DADU: The additional sessions court of Kotri on 26th November threw out a man’s petition seeking custody of a teenage girl, whom he claimed to be his wife based on a forged nikahnama, and ordered registration of a case against him and his witnesses for submitting the forged document to the court. Sources said that Zahid Junejo had filed the petition under Section 491 and produced what later turned out to be a forged
Child Rights in Focus
ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on 26th November said that to build a prosperous and competitive society, country need a strong foundation—starting with the curriculum. Speaking at the National Curriculum Council (NCC) here at Allama Iqbal Open University, he acknowledged the ongoing debate over the medium of instruction, noting that while some advocate for Urdu and others for English, he believes in a pragmatic approach—Urdish, a combination of both languages. “Urdish is the future
Centralised education system would improve educational standards without requiring additional resources. ISLAMABAD: Under the ‘Smart Islamabad’ project, all schools in the federal capital, including those in both rural and urban areas, will be centralised and provided with internet connectivity and other resources to enhance the quality of education. “The Ministry of Education (MoE) is actively collaborating with the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) on this initiative,” an official from the MoIT said and explained
KHYBER: Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) handed over 28 government schools that were recently repaired to the education department in the Khyber tribal district while 43 others were nearing completion, officials said. Addressing a ceremony in Bara on Monday, SRSP education campaigners Wakil Khan and Siyam Khan said that some of the militancy-affected and some old school buildings were repaired with the financial assistance of the Project for Commonwealth Development Office (PCDO). They said
PESHAWAR: The 46-bed neonatal intensive care unit has become operational at the Bacha Khan Medical Complex, Swabi, to provide modern care to newborns. BKMC director Dr Khalid Masud told Dawn that the unit, established with Unicef’s assistance, was the largest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa catering to patients not only from Swabi but from Buner, Swat, Chitral, Dir, Haripur and Attock districts as well. He said that the medical complex had secured the services of qualified neonatologist
DI KHAN: Authorities may have believed they had brokered a ceasefire, but the death toll from clashes in Kurram district has climbed to 88, with 111 wounded. The appeal for peace appears to have fallen on deaf ears as fighting persists in areas like Bagan and Alizai. In the latest incidents, two more people from both sides lost their lives, and 19 others were injured. Meanwhile, on November 21, Mushtaq Hussain, one of the
QUETTA: A wheel-jam strike will be observed in Balochistan on 25th November on a joint call for protest given by various political parties, traders, transporters, civil society against the kidnapping of a 10-year-old student. In a statement, the originators of a protest sit-in at Zarghoon Unity Chowk said that there would be no traffic on national highways, as major cities would observe a complete wheel-jam strike against the government’s failure to recover the student.
ISLAMABAD: The appointment of the heads of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and two other departments of the education ministry has been facing an inordinate delay, badly affecting their work. The FDE, which is a regulatory body of 431 schools and colleges in Islamabad, has been run on an ad hoc basis for the last over one year. The DG post is of grade 21. The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s polio crisis deepens as three more children were confirmed paralyzed by wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), pushing the total number of cases to 55 this year, Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) officials said on 23-November-2024. Among the newly affected are an 8-month-old girl from DI Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a 20-month-old girl from Zhob, and a 5-month-old boy from Jaffarabad in Balochistan. The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute
QUETTA: The Legal Aid Society, in collaboration with the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Balochistan government, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), hosted a pivotal consultation to strengthen the implementation of the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021, and establish Anti-Rape Crisis Cells in Balochistan. They underscored the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration, uniting government officials, legal experts, and key stakeholders to address challenges and develop survivor-centric strategies. Discussions focused on barriers to
In a celebration of World Children’s Day, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on 23-November-2024 led an awareness walk with children, parents, community leaders, NGO representatives and government officials aimed at emphasising the importance of children’s rights and the shared responsibility to ensure their protection and well-being. Observed globally on November 20 each year, World Children’s Day serves as a reminder to advocate for the rights and welfare of children. The walk was
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on 22nd November directed all schools to provide transportation for students after the upcoming winter vacation as part of measures to combat smog. During the hearing on multiple petitions regarding environmental issues, Justice Shahid Karim observed that students must be transported to and from their homes via school buses. “Schools failing to comply with the order will face closure,” the judge maintained. The judge also warned schools from sending