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Mohmand’s unregulated marble industry raises environmental, safety concerns

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MARBLE factories are discharging untreated waste directly into natural waterways, obstructing their flow, in Mohmand district.—Dawn • Untreated slurry, wastewater blocking streams, silting dams • Experts say flood risks rise as irrigation, water storage undermined MOHMAND: The rapid expansion of Mohmand district’s marble industry, a key source of jobs and income, is increasingly turning into an environmental and safety concern, as unregulated operations threaten waterways, farmland and public infrastructure, resi­­dents and experts warn. Located in Khyber Pa­­khtunkhwa, Mohmand is rich in natural resou­r­ces, including marble, chromite and nephrite, which have significantly contributed to local livelihoods and the national economy. Over the years, the ma­­rble sector has emerged as a major source of employment, with around 200 processing units operating across the district and providing jobs to thousands of workers. However, the largely un­­regulated growth of the industry has...
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Trump says conflict nearing end, threatens wider attacks on Iran

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump signalled that the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran could conclude within weeks, even as he warned of intensified strikes and issued sweeping claims about the scale of damage inflicted on Tehran. In a 19-minute prime-time address from the White House, Trump described the conflict as a “decisive, overwhelming victory” and said the United States was “getting very close” to finishing the “job” in Iran. “We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to bring them back to the stone ages, where they belong,” Trump said during the address from the White House. “In the meantime, discussions are ongoing.” While suggesting that the war may soon end, the president made clear that military operations would intensify before any resolution. He did not define the terms of the “deal” he is demanding from Tehran, nor did he outline a diplomatic framework. Trump claimed Iran’s military capacity had been seve...
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Read the full text of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s letter to the American public

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian has released an open letter, addressing the American people, calling on them to question the motives of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran. Below is the full text of his letter. “In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful “To the people of the United States of America, and to all those who, amid a flood of distortions and manufactured narratives, continue to seek the truth and aspire to a better life: “Iran — by this very name, character, and identity — is one of the oldest continuous civilisations in human history. Despite its historical and geographical advantages at various times, Iran has never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression, expansion, colonialism, or domination. Even after enduring occupation, invasion, and sustained pressure from global powers — and despite possessing military superiority over many of its neighbours — Iran has never initiated a war. Yet it has resolutely and bravely repelled those who have att...
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Bilawal calls on Fazl at his residence, two leaders discuss political matters

ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, along with other leaders from his party, called on Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence in Islamabad on Wednesday, with statements by both parties saying that political matters were discussed during the meeting. Bilawal was accompanied by PPP leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Nayyar Bukhari and Chaudhry Yasin while JUI-F’s Asad Mehmood was also present on the occasion. A source privy to the matter told Dawn the meeting focused primarily on political matters and elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Both sides agreed to continue consultations on the matter, the source added. The meeting took place three days after the AJK Election Commission announced on Sunday that the schedule for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections was expected to be announced in May. Meanwhile, elections in GB are also expected to be held later this year after the GB chief election commissioner a...
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Lights out, bills up as summer approaches

The government is finalising a plan to curb summer electricity consumption through scheduled outages, compulsory conservation measures, and higher tariffs as cooling demand rises in the coming weeks. The move reflects a deepening fuel shortage caused by a complete disruption of LNG supplies, constrained Thar coal output, and costly alternatives like furnace oil and imported coal. With peak demand expected at 27–28 GW, officials say daily power cuts and steeper bills are unavoidable Pakistan’s ongoing energy stress, triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran , stems primarily from two shocks: the total disruption of Qatari LNG imports — already reflected in reduced utilisation of gas-fired plants — and the escalating cost of other imported fossil fuels such as oil and coal, the full impact of which has yet to be felt by consumers and the economy. Dr Khalid Waleed of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) estimates that a full summer blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could cu...
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Buy jet fuel from US or get your own, Trump rails against allies

• Hegseth claims next few days to be ‘decisive’, says conflict to intensify if deal not made • Pezeshkian says Iran wants to end war but not without guarantees; Araghchi confirms messages exchanged with US, denies talks • Iranian missiles injure nine in Tel Aviv; US companies in region warned • Israel claims hitting 20 weapon manufacturing sites; Iran says pharma facilities, desalination plant struck WASHINGTON: As US Presi­dent Donald Trump singled out his allies who did not help him in the US-Israeli war against Iran , Iranian President Masoud Pezes­hkian said Tehran had the “necessary will” to end the ongoing war, but not without guarantees that the conflict would not be repeated. In a statement posted on Truth Social, President Trump railed against the European countries, particularly the UK and France, for being unhelpful in the month-long war that has roiled global markets and led to the disruption of fuel supply via the Strait of Hormuz. “All of those countries that can’t ...
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LNG supplies under force majeure, not available for power generation, say officials

ISLAMABAD: Government officials said during a public hearing on Tuesday that liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies were under force majeure and not available for power generation. Force majeure is a clause included in contracts that allows a party to be excused from its obligations due to circumstances that are beyond its control. The officials’ revelation during the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) hearing thus means that LNG supplies were unavailable due to circumstances that were beyond the relevant parties’ control. Responding to questions, Central Power Purchasing Agency (CCPA) Chief Executive Officer Rehan Akhtar said LNG supplies were currently under force majeure, but he assured that coal supplies — another source for power generation — through imports were not facing any problems as they mostly came from South Africa and Indonesia, and were unaffected by disruptions in the Middle East. LNG-based power plants have a generation capacity of more than 4,500 me...
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