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Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Flood warnings trigger evacuation along Nullah Leh
The water level rose to 18 feet at Nullah Leh after a heavy downpour in the twin cities on Tuesday. PHOTO: Agha Mahroz/EXPRESS As the pre-monsoon season approaches, residents and traders living near Rawalpindi's low-lying areas and along the 22-kilometre-long Nullah Leh have begun moving their belongings to safer locations. Many traders in the inner city have already emptied their warehouses and shifted goods to secure storage to avoid flood losses. Once a pristine stream fed by springs and rainfall from the Margalla Hills, Nullah Leh entered Rawalpindi at New Katarian, flowing through both city and cantonment areas before merging with the River Soan. Over 500 years ago, Mehmood Ghaznavi camped beside its banks. Aryan settlers made it their home centuries ago, and Arya Mohalla still bears their name. Until 1925, it had clean, fish-filled waters used for drinking and religious rituals. After partition, unchecked urbanisation and industrial waste transformed it into a sewage drain. Municipal records show the nullah spans 500 to 1,000 feet in width and stretches 22 kilometres, 11 km through the city and the rest through cantonment zones. Floods through the years Rawalpindi has witnessed at least seven major floods over the decades. The most devastating occurred on July 23, 2001, killing 65 people and hundreds of animals, and causing damages worth Rs7 billion. Subsequent floods in 1967, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1982, and 1986 also caused significant loss of life and property. Despite repeated pledges by successive governments, including those of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, General Zia, Nawaz Sharif, and Benazir Bhutto, to resolve the issue through projects like the Leh Expressway and separate sewage tunnels, no plan has been fully executed. Unfulfilled promises In 2007, the then-President General Pervez Musharraf launched the Nullah Leh project at an estimated cost of Rs17 billion. Only 25% was completed before the project was shelved in 2008. The cost has now surged beyond Rs100 billion. Every year, WASA and district officials claim to desilt the drain with a reported annual budget of Rs140 million, but locals say the results are negligible. High-risk areas According to an estimate, approximately 0.7 million residents and traders live in these flood-prone zones. The most flood-prone areas include Nadeem Colony, Javed Colony, Arya Mohalla, Dhoke Elahi Bakhsh, Chah Sultan, Raja Bazaar, and Gawalmandi, among others. These densely populated localities suffer extensive damage each year. Significance of Leh Expressway WASA Director Admin Umar Farooq claimed that desilting work on Nullah Leh and 15 associated drains has been carried out efficiently this year. Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqas Cheema said that all departments are on high alert and that the Pakistan Army's Triple-One Brigade remains on standby. However, residents such as Haji Noor Deen and Fazal Elahi remain unconvinced. They say official preparations are largely cosmetic, and the first pre-monsoon rain last Saturday already left streets submerged in up to two feet of water. Many families are once again packing up and evacuating, bracing for yet another season of flooding. Experts believe that until the Leh Expressway is constructed and a separate tunnel is built for sewage, Nullah Leh will continue to wreak havoc year after year.
Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Int'l Day of the Romanian Blouse commemorated
Attendees don the culturally-prized, traditional Romanian blouse called ie on the International Day of the Romanian Blouse which was celebrated at the Embassy in Islamabad as an ode to the country's rich heritage and history. PHOTO: EXPRESS The Embassy of Romania in Islamabad organised, for the first time in Pakistan, the celebration of the International Day of the Romanian Blouse on June 24, bringing together members of the Romanian community, representatives of the diplomatic corps and distinguished Pakistani guests. Held in the spirit of cultural appreciation and friendship, the event highlighted the timeless beauty of the Romanian traditional blouse, known as the ie, a symbol of national identity and artistic heritage. Guests were invited to wear traditional blouses and garments not only from Romania but from various cultures around the world, underlining the universal power of folk art to connect people beyond borders. The celebration included an exhibition of authentic Romanian blouses, many handmade and passed down through generations, as well as traditional music and culinary delights. Attendees had the opportunity to taste Romanian dishes and drinks, experiencing the richness of Romania's rural traditions and hospitality. In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador Dan Stoenescu emphasised, "The Romanian blouse is more than a piece of clothing. It is a cultural treasure, a bridge between past and present and a celebration of women's creativity and resilience. By sharing this tradition in Islamabad, we celebrate both our identity and our friendship with the people of Pakistan and the international community." The International Day of the Romanian Blouse, marked each year on 24 June, coincides with Sânziene, a midsummer Romanian folk celebration with deep roots in pre-Christian traditions. Initiated by the cultural movement La Blouse Roumaine, this day has grown into a global celebration of Romanian heritage, with events held in cities across Europe, the Americas and Asia. The Embassy's event in Islamabad adds Pakistan to the growing list of countries where the Romanian ie is honoured, strengthening the cultural ties and mutual understanding between Romania and its partners worldwide.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
K-P launches safe city project in South
K-P police says search for attackers still on as security personnel deploy a heavy contingent to cordon off area. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE In a major step toward enhancing public safety and combating terrorism, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police has officially launched the Safe City Project in the most terrorism-affected southern districts of Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, and Lakki Marwat. A formal agreement signing ceremony was held at the Central Police Office between the police and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC). The contract was signed by DIG Information Technology and Project Director for Safe City, Rai Ejaz Ahmad, on behalf of police, and GM Commercial Syed Amir Javed on behalf of NRTC. The event was attended by IGP Zulfiqar Hameed, Additional IGP Headquarters Awal Khan, Additional IGP Operations Muhammad Ali Babakhel, Additional IGP Training Dr Muhammad Akhtar Abbas, DIG Headquarters Rizwan Manzoor, DIG Operations Rabnawaz Khan, DIG Finance Fida Hassan, DIG Security Dr Mian Saeed, Traffic Police Chief (retd) Capt Jawad Qamar, CCPO Peshawar Qasim Ali Khan, AIG Establishment Sonia Shamroz, and PSO to IGP Imran Khan. The provincial government had already kick-started the long-delayed Peshawar Safe City Project on an emergency basis. Following the commencement of work in the provincial capital, surveys were conducted in the southern districts. With survey completion and PC-1 approval, formal implementation in these regions has now begun. Under the project, over 400 high-resolution cameras will be installed at 86 key locations in DI Khan, more than 300 cameras at 69 locations in Bannu, and over 250 cameras at 41 locations in Lakki Marwat.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Downpour debunks drainage promises
The road has become sloppy, with several inches of it submerged in layers of sewage. PHOTO: EXPRESS The second spell of heavy pre-monsoon rain on Wednesday exposed the hollow claims of the Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Rawalpindi Solid Waste Management Company (RWMC), Cantonment boards, and Rawalpindi District Council about the cleaning of Nullah Leh and 15 stormwater drains. Despite the reported expenditure of Rs140 million on desilting efforts, waterlogged streets and flooded commercial and residential areas painted a different picture. Streets and markets were submerged under up to three feet of water, causing severe damage to homes and shops. Citizens reported millions in losses as water entered buildings. WASA officials were visible only at Committee Chowk underpass, while no senior official from any agencyincluding the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, DG RDA, MD WASA, or District Council Administratorwas seen in affected low-lying areas. Rainwater and sewage remained stagnant for 4 to 6 hours, leaving a trail of mud, hospital waste, dead rodents, garbage, and fruit peels once the water receded. No personnel from the Solid Waste Management Company's 'Clean Punjab Project' were seen in the affected neighbourhoods on Wednesday. Streets turned muddy and impassable, raising health concerns. Residents in areas like Javed Colony and Nadeem Colony described how water entered their homes within three hours of rainfall starting at dawn. They were left to manually drain water using buckets. Even parked vehicles, including loaders and rickshaws, were inundated with two feet of water and had to be push-started after hours. Leaking ceilings in court buildings and on the Metro Bus track further indicated infrastructure vulnerabilities. Residents demanded an audit of the Rs. 140 million spent on cleaning Nullah Leh and storm drains, questioning why such devastating flooding occurred if the work had indeed been completed. In many inner-city areas, residents have begun temporary evacuations. Among the worst-hit locations were Nadim Colony, Javed Colony, Fazalabad, Arya Mohalla, Dhok Elahi Bakhsh, Dhok Khaba, Amarpura, Qasimabad, Mohanpura, Pirwadhai, and several neighbourhoods around Dhok Hassu, Dhok Ratta, and People's Colony. Commercial hubs like Bohar Bazaar, Lal Haveli, Moti Bazaar, and Shalley Valley also remained submerged for over three hours.
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Rawalpindi completes Leh dredging
A destitute couple braves the polluted waters of Nullah Leh in Rawalpindi, searching for discarded items to salvage in Dhok Ratta, Rawalpindi. PHOTO: AGHA MAHROZ/EXPRESS Ahead of the monsoon season, the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has completed the desilting of Nullah Leh, a key flood channel in Rawalpindi. The project, launched on May 8 with heavy machinery and manpower, concluded recently and cost Rs80 million, funded by the Punjab government. The effort aims to ensure that major water flow during the monsoon can pass through Nullah Leh to the Soan River without causing urban flooding. Seven machines will remain stationed along the channel's banks until September as a precautionary measure. The 8-kilometre-long channel and 15 adjoining sewerage drains within Rawalpindi were cleared of silt, with efforts focused on increasing depth, removing blockages near bridges and culverts, and ensuring uninterrupted water flow. The project underwent two third-party inspectionsby the secretary of housing and the commissioner's teamwith a third inspection scheduled by the Federal Flood Commission. WASA also inspected all its monsoon-related machinery and launched a simultaneous cleaning operation for 15 city drains, expected to be completed by June 30. Additionally, it is working to clean and cover all open manholes, with a six-hour response time for complaint resolution. Preparations for the monsoon also include the establishment of one control room at the WASA headquarters and five emergency camps across the city.
