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World Texas Lt. Governor Responds to Question About Possible 'Civil War'

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Texas Lt. Governor Responds to Question About Possible 'Civil War'
Jan 28, 2024 at 1:13 PM EST

Amid tensions over the use of razor wire on the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, the state's Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick responded to a question about a possible "civil war" during an interview on Sunday.

Tension between federal and state units in Texas remains after President Joe Biden's administration secured a significant win over Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Monday after the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to allow the temporary removal of razor wire along the southern border while litigation over the issue proceeds. The Court's decision has sparked anger among Republicans who support the measures taken by Abbott and his administration to fight illegal immigration in the state. Tensions over the measures escalated as the federal government raised environmental and humanitarian concerns about the deterrent.

Meanwhile, Abbott and his administration have held firm on their stance to continue the razor wire policy as the Republican governor claims that Texas has a constitutional right to self-defense and his state was "acting on that authority, as well as state law, to secure the Texas border" by using the razor wire.

In an interview on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures with host Maria Bartiromo, Patrick said that Texas does not want a confrontation with the Biden administration. However, when asked by Bartiromo whether this situation will "turn into a civil war," Patrick responded by reiterating that Texas has a constitutional right.

"We believe constitutionally we are right, we have a right to defend our citizens, we have a right to defend this country and we are just doing our job. These young women and men who serve our National Guard and our DPS these are the best of the best why would he want to send anyone down to confront them," he said.

Newsweek has reached out to Patrick's office and the White House via email for comment.

Patrick's comments come after some Democrats, including Texas Representative Joaquin Castro and former Representative Beto O'Rourke have urged Biden to federalize Texas' National Guard to stop Abbott from defying the Court's ruling.

Patrick previously responded to this possibility by stating it would be a mistake.

"The biggest mistake the Biden administration could make would be confronting law enforcement or our military, our National Guard at our border, at this park, when we are actually doing the job that the American people want," Patrick told Laura Ingraham on Fox News on Friday.

Concerns over a confrontation came after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asked Texas to stop preventing federal Border Patrol agents access to Eagle Pass' Shelby Park. A letter from the DHS to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton last week demanded full access to the park by Friday, however, Paxton rejected the request.

Biden has signaled that he's open to "massive changes" on border policy, asking Congress to embrace a bipartisan Senate deal that would pair border enforcement measures with aid to Ukraine to help in its ongoing war with Russia. In addition, he stated on Saturday at a political event in South Carolina that he would be willing to close the U.S.-Mexico border if lawmakers would only send him a bill to sign.

Additionally, this is not the first time concerns over a possible civil war regarding the handling of the southern border have been mentioned as some have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to raise the question.

Internet personality Terrence Williams told his 1.7 million followers: "CIVIL WAR IS COMING SOON."

"You are trying to start a civil war," Williams told the president in a video posted online. "You got everybody in the state of Texas all bent up."

Conservative commentator Carmine Sabia agreed, writing on X, "Joe Biden is about to start a Civil War over his treasonous handling of the border."

YouTube streamer Tim Pool said on a stream that it "looks like a Fort Sumter-esque type scenario," referencing the first battle of the Civil War.

www.newsweek.com

Texas lt. governor responds to question about possible "civil war"

Dan Patrick responded to a question about a possible "civil war" over the use of razor wire at southern border.
www.newsweek.com www.newsweek.com
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Military Outdoing US, China makes a splash at Emirati unmanned defense tech show

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Outdoing US, China makes a splash at Emirati unmanned defense tech show​

The Asian giant had more than 50 entities present at UMEX 2024, according to organizers, compared to less than two dozen from the US and just a few from Russia.​

By AGNES HELOUon January 26, 2024 at 8:08 AM

Chinese unmanned helicopter

China’s CATIC displays an unmanned helicopter at UMEX 2024 in Abu Dhabi. (Agnes Helou / Breaking Defense)

UMEX 2024 — At one booth a large, sleek unmanned helicopter sits with folded rotors, as if ready to pounce. At another, different torpedoes are stacked up in the shadow of models aerial drones. More drones, painted in gray camouflage pattern, are lit from underneath yards away.

These are just some of the defense platforms on display by Chinese firms at the Unmanned Systems conference (UMEX) in Abu Dhabi this week, where Chinese companies account for the second largest space by nation, ahead of the US and behind only the host country.

“This is the largest edition since UMEX was launched in 2016, with 11 countries participating for the first time,” said Saeed Al Mansoori, defense exhibitions advisor at ADNEC Group, at the first day of the show conference. “The largest pavilion is the Emirati pavilion, the Chinese pavilion is the second and the American pavilion is the third.”

More than 50 Chinese companies and organizations were listed among the event’s exhibitors this year, compared to just 15 for the US. The UAE featured some 75 entities.

Walking the floor of the conference, it’s hard to miss Beijing’s presence — a chance for firms to show of their wares in a region increasingly feeling the pull of Washington as well as Beijing.

China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), for instance, displayed a large unmanned helicopter model of AR-2000 at its stand, as well as models of its AR-36 UAV, Wing Loong 10B and Wing Loong- X UAVs, and CS- 300 T target drones among others. CATIC also sealed a deal on the first day of the show for AED23 million ($6.26 million) for counter-drone platforms.

Chinese UAVs and torpedos

Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles and torpedos on display at UMEX 2024 in Abu Dhabi. (Agnes Helou / Breaking Defense)

Facing CATIC on the show floor, was Beijing-based Poly Technologies, showing off those aerial drones and torpedoes at their stand, as well as Flightwin displayed unmanned helicopter equipped with a surveillance package and missiles.

Another Chinese company, Norinco, had its wares on display under the banner of the Emirati defense distributor International Golden Group, which provides foreign platforms to the Emirati military and was recently acquired by UAE conglomerate EDGE Group. Norinco displayed systems including a range of models of BLUE ARROW missiles and fixed winged UAVs including its BZK-005E MALE (Medium-Altitude Low-Endurance) UAV.

EDGE has made several international plays to expand its global presence, and at the show a senior official said it was open to more opportunities with all firms IGG cooperates with, including those in China. Faisal Al Bannnai, chairman of EDGE’s Board of Directors, told Breaking Defense, his company is interested in “any company on the planet that’s willing to support the UAE.”

Russia With A Slimmed Down Presence​

Meanwhile, the presence of Russian firms presence at the show was restricted to just a handful of organizations, including drone maker Zala, which did not display any models and the company’s representatives declined to talk to journalists. Another booth featured a joint project by manufacturers Aeromax and IKAR displaying unmanned helicopter replicas dedicated to security and research and rescue missions.

RODOBORONEXPORT, a state-owned firm and part of Rostec State Corporation, said before the show it would be offering tech transfer for Russian-made unmanned systems, part of an ongoing push for Moscow in the Gulf region.

“The company presents the widest range of products in the segment of unmanned aerial vehicles. ROSOBORONEXPORT has been successfully promoting the Orlan-10E, Orlan-30 and Orion-E reconnaissance/strike UAVs, as well as Kub-E loitering munition, which have substantiated their capabilities in real combat operations,” the company said in a statement. “We are actively working with Russian manufacturers to market drones modernized with regard to feedback from the battlefield, as well as new products.”

According to the company’s statement, it was planning to make presentations of Russian unmanned systems and to “hold a number of meetings on cooperation in this field with representatives of the United Arab Emirates and other Middle East countries” so reps could talk “about the ample opportunities in the field of industrial cooperation through the local production of drones on the customer’s premises, joint, work on advanced drones, taking into account the serious competence of the Russian side in their development and combat employment.”

Elsewhere at the show, Russia’s ally Belarus put some unmanned ground vehicles coupled with air defense systems and launchers on display.

UGVs at a Belarus booth

Belarus displays an unmanned ground vehicle at UMEX 2024 (Agnes Helou / Breaking Defense)

breakingdefense.com

Outdoing US, China makes a splash at Emirati unmanned defense tech show - Breaking Defense

The Asian giant had more than 50 entities present at UMEX 2024, according to organizers, compared to less than two dozen from the US and just a few from Russia.
breakingdefense.com breakingdefense.com
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Photos Xinjiang's Tarim River diverted and channeled to nurture world's largest desert poplar forest

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Xinjiang's Tarim River diverted and channeled to nurture world's largest desert poplar forest
Xinhua | Updated: 2020-08-17 16:31
URUMQI - The Tarim River in the southern part of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, also China's longest inland river, has been diverted to flow across the world's largest desert poplar forest as part of an ecological restoration campaign.

8733c2e0ef324f9d94c13fa32eb7728c.jpeg

The sluices along the Tarim River are being opened gradually during the high-water season to channel water across some 15 million mu (about 1 million hectares) of desert poplar forest in the river's basin.

This is the fifth year for the ecological restoration project designed to nurture the drought-resistant plant that serves as a major greening force in south Xinjiang's deserts.

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A total of nearly 8.2 billion cubic meters of water has flowed into the forest since 2016, and another inflow of 1.86 billion cubic meters of water is expected this year.

ab93f476ce67487b8d8022c7b9899afa.jpeg


The region is seeing marked increases in vegetation and waterfowl. The biological diversity had almost doubled in the river's downstream area in the past four years, data from the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed.

2ac7e5fa7e914021ba8a4ef8fb334097.jpeg


www.chinadaily.com.cn

Xinjiang's Tarim River channeled to nurture world's largest desert poplar forest

The Tarim River in the southern part of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, also China's longest inland river, has been diverted to flow across the world's largest desert poplar forest as part of an ecological restoration campaign.
www.chinadaily.com.cn www.chinadaily.com.cn
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Photos Buddhist fairyland, Tibetan Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, Sertar – World’s Largest Buddhist Institute

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Buddhist fairyland, Tibetan Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, Sertar – World’s Largest Buddhist Institute​

Situated in Garze Prefecture in Sichuan Province, Larung Gar Buddhist Academy is the largest Tibetan Buddhist institute in the world with more than 20 thousand monks and nuns. Thousands of red wood houses built on the hill, spectacularly converged like a red river for several miles.

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MiddleEast/Africa China's tightly controlled internet flooded with antisemitism following Hamas massacre

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China's tightly controlled internet flooded with antisemitism following Hamas massacre​

Antisemitic tropes are increasingly prevalent in both state-controlled media and online​

By Eryk Michael Smith Fox News
Published January 28, 2024 7:00am EST

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — Speaking to the U.S. Bar Association last week, Aaron Keyak, the State Department's deputy special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, warned of the growth of antisemitism in China following Hamas' massacre of Israelis Oct. 7.

"There’s been an increase in the People’s Republic of China’s state media and online discourse of antisemitic tropes that Jews control the United States through deep U.S.-Israel ties, as well as control over banks, the media, and that they have influence over government leaders," Keyak said.

"Conjecture that Jews control the U.S. government and U.S. wealth is an antisemitic falsehood intended to degrade trust in the United States, our democratic institutions and, ultimately, democracy around the globe."

The statements from the administration will be welcomed by many who have been monitoring Chinese antisemitism, an already existing problem that has grown worse since the Hamas massacres Oct. 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza.


Most of the hatred expressed has been online. Reports show Chinese "netizens" openly mocking the parents of the half-Chinese, Israeli-born captive Noa Argamani, who was seen in a viral video looking terrified as she was kidnapped by Hamas. Argamani's Chinese-born mother has been targeted with strings of profanities after she asked Beijing to help secure her daughter's release.

Chinese web users frequently compare Israel’s actions in Gaza to the Holocaust, with Israel playing the role of the Nazis. YouTube is banned in China, but the most popular Chinese version of a video site, Bilibili, along with other social media platforms operated by TikTok owner ByteDance, including TouTiao and Xigua, is awash with pro-Hitler videos, memes, pro-Nazi content and antisemitic tropes.

The Times of Israel reported in late 2023 that Steven Spielberg’s "Schindler’s List," previously a hit in China, had been "review-bombed" down from 9.7 to a 4.3 rating. One highly-rated comment from a reviewer in China asked, "Where is the Palestinian Schindler?"

As Israel’s war against Hamas heated up in October, Chinese search giants Alibaba and Baidu, for a time, made Israel disappear. The Jewish state could no longer be found on either site’s map apps.

The chance that this removal of Israel "from the river to the sea" was due to a tech glitch is virtually zero. China's internet is the most policed on earth, and few observers believe this map incident was anything other than a childish gesture meant to bring a few moments of joy to pro-Hamas Chinese netizens.

Meron Medzini, professor emeritus at the Department of Asian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91, has had a front-row seat to history, watching both the emergence of the State of Israel and the People’s Republic of China, a country he’s visited a dozen times.

Medzini told Fox News Digital that the "recent antisemitic publications and other forms of [antisemitic] expression in China should be seen as an expression of anti-Americanism. The belief is that Jews have vast influence on American politics, media, academia, banking and finance and, thus, in fact, control America. It is easier to attack Jews than America."

Medzini is the author of books on the history of Taiwan-Israel relations as well as Japan and the Jews during the Holocaust era.

Speaking to Fox News Digital from his office in Taipei, Ross Darrell Feingold, founding chairman of the Chabad Taipei Jewish Center in Taiwan and an analyst of Chinese foreign policy, explained that even if the CCP is not directly promoting antisemitic hate speech, up to now it has not required the platform operators to clamp down.

"On my Chinese social media account, the antisemitic vitriol directed at me is astounding," Feingold said. "It includes the usual stereotypes such as Jews control global wealth and U.S. foreign policy, to more extreme comments such as references to Jews going up in smoke or are better off being turned into soap".
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World Nepal & China to sign implementation plan of Beijing-backed BRI projects: Nepal's Deputy PM

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Nepal & China to sign implementation plan of Beijing-backed BRI projects: Nepal's Deputy PM​

The BRI, which aims to enhance connectivity and promote economic cooperation, has opened up new avenues for collaboration between the two nations, Shrestha said, adding that one of the cornerstones of Nepal-China cooperation is infrastructure development.​


JANUARY 28, 2024 / 08:19 PM IST
The signing of the BRI implementation plan is the key to negotiating and implementing the projects under the initiative.

The signing of the BRI implementation plan is the key to negotiating and implementing the projects under the initiative.​


Nepal and China will sign the implementation plan of the Belt and Road Initiative "very soon", Deputy Prime Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha said on Saturday, nearly seven years after the two neighbours inked an agreement to undertake ambitious Beijing-backed infrastructure projects in the Himalayan nation.

"Once we sign the implementation plan, we will move into the implementation phase," Shrestha, also the Minister for Home Affairs said while addressing an event here that is part of the Silk Road Youth Forum and South Asian Cooperation Conference.

He said the two countries will sign the implementation plan of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) "very soon" without specifying any date. His statement came as Sun Haiyan, a senior leader of China's ruling Communist Party, was visiting Nepal and meeting the country's top leaders.

The signing of the BRI implementation plan is the key to negotiating and executing the projects under the initiative. Nepal and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the BRI in 2017. However, not a single project under the initiative, a pet project of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has either been executed or negotiated.

The BRI, which aims to enhance connectivity and promote economic cooperation, has opened up new avenues for collaboration between the two nations, Shrestha said, adding that one of the cornerstones of Nepal-China cooperation is infrastructure development.

''For nations like Nepal, nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, these initiatives open up possibilities for enhanced connectivity that can transform the economic landscape," he said.

"China's support in building critical infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and energy projects, has been instrumental in propelling Nepal towards economic growth and stability," Shrestha said. The signing of the BRI implementation plan between Nepal and China has been one of the prime agenda since early 2020 but an agreement has been elusive due to differences between the two sides over investment modality, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, speaking during an interaction programme with various political leaders of Nepal that was organised here, Sun Haiyan, the Vice Minister of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China, urged the stakeholders of both nations to not get affected by the attempts by other countries to spoil ties between China and Nepal. Without naming any nation, Sun said that countries come and go but it was the people of Nepal and China who were affected. ''There are other countries trying to play with the Nepal-China relations. They come and go. It is the people of Nepal and China who are affected by their activities," said Sun.


Sun, who is on a three-day visit to Nepal, said: ''It is therefore necessary to move forward setting up targets. We have to work in unison to face the difficulties, and make cooperation more practical''.

Senior leader of the ruling Nepali Congress Shashanka Koirala said that his party is willing to collaborate with China in the area of Nepal's development. He also expressed gratitude to China for assisting the 2015 earthquake and also during the coronavirus pandemic.

The signing of the BRI implementation plan is the key to negotiating and implementing the projects under the initiative. Nepal and China signed the memorandum of understanding on BRI in 2017 but not a single project under the initiative has been implemented. "Once we sign the agreement, we will move into the implementation phase," Shrestha said while addressing an event that is part of the Silk Road Youth Forum and South Asian Cooperation Conference.

www.moneycontrol.com

Nepal & China to sign implementation plan of Beijing-backed BRI projects: Nepal's Deputy PM

The BRI, which aims to enhance connectivity and promote economic cooperation, has opened up new avenues for collaboration between the two nations, Shrestha said, adding that one of the cornerstones of Nepal-China cooperation is infrastructure development.
www.moneycontrol.com www.moneycontrol.com
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Military Samsung Ditches Google In China, Baidu To Power Galaxy S24 Series' AI Features

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Samsung Ditches Google In China, Baidu To Power Galaxy S24 Series' AI Features​

Samsung has ditched Google and moved forward with Baidu to power its Galaxy S24 lineup's AI capabilities in China.​

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 28 Jan 2024 12:25 PM (IST)

Samsung Galaxy S24 series ditches Google for Baidu AI in China AI Features Gemini Ernie GPT 4 Oppo Vivo Samsung Ditches Google In China, Baidu To Power Galaxy S24 Series' AI Features

​
The primary reason behind this step is believed to be Google’s limited presence and services in China due to government restrictions. ( Image Source :Samsung )

Samsung's Galaxy S24 series of smartphones in China will hit the markets by ditching Google and using Chinese tech firm Baidu's product. Contrary to other markets across the globe, Samsung is using the capabilities of Baidu instead of Google to power AI features on Chinese variants of Galaxy S24 series smartphones. This collaboration between the South Korean brand and the Chinese firm was highlighted during a recent unveiling event of the smartphone lineup in China.

According to a CNBC report, both Samsung and Baidu issued a joint statement in which they emphasised that the Chinese variants of Galaxy S24 will be leveraging Baidu's Ernie chatbot technology. Ernie will enable new devices to have AI translations, text summarisations, and other productivity features.

This focus on Baidu showcases a major divergence from Samsung's global launches in which Google's Gemini AI underpinned the headline Galaxy AI capabilities. The primary reason behind Samsung taking this step is believed to be Google’s limited presence and services in China due to government restrictions.

Baidu's Ernie Better Than Google's Gemini?​

Earlier last year, Baidu gained approval from Chinese officials to deploy Ernie after initially unveiling the chatbot in 2021. Baidu launched Ernie 4.0 in October 2023 and the company claims that it matches and even exceeds the abilities of Google’s new GPT-4 system in areas such as language understanding and text generation.

In the joint statement, Samsung and Baidu highlighted Ernie’s text summarisation skills while reiterating that it can “summarise lengthy content into clear, intelligently organised formats.” This aligns with the real-time translation and other AI features that impressed the Galaxy S24 launch in the US and other Western markets.

The South Korean smartphone maker aims to showcase its AI collaborations with leading players in each market, however, it ultimately faces an uphill battle to revive its sales in China. Meanwhile, Chinese homegrown brands such as Oppo and Vivo now thoroughly dominate the smartphone arena of the nation.

news.abplive.com

Samsung Ditches Google In China, Baidu To Power Galaxy S24 Series' AI Features

Samsung has ditched Google and moved forward with Baidu to power its Galaxy S24 lineup's AI capabilities in China.
news.abplive.com news.abplive.com
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East Asia China, Thailand sign mutual visa exemption agreement

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China, Thailand sign mutual visa exemption agreement​

14:50, 28-Jan-2024

74e9217dd3e243e49c7b60c7a3386aa3.jpg

China and Thailand signed a mutual visa exemption agreement on Sunday, set to take effect on March 1, 2024.

During a media briefing after attending the signing ceremony in Bangkok with his Thai counterpart Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that the agreement would not only benefit tourism in Thailand and Chinese tourists but also enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples.

news.cgtn.com

China, Thailand sign mutual visa exemption agreement

China and Thailand signed a mutual visa exemption agreement on Sunday, set to take effect on March 1, 2024.During a media briefing after attending the signing ceremony in Bangkok with his Thai counterpart Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Chinese Foreign Minister
news.cgtn.com news.cgtn.com
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[🇵🇰] People of the Indus: Portraits from a changing river

ghazi

People of the Indus: Portraits from a changing river​

On a journey from mountain to sea, The Third Pole meets people whose lives are intertwined with the nourishing, destructive and evolving Indus.

Alefia T. Hussain
January 28, 2024

On its 3,100-kilometre course from the mountains of Tibet to the Arabian Sea, the mighty Indus River flows through foothills and plains, national parks, lands that have been denuded of their forests, fertile farmland and bustling towns. Along the way are dams and barrages, with large hydropower and irrigation projects affecting the natural flow of the river.

The Indus provides almost 90 per cent of the water for agriculture in Pakistan, but its waters can also take lives through floods. For the herders, farmers and fishers of the Indus basin, the river is a way of life, providing them with livelihoods and sustenance, yet it possesses the power to strip them of their homes, businesses and livestock with just one flood. They fear as well as revere the river.

Floods are an ever-looming threat in the Indus basin. Between 1950 and 2010, 21 major floods killed a total of 8,887 people, while immense floods in 2022 killed more than 1,700 and displaced nearly 8 million. The government estimated that an additional 8.4-9.1 million people would be pushed into poverty as a result.

The Third Pole travelled down the Indus, from the mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the north to the desolate villages of Sindh in the south, meeting people who depend on the river. We heard stories of a changing river and evolving relationships: many contend that engineering interventions like dams and barrages have transformed the Indus’ once free-flowing and predictable character, rendering it volatile and unforgiving. But almost nobody mentioned climate change, despite this being a key factor behind the unusually intense monsoon rains that caused the catastrophic 2022 floods.



The main locations visited by The Third Pole during its journey along the Indus River

The main locations visited by The Third Pole during its journey along the Indus River


‘The people of Gilgit-Baltistan are at the mercy of the Indus’​

Most people in Khaplu and Skardu towns, where the Shyok River meets the Indus in Gilgit-Baltistan, know of Muhammad Jan and the homes he runs for destitute children.

Muhammad Jan says that in this area, surrounded by towering mountains, the relationship between the Indus and its people is defined by fear and destruction. Here, most of the river’s water comes from glacial melt in the Karakoram mountains. But climate change impacts are jeopardising the food security and livelihoods of local people, increasing poverty levels.



Muhammad Jan in front of the Apna Ghar, a home for destitute children, he set up in Skardu (Image: Alefia T Hussain)

Muhammad Jan in front of the Apna Ghar, a home for destitute children, he set up in Skardu (Image: Alefia T Hussain)


“The people of this area are at the mercy of Indus. It hits the poorest the hardest,” says 57-year-old Muhammad Jan.

Muhammad Jan started supporting destitute children in 2002. More than two decades on, he houses 96 boys and 23 girls aged between 5 and 18 in homes called “Apna Ghar” — or “[our] own house” — in Khaplu and Skardu. “They are the children of shepherds or labourers or farmers living on slopes and terraces built along the Indus. They cannot afford one meal a day of roti [bread]. They do not own land and live in small one-room huts together with their animals and meagre belongings. They are at the mercy of nature.”



The Indus River at Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan (Image: Hamid Hussain Skardu)

The Indus River at Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan (Image: Hamid Hussain Skardu)


According to Muhammad Jan, the destruction caused when the Indus overflowed in 2010 was the worst in his memory, leading to many requests for admission to the Apna Ghar. Three brothers and one sister were admitted after their house was washed away by floodwaters in Balghar; they are all still studying, the eldest in college. He supported a girl whose father and three siblings died when their house collapsed as the Indus raged through Hoto village; she is now pursuing a degree in botany.

“I do not want them to live a troubled life because the Indus, in its various moods, has not been too kind to them,” says Muhammad Jan.

‘The power project has further impoverished the village’​

Having cut through the Himalayan, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain ranges, the Indus reaches Kohistan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

“The Indus is an integral part of our landscape. Yet, we prefer to keep a distance from it due to its formidable force,” says 32-year-old Shams ul Haq, whose home is perched about 900 metres above the river in Kohistan, near a small hamlet called Dubair.



Shams ul Haq standing on a mountain path in Kohistan, with the Indus in the background (Image: Hamzah Hashmi)

Shams ul Haq standing on a mountain path in Kohistan, with the Indus in the background (Image: Hamzah Hashmi)


Ways to earn a living in Kohistan are limited, and residents are able to grow just enough maize, wheat and vegetables on their small, terraced farms to sustain themselves. Haq runs a development organisation to help residents acquire an education and set up small businesses. Floods have hit Kohistan four times since 2010, and in 2022, Dubair’s bazaar, located close to the river, was washed away. “The shop owners have abandoned the village and resettled in nearby larger towns,” says Haq. Dubair is the location of the 130-megawatt (MW) Dubair Khwar hydroelectric project, which became operational in 2014. The village is also located 75 kilometres downstream of the under-construction 4,800 MW Diamer Bhasha dam, scheduled for completion in 2027, and 10 kilometres downstream of a 4,320 MW run-of-the-river dam being constructed at Dasu.

“Though we are surrounded by power projects, my village has power for only a couple of hours during the day. Our homes get electricity only at night,” says Haq. Most homes in Dubair are powered only by solar energy.

Haq explains that during construction of the Dubair hydropower project, local people willingly surrendered their agricultural land and even the village graveyard to developers to build infrastructure for the dam. They received what he considers to be “adequate compensation” for the land. However, many of these families then migrated to cities like Mansehra to establish new businesses there. As a result, he says, “the project has further impoverished the village”.



A view of the Indus as it winds its way downstream through the rugged mountains of Kohistan (Image: Hamzah Hashmi)

A view of the Indus as it winds its way downstream through the rugged mountains of Kohistan (Image: Hamzah Hashmi)


He hopes that when the Diamer Bhasha and Dasu dam projects are eventually completed, they will provide power to local villages and open up easy access to the rest of the country. “[I hope] more people come and inhabit Dubair, to liven up the markets.”

‘My family experienced life and death on the boat’​

Fifty-five-year-old Bashiran Bibi grew up on the Indus. Her ancestors lived on boats, travelling between Kalabagh in Punjab and Sukkur in Sindh, trading goods. In her childhood, she says, the river provided abundant water, food and trading opportunities for her family to thrive. “I learned to cook, eat and live on the boat. My family experienced life and death on the boat. We used to get off the boat only to bury the dead,” she recalls.

Then, after an array of dams and barrages were constructed in the mid-20th century to regulate the river’s flow and irrigate millions of acres of farmland on the fertile Punjab plains, the water level of the Indus fell. Meanwhile, fast-moving trucks on highways became the preferred mode of goods transportation. Bashiran Bibi’s family had to abandon trading along the river in the 1970s, as “the water became too shallow for our big boats, often 80 to 100 feet long.” Her family was forced to settle in Kot Addu in south Punjab, and take up fishing as their new profession.



Bashiran Bibi outside her home with baskets she has woven (Image: Alefia T Hussain)

Bashiran Bib
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