancing yield estimation by 15–20 percent and contributing significantly to food security.” 

The agency added that HS-1’s sensors would also enable mapping of infrastructure and tracking of urban expansion to support sustainable city planning and land-use management.

“The mission aligns with the National Space Policy and SUPARCO’s Vision 2047, which aim to position Pakistan at the forefront of space technology and innovation for sustainable national development,” the space agency added. 

The new satellite will join Pakistan’s growing remote-sensing fleet, which includes PRSS-1 launched in 2018 and two Earth-observation satellites— EO-1 and KS-1— placed in orbit earlier this year. 

Officials said integrating HS-1 will expand Pakistan’s capacity for disaster assessment, water-resource modelling and climate-change monitoring, while deepening collaboration with China in the civilian space sector.


ֱ welcomes Pakistan-Afghanistan agreement on ceasefire, peace mechanism

ֱ welcomes Pakistan-Afghanistan agreement on ceasefire, peace mechanism
Updated 20 October 2025

ֱ welcomes Pakistan-Afghanistan agreement on ceasefire, peace mechanism

ֱ welcomes Pakistan-Afghanistan agreement on ceasefire, peace mechanism
  • Riyadh says it supports all regional and international efforts aimed at consolidating peace and stability
  • Truce follow week of intense border clashes triggered by Islamabad’s accusations that Kabul harbors militants

Islamabad: ֱ on Monday welcomed an agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan to an immediate ceasefire after a week of fierce border clashes, the worst violence between the South Asian neighbors since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021.

The ground fighting between the two nations and Pakistani airstrikes across their contested 2,600-km (1,600-mile) frontier were triggered after Islamabad demanded that Kabul rein in militants who had stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan. Kabul denies this. 

Both sides agreed to a ceasefire after talks in Doha on Sunday and will meet again on Oct. 25 in Istanbul for detailed discussions. The clashes had already killed dozens and wounded hundreds before the truce deal. 

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of ֱ welcomes the agreement between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Afghanistan on an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of mechanisms to entrench peace and lasting stability between the two countries during the round of negotiations held in Doha,” the ministry said in an X post on Monday. 

The Kingdom expressed support for “all regional and international efforts aimed at consolidating peace and stability” and reaffirmed its “constant keenness on responding to all initiatives that achieve stability and prosperity for the brotherly Pakistani and Afghan peoples.”

“The Kingdom looks forward to this positive step leading to the reduction of tensions along the borders between the two countries,” the ministry added. 

ֱ also commended diplomatic efforts by Qatar and Turkiye in facilitating dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

ֱ has maintained ties with both Islamabad and Kabul and has repeatedly called for regional cooperation to prevent instability spilling across borders.
 


‘Last Mohanas’: Jackson Wild award-winning film immortalizes Pakistan’s last boat-dwellers

‘Last Mohanas’: Jackson Wild award-winning film immortalizes Pakistan’s last boat-dwellers
Updated 38 min 59 sec ago

‘Last Mohanas’: Jackson Wild award-winning film immortalizes Pakistan’s last boat-dwellers

‘Last Mohanas’: Jackson Wild award-winning film immortalizes Pakistan’s last boat-dwellers
  • ‘Mohanas,’ dwelling on boats in Manchar Lake, were once prosperous fisherfolk who shared their daily catch with travelers
  • Contamination of the lake and erratic monsoons have destroyed livelihoods, forcing the community to abandon its centuries-old habitat

ISLAMABAD: Jawad Sharif, 38, spent five years documenting the lives of a Pakistani fisherfolk community living on boats in Manchar Lake in the southern Sindh province.

But he never expected that his film, Moklani – The Last Mohanas, shot with a seven-member crew, would go on to win the prestigious Jackson Wild Media Award in the United States.

Moklani won the Best Film award in the Global Voices category at the ceremony held in Wyoming on Oct. 3, making Sharif the first Pakistani filmmaker to receive an often described as the “Oscars for nature filmmaking.”

“The story of the Mohanas fascinated me,” Sharif told Arab News on the sidelines of the film’s trailer launch in Islamabad. “Their existence is a living piece of our history. They are the last community still living on boats [in Pakistan], their lives tied entirely to the water. But that way of life is dying.”

The word Mohana, meaning fisherfolk in Sindhi, traces its roots to the ancient civilization of Mohenjo-Daro that flourished around 2,500 BCE. The Mohanas, also known as Mir-al-Bahr — “Lords of the Seas” — were once prosperous fishermen who distributed parts of their daily catch among travelers.

Today, their descendants struggle to survive as pollution and climate change transform their ancestral Manchar Lake into a toxic wasteland.

Manchar Lake is Pakistan’s largest natural freshwater lake and lies west of the Indus River in Sindh’s Jamshoro and Dadu districts. Its surface area once swelled from 36 to 500 square kilometers during the monsoon season. But decades of contamination have turned its waters saline.

Since the 1990s, irrigation and drainage projects have diverted effluent into the lake, killing fish and forcing the Mohanas off their boats.

“The disaster began to unfold several decades ago, when the Water and Power Development Authority in 1976 converted the MNVD (Main Nara Valley Drain) from a fresh water stream to a saline water drain pouring agricultural effluent of northern Sindh districts into Manchar Lake,” researcher Naseer Memon wrote in a 2023 article.

The image shows crew memembers on stage after the screening of Pakistani film Moklani – The Last Mohanas, on October 17, 2025. (AN photo)

A subsequent project, the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD-II), was launched in 2001 to carry wastewater to the sea but has faced repeated delays. The Supreme Court took notice of the contamination in 2011, but no solution has yet emerged.

Arab News reached out to Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro regarding the RBOD’s current status and its impact on local communities but did not receive a response.

Environmentalists say Manchar’s troubles have been worsened by climate change. Erratic rainfall patterns and extreme weather have forced thousands to migrate from the lake’s shores.

“The shift of the monsoon had caused torrential rainfall in the hills of southern Punjab and Balochistan [in 2022] and the RBOD which was actually to take the agricultural effluent through the Manchur lake and toward the Indus river and from the Indus river on to the sea... its capacity wasn’t enough to be able to drain the water,” said Afia Salam, a leading Pakistani environmentalist.

“The intense rainfall [elsewhere in Sindh] made the water accumulate and not drain out fast enough and that is why in the 2022 floods Manchar lake had to be breached,” she added.

CULTURAL LOSS

Sharif says his film captures not just an environmental tragedy, but a cultural extinction.

“It could be the loss of identity, of a language, or of a tradition. In Moklani, there are multiple reasons this culture is dying; it is literally taking its last breaths,” he said.

Using natural color grading to highlight the haunting beauty of Sindh’s wetlands, Sharif paired visuals with an original soundtrack that mirrors the rhythm of life on water.

“I wanted them to feel it, to feel what it’s like to lose something that has existed for centuries,” he said.

Co-producer Syeda Kashmala, a former lawyer, said the decline of the community is starkly visible.

“Where there were once 40 boats housing dozens of families, now only about 20 remain, as the saline and contaminated water causes faster erosion [of ecosystem],” she said.

The film’s trailer features an elderly Mohana recalling a vanished past:

“The water of Manchar Lake was once so pure we could drink it from lotus leaves,” he said. “Now even migratory birds refuse to drink from it and we must travel miles on land to fetch clean water.”

The old man’s words echo the grief at the heart of Moklani, a story that has moved artists and audiences beyond Pakistan.

Independent filmmaker Jamil Iqbal praised the film for its “emotional power and relevance.”

“It’s a beautiful film not just because of its visuals, but because of its heart-wrenching, thought-provoking story,” he said. “We need more storytellers like Jawad Sharif in Pakistan who take on serious subjects such as climate change and cultural loss.”

He added that films like Moklani serve as both awareness tools and historical archives, documenting the resistance of indigenous communities facing environmental collapse.

Syed Ahmed Khan, a business development director who attended the trailer launch, said the film resonates deeply with audiences.

“Everyone watching the trailer feels a connection with it because everyone has said farewell to something or someone in their lives,” he said. “The pain of disconnection is profoundly visible in the film, and the subtle way Sharif addresses climate change, without rhetoric, makes the message powerful and clear about how man-made disasters are destroying our own future.”

Indeed, Sharif feels storytelling can be a catalyst for change.

“A story can always initiate a change,” he said. “When we talk about Mohanas, or climate change, or environmental loss, we are essentially talking about our own future. The hope is that these conversations turn into action.”

For him, the award signifies more than global recognition.

“The happiest thing for me is that this film started a conversation,” Sharif said. “Because of the award, there was a lot of awareness created locally. People began talking about this story, about this culture, about climate change and man-made disasters. That dialogue, that awareness, is what I value most.”