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Kashmir Avalanches Kill Dozens, Destroy Villages
At least 69 people died after avalanches hit the Pakistani and Indian administered Kashmir during the last 24 hours, Reuters reported.
According to the report, at least 59 people were killed and many more were missing after avalanches in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir over the last 24 hours, senior government officials said, Tuesday.
In the Indian administered Kashmir too, at least 10 people were killed after several avalanches hit the northern part of Kashmir.
Two Pakistani officials said many villagers were still stranded by the avalanches in the Neelum Valley following heavy rain and landslides. Many people were reported missing and feared dead as rescue efforts got underway, an official told Reuters.
Rescuers had managed to extract more than 50 people from the snow and airlifted them out of the area for treatment. Authorities also scrambled to provide relief to local people with another spell of heavy snow expected on Friday.
At least 53 houses have been completely destroyed by avalanches in the Pakistani administered region known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir abbreviated as AJK, officials said.
“I have asked the National Disaster Management Authority, the military, and all our federal ministers to immediately provide all humanitarian assistance on an emergency footing to the affected people in AJK,” Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted.
A senior Indian police official said five soldiers were among the 10 killed near the border between India and Pakistan.
The area is one of the world’s most militarily tense frontiers, where the neighboring armies have confronted each other over disputed territory for decades. Kashmir has been divided between Indian and Pakistan since their independence in 1947.
In 2012, an avalanche engulfed a Pakistani army battalion headquarters near the Indian border, killing at least 124 soldiers and 11 civilians.
Meanwhile in western Pakistan, heavy snowfall in southwestern Balochistan destroyed several houses in the mountainous region, killing 17 people.
The disaster management authority declared an emergency in seven districts of the mineral-rich province and sought the army’s help for relief and rescue operations.
Key highways connecting Pakistan and Afghanistan were blocked due to heavy snow, forcing officials to suspend transportation of essential goods into Afghanistan.
In addition, severe cold and heavy snow led to the death of 39 people in six provinces of Afghanistan in the past two weeks said Tamim Azimi, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Natural Disaster Management Authority in Kabul.
“We are distributing emergency assistance, including cash to the affected families,” said Azimi, adding that heavy rain and snow have hampered the rescuers.
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on Saturday afternoon, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The quake’s epicenter was reported in Jurm district of Badakhshan province, with a depth of 208.3 kilometers.
So far, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage following the tremor.
Shahabuddin Delawar, Head of the Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities, says Afghanistan has achieved security, unified governance, brotherhood, and progress for the first time in 47 years under the administration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
Speaking at a meeting in Kabul on Saturday, Delawar said Afghanistan had lacked a unified system over the past four decades, but added that with the return of the Islamic Emirate, the issue has now been resolved.
Referring to Ashura commemorations held on Friday, he said the occasion was observed peacefully across the country under full security.
Delawar also urged exiled Afghan politicians to return, saying the commission was established to serve Afghans and address the concerns of returning figures. He added that any legal disputes involving returnees would be handled exclusively through the commission.
He further said the Islamic Emirate has expanded treatment centers and intensified anti-narcotics efforts since regaining power, claiming this has led to a significant decline in drug addiction.
Addressing the issue of international legitimacy, Delawar said he understood why the United States has not recognized the Islamic Emirate, arguing that Washington suffered a defeat in Afghanistan that it cannot easily overlook.
“They have suffered a major defeat that they cannot forget; if they recognize us, they will face questions from their own people,” Delawar said.
The European Union says it is implementing hundreds of millions of euros in projects to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Afghanistan and help expand economic opportunities across the country.
Speaking to Ariana News, EU Chargé d’Affaires in Kabul, Veronika Boskovic Pohar, said the programs are aimed at creating jobs for skilled workers, women, youth, and returnees, while also strengthening the private sector. She added that alongside international support, Afghan authorities also have a role in facilitating economic growth.
According to Pohar, the EU is currently implementing projects worth €156 million focused on livelihoods, durable solutions, job creation, and women’s economic empowerment. She said an additional €40 million program specifically designed to support returnees will be launched in the near future.
She noted that the EU is gradually shifting its focus from emergency humanitarian aid toward long-term sustainable solutions, particularly for internally displaced people and returnees in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the United Nations, marking World Day of Small and Medium Enterprises, said SMEs account for more than 90 percent of businesses worldwide and play a critical role in employment and economic growth.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stressed that stronger investment, innovation, and sustainable industrial development are essential to help businesses withstand economic challenges and build resilient economies.
Afghan private sector representatives and economic analysts say greater support for SMEs could help the country address economic challenges faster, increase employment, and promote sustainable long-term development.
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