In Pakistan’s Sindh, women farmers grow vegetables against all odds, including weather

Special In Pakistan’s Sindh, women farmers grow vegetables against all odds, including weather
A farmer plucks vegetables from her farm in Thari Mirwah village in Pakistan's southern Khairpur district on June 17, 2025. (AN photo)
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Updated 21 June 2025
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In Pakistan’s Sindh, women farmers grow vegetables against all odds, including weather

In Pakistan’s Sindh, women farmers grow vegetables against all odds, including weather
  • Women farmers in Khairpur protect crops from adverse weather by growing them in artificial environment
  • Project targets members of vulnerable communities who suffered immense losses during 2022 floods

KHAIRPUR: Sukhai intently moved about the tunnel farm, plucking out bitter gourds under the harsh, relentless sun. The vegetable is grown usually during the summer months but in the fields of Sindh’s Thari Mirwah village, that isn’t necessarily so.

Sukhai, a 23-year-old intermediate student, is one of several women in her village in district Khairpur battling the effects of climate change through tunnel farming. The agricultural technique extends the growing season of crops by using plastic-covered, greenhouse-like structures to create a controlled environment. These tunnels protect crops from adverse weather conditions, allowing for earlier or later harvests of vegetables.

At Thari Mirwah, these tunnels are formed by fixing rods into the ground in an arch shape, forming a row of hoops. During the winter months, these rods are covered with polythene sheets to protect the crops from rain and cold weather, extending their growing season.

“In these tunnels, we grow off-season and seasonal vegetables,” Sukhai, who only uses her first name, told Arab News. “We now have cultivated bitter gourd, sponge gourd and cucumber,” she said, carrying the vegetable in a basket.

Pakistan is consistently ranked among the world’s worst-affected countries due to climate change. Irregular weather patterns, which include excessive rains and droughts, have hit the country’s agriculture sector. For example, cotton has been the worst-hit crop, with its produce decreasing to five million bales a year this financial year from a record 15 million.

Cataclysmic floods, triggered by the melting of glaciers and unusually heavy rains, killed over 1,700 people and inflicted damages worth $33 billion in June 2022. To help locals recover from the economic losses of the floods, international relief organization Malteser International BMZ and the Sindh government-funded Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) joined hands to build 10 tunnel farms in Kharirah, Pir Budhro, Sabar Rind, Mehar Veesar, and Hindyari areas in the southern Sindh province.

Sukhai said the floods of 2022 destroyed all of her crops and agricultural lands, dealing a massive economic blow to her family. Now her and several other women of the village are trying to make ends meet through tunnel farming.

Kanwal Hussain, a district project officer at SRSO, said the women farmers are producing 10-15 kilograms of vegetables daily on their 50 by 50 tunnel farms. Malteser International has provided 570,000 euros in funds for the tunnel farming project.

“For tunnel farming, we have selected vulnerable communities which have very little land available for farming,” Hussain explained, adding that all they required to make a tunnel farm was land 100 feet in length and width.

In its recent assessment, the World Bank said 45% of Pakistanis live below the poverty line, up from the previous rate of 39.8%.

Rukhsana is one such 50-year-old mother of five, who is fighting off poverty in Thari Mirwah by growing climate-resistant vegetables.

“I have five kids and my husband is jobless so we grow these vegetables,” Rukhsana told Arab News. “We eat these vegetables as well as sell them when the villagers come to buy some.”

The women farmers say they earn as much as Rs50,000 ($176) profit every month, which is then shared between a three-member Business Development Group that cultivates each of the 10 tunnel farms.

“We are three members who work and grow these vegetables together and share the profits,” Sukhai, who is using her earnings to support her family and complete her education, said.

And the going is getting tough for her as she has a widowed mother and nine siblings to look after.

Hussain, on the other hand, is a bit concerned about the surging temperature in Pakistan. She hoped to convince her foreign donors to extend the tunnel farming project to other areas prone to floods and climate disasters.

“The temperature here stays between 45 to 50 degrees [Celsius] during the daytime and surges to as much as 51 degrees Celsius,” Hussain said.

Tunnel farming is not only a means of sustenance but is also helping people like Sukhai dream big. She wants to complete her studies and help her family out with the money she earns.

“I want to complete my studies to do a job. I want to become a doctor,” Sukhai said.


Pakistan says atrocities in Palestine, Serbia must not go ‘unnoticed’

Pakistan says atrocities in Palestine, Serbia must not go ‘unnoticed’
Updated 13 sec ago
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Pakistan says atrocities in Palestine, Serbia must not go ‘unnoticed’

Pakistan says atrocities in Palestine, Serbia must not go ‘unnoticed’
  • State minister for overseas Pakistanis participates in memorial service for victims of 1995 Srebenica massacre
  • Aun Chaudhry expresses solidarity with oppressed communities in Palestine and Kashmir, reports state media

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Aun Chaudhry reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to protecting human rights globally, urging the world not to let atrocities in Palestine, Serbia and Kashmir go “unnoticed,” state-run media reported on Sunday.

Chaudhry was in Potočari, Bosnia, where he took part in a solemn memorial service in remembrance of the 30th anniversary of the 1995 killings in Srebenica. According to the UN, the Bosnian Serb army overran Srebrenica in July 1995, previously declared a safe area under a UN Security Council resolution, and brutally murdered thousands of men and teenagers there.

Chaudhry laid a floral wreath at the memorial site, paying tribute to those who were massacred in the event 30 years ago. He also spoke about the rights of the people of Gaza, where Israel has killed at least 57,882 Palestinians since the start of the war in 2023, according to the health ministry there. 

“Aun Chaudhary stressed that atrocities whether in Serbia, Palestine, Kashmir or anywhere else in the world must not go unnoticed,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the protection of human rights globally, expressing solidarity with oppressed communities in Palestine and Kashmir, the state broadcaster said.

Pakistan, which does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, has consistently criticized Tel Aviv and called on world powers to intervene for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Islamabad has repeatedly demanded an independent Palestinian state, with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital and as per the pre-June 1967 border.


Pakistan’s Nadeem, India’s Chopra to reignite javelin rivalry in Poland in August

Pakistan’s Nadeem, India’s Chopra to reignite javelin rivalry in Poland in August
Updated 13 July 2025
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Pakistan’s Nadeem, India’s Chopra to reignite javelin rivalry in Poland in August

Pakistan’s Nadeem, India’s Chopra to reignite javelin rivalry in Poland in August
  • Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra to face off in Wanda Diamond League 2025 competition in Silesia in August
  • Two last faced each other in August 2024 at Paris Olympics where Nadeem won gold with 92.97-meter throw5

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s javelin star Arshad Nadeem and India’s Neeraj Chopra will reignite their rivalry in August when the two sportsmen compete at the Silesia Wanda Diamond League 2025 competition scheduled to be held in Poland, the official website of the Olympics said this week. 

This will be the first time Nadeem and Chopra will face each other since their charged encounter at the Paris 2024 Olympic final, where Nadeem clinched gold ahead of Neeraj with an Olympic record-shattering throw of 92.97 meters. 

The Wanda Diamond League is an annual sports competition featuring elite athletes across sprints, jumps, throws and distance events. The competition is set to take place next month in Silesia on August 16. 

“Neeraj Chopra will face Arshad Nadeem,” the Olympics website said, quoting the Diamond League organizers.

“The Indian-Pakistani battle awaiting the Polish fans will be the first opportunity for revenge after the Paris Olympics.”

Chopra has had an impressive year so far, kicking off his season with a win at the Potch Invitational in South Africa before finishing second at the Doha Diamond League, where he breached the coveted 90-meter barrier with a massive 90.23m throw — a new national record. 

The Indian athlete then had to settle for a second-place finish again at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland but returned to winning ways at the Paris Diamond League. Since then, he has logged back-to-back wins at the Ostrova Golden Spike in Czechia and the NC Classic in India.

Nadeem, meanwhile, recently marked a triumphant return to action by winning gold at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, Korea. He hadn’t competed since his Paris 2024 exploits.

Rivalries, particularly between athletes or teams from bitter rivals India and Pakistan, have always been one of the most intriguing aspects of sports. 

However, next month’s competition will have added flair to it, considering the militaries of the two countries engaged in the worst fighting between them in decades in May.

An attack in Indian-administered Kashmir triggered a conflict between the two states that saw them target each other with missiles, drones, fighter jets and artillery fire before agreeing to a ceasefire on May 10.


Pakistan’s death toll from heavy rains since June 26 surges past 100

Pakistan’s death toll from heavy rains since June 26 surges past 100
Updated 13 July 2025
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Pakistan’s death toll from heavy rains since June 26 surges past 100

Pakistan’s death toll from heavy rains since June 26 surges past 100
  • Punjab reports highest number of rain-related deaths, 39, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 31
  • Pakistan has warned of flash flood risks in Punjab, KP and Balochistan provinces from July 12-17

ISLAMABAD: The death toll from heavy rains and flash floods in Pakistan since June 26 has climbed to 104, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said in its latest report this week, as the country braces for more monsoon downpours and possible floods. 

As per the NDMA’s latest situation report, Punjab has reported the highest number of deaths from rain-related incidents, 39, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 31, Sindh with 17, Balochistan with 16, while Azad Kashmir also reported one death since June 26. 

“The total number of 104 deceased include 49 children, 37 men and 18 women,” the NDMA report said, adding that 200 people were injured, among them 76 children, 78 men and 46 women.

The report further said 413 houses have been damaged since June 26 due to rain-related incidents across the country, with the most houses damaged in KP, 146, Sindh 86, Punjab 54, Balochistan 52, Azad Kashmir 45 and 30 in Gilgit-Baltistan. 

Sindh reported the highest number of livestock that perished due to rains, 58, followed by KP with 43, Punjab with seven and Azad Kashmir with three. 

The NDMA, meanwhile, issued a fresh alert for heavy rains on Saturday. It warned of potential flood and flash flood risks in various regions of Punjab, KP and Balochistan provinces from July 12 to July 17 in its latest advisory. 

The authority advised administrations to ensure the readiness of emergency teams, the availability of machinery and ensure clearance of drainage systems.

It also called on tourists to avoid high-altitude areas, saying that residents in vulnerable zones must secure valuables, vehicles and livestock, and keep essential supplies. 

Pakistan, home to over 240 million people, is consistently ranked among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. In 2022, record-breaking monsoon rains and glacier melt triggered catastrophic floods that affected 33 million people and killed more than 1,700.


Pakistan vows political, diplomatic support for Kashmiris on Kashmir Martyrs’ Day

Pakistan vows political, diplomatic support for Kashmiris on Kashmir Martyrs’ Day
Updated 13 July 2025
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Pakistan vows political, diplomatic support for Kashmiris on Kashmir Martyrs’ Day

Pakistan vows political, diplomatic support for Kashmiris on Kashmir Martyrs’ Day
  • Pakistan observes Kashmir Martyrs’ Day on July 13 to honor 22 Kashmiris killed in 1931 by then ruler of disputed territory
  • Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have both fought three wars since 1947, with two of them over disputed Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday vowed to extend Pakistan’s diplomatic and political support to the people of Kashmir on Kashmir Martyrs’ Day, calling for the resolution of the dispute as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions, state-run media reported. 

Pakistan marks Kashmir Martyrs’ Day on July 13 every year to pay tribute to 22 Kashmiri protesters who were shot dead in Srinagar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, in 1931 by soldiers of Maharaja Hari Singh, the Hindu ruler of the then princely state.

Pakistan sees the day as a symbol of Kashmiris’ struggle against what it says is illegal Indian occupation in the disputed Himalayan valley. Both India and Pakistan have fought three wars since 1947, with two of them over Kashmir. Both claim territory in full but administer only parts of it.

“The Kashmiri people have been and are sacrificing their lives in their legitimate struggle for the right to self-determination,” Sharif was quoted as saying by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

“The government of Pakistan expresses its political, diplomatic and moral support in solidarity with the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir, which is illegally occupied by India.”

Every year on the occasion, special rallies, seminars, and conferences are held across Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. 

India accuses Pakistan of backing separatist militants in the part of Kashmir it administers. Islamabad denies the allegations and says it only extends political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris. 

The two countries engaged in the worst fighting between them in decades in May when gunmen shot dead 26 people, mostly tourists, in Indian-administered Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for supporting the attack, which Pakistan strongly denied and called for an international probe into the incident. 

The two countries engaged in a military conflict for four days that killed over 70 people on both sides of the border before US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Delhi and Islamabad on May 10. 


Punjab launches Pakistan’s first riot management police force

Punjab launches Pakistan’s first riot management police force
Updated 13 July 2025
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Punjab launches Pakistan’s first riot management police force

Punjab launches Pakistan’s first riot management police force
  • Riot management force equipped with advanced crowd-control equipment, safety gear, riot protection tools, says report
  • Force’s training followed manuals from the US, Turkiye, Europe and other developed countries, says report by state-run media 

ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province this week launched the country’s first-ever riot management police force, state-run media reported, saying the move would prove instrumental in protecting people’s lives and ensure the safety of government infrastructure. 

As per a report in the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), a comprehensive eight-week training program was held at the Police Training Center in Punjab’s Farooqabad city for the first batch of the force. 

The training followed manuals from the United States, Turkiye, Europe and other developed countries, and was delivered by experts trained in Turkiye, the report said. During the passing-out ceremony, officers demonstrated exceptional crowd-control drills designed to safely manage violent protest scenarios.

“Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has established Pakistan’s first-ever dedicated Riot Management Police Force, marking a major milestone in law enforcement and crowd control in the province,” the APP report said on Saturday. 

“The new force has been created within the Punjab Police framework to protect the life, property, and safety of citizens as well as government infrastructure.”

The report said that the Riot Management Police, which consists of physically active, capable, and agile officers, was trained specifically to respond to volatile situations with professionalism.

It said the first phase of the Riot Management Police Force includes 5,000 personnel, out of which 3,000 have successfully completed training. The report said these personnel will be deployed across Punjab’s regional headquarters, with 250 officers assigned to each region to ensure “swift and organized response” to unrest.

Each Riot Management Police team of 250 personnel is supported by 15 specialized sub-units, including the First Aid Unit, the Drone Surveillance Team, the Crowd Engagement Team, the Negotiation Team, the Crowd Control Unit, the Arrest Unit, the Evacuation Team, the K9 (dog handler) Unit, the Sniper and Tactical Response Team.

“The force has been equipped with advanced crowd-control equipment, safety gear, and riot protection tools, and personnel will receive special allowances based on their professional roles,” APP said. 

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was briefed that the force has been specially trained to manage all types of crowds, including organized violent groups. The aim is to not only neutralize threats but also engage with protesters proactively to prevent damage to public and private property, she said.

“The establishment of this force brings a new dimension to modern governance,” Nawaz was quoted as saying. “By safely controlling angry crowds, it becomes possible to de-escalate tension and prevent chaos.”

Pakistan has historically seen violent protests that have caused significant damage to people’s lives, property and government infrastructure.