OWSA Contributor

Despite short-term improvements when winds disperse pollutants, Pakistan’s larger “smog season,” which typically lasts from October through February, has become a recurring annual crisis with economic and social costs that reverberate beyond public health into education, productivity and infrastructure planning.

The accord, signed at Singha Durbar on Wednesday, comes three months after mass protests shook the country.

According to the Secretary-General’s report submitted on 3 December 2025, the Taliban leadership – including the supreme leader’s inner circle – has intensified efforts to consolidate control through religious-guided governance, increased oversight, and sweeping policy changes.

International partners and humanitarian organisations have indicated their willingness to stay engaged for the long haul. Plans are underway for coordinated rebuilding efforts, assessment of ongoing needs, and development of resilient infrastructure to withstand future disasters.

As Kinnaur’s Deodhars stand sentinel, their rings urge action. Reforestation with drought-resilient natives, slope-stabilizing terracing, and AI-driven monitoring could blunt the edge. Community-led early warnings, drawing on local lore, might save lives where tech lags.

Nearly 20 per cent of the country’s land area was inundated during Cyclone Ditwah, causing widespread devastation across all provinces.

as climate change advances, the arid and semi-arid zones of Afghanistan are seeing rangeland collapse, livestock losses, and weakened rural economies.

The report makes clear that safeguarding journalists is not simply a media-industry concern; it is a democratic imperative. Free, independent political coverage is essential for voters to make informed decisions, and safety is the minimum guarantee required to enable that.