KARACHI: Taking stock of the province’s polio situation ahead of another immunisation campaign, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on 21st May underscored the need for collective action and accountability at every level to tackle the public health challenge. Chairing a meeting of the provincial polio task force at the CM House, Mr Shah reviewed the recent epidemiological trends, assessed the performance and finalised preparations for the upcoming polio drive. He was given a detailed
Child Rights in Focus
The keyword in autism spectrum disorder isn’t ‘autism’, it’s spectrum. Autism isn’t one thing — it’s a wide range of experiences, strengths, and challenges. Some autistic children speak fluently; others may be nonverbal. No two are alike. Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting how a person communicates, relates to others, and processes the world. It’s not caused by parenting, screen time, or vaccines — but by differences in brain development, often starting before birth.
KARACHI: Experts representing the Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) and the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) have expressed grave concern over recent reports indicating a potential significant tax relief for the import and supply of breast milk substitutes in the upcoming federal budget. In a letter to Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, the PPA stated that the proposed tax relief threatened mother feeding and child health in Pakistan. “Such a
The Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) congratulated the nation on a significant legislative milestone. The National Assembly has passed a bill criminalizing child marriage within the Islamabad Capital Territory. According to the new law, no marriage can take place unless both the bride and groom are at least 18 years of age. Additionally, the presence of valid national identity cards for both individuals will be mandatory, with
LAHORE: Under the newly-enforced Birth and Death Registration Rules 2025, the local government & community development department has waived all fees related to the registration of births and deaths, as well as issuance of computerised certificates, for a period up to past seven years. The waiver of fees is a part of the government’s broader initiative to streamline the public service delivery and reduce the financial burden on people. The new rules, officially notified
Police doubt suicide claim by family KARACHI: A 12-year-old girl was found dead hanging from a duppata at the home of her paternal uncle in Surjani Town. According to rescue officials, the deceased has been identified as Mehak Dastgir. The body has been shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for postmortem and legal action. Surjani Town police station SHO Muhammad Ali Shah said that evidence has been collected from the scene. Though the child’s family
LAHORE: The Punjab government on 20th May announced early summer vacations for all public and private schools and colleges across the province, as authorities grapple with an intense heatwave. In a statement from the education ministry, Punjab Minister for Education Rana Sikandar Hayat also unveiled revised school timings to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures. Effective May 21, schools will operate from 7:30am to 11:30am until the summer break begins. The schools and colleges
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior rejected a proposed bill aimed at curbing drug use in educational institutions on May 19, despite strong opposition from the bill’s mover, Senator Mohsin Aziz, who vowed not to withdraw the legislation even if the committee disapproved of it entirely. The meeting was chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem at the Parliament House. Senator Aziz tabled a bill proposing compulsory drug testing of students in educational institutions. Senator
Heat is now the leading cause of weather-related deaths globally, with an estimated 489,000 people dying from heat-related causes each year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). As extreme temperatures become more common in Pakistan as well, lets delve into the WHO guidelines to help people stay safe during heatwaves. In extreme heat, the human body struggles to regulate internal temperature, increasing the risk of heat exhaustion, kidney injury and cardiovascular stress. The
Campaign extended to May 31 amid efforts to enroll 4.9m out-of-school children PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Education Department is struggling to meet its enrollment targets for government schools, leading to an extension of the ongoing school admission campaign until May 31. According to official sources, the department has fallen short of the provincial target set by the Minister for Education, which aimed to enroll one million children during the campaign. In response, the Director of
ISLAMABAD: JUIF chief Fazlur Rehman 19-May-2025 categorically opposed the Child Marriage Restraint Bill, terming it against the Islamic Shariah. Speaking in the National Assembly, he said the ‘controversial’ legislation would spoil the damage national unity adding that it was not the proper timing to pass the bill. He called upon the chair to rule that the bill should not be processed further and the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) be consulted first. He said
ISLAMABAD: Although the chances of war between Pakistan and India have lessened following the ceasefire, around 7,000 students from Islamabad-based schools and colleges were trained by the Civil Defence Department to handle emergency situations in the federal capital. According to a press release issued by the CDA on Sunday, “Six teams of master trainers from the Directorate General Civil Defence and four teams from the CDA ignited a spark of knowledge and expertise in