ISLAMABAD: Students of 14 years and above age now will be taught reproductive health education in Islamabad’s educational institutions as after Senate, National Assembly also passed a bill on March 10 in this regard. Prior written consent from parents or legal guardians shall be mandatory before imparting any instructions related to reproductive health education within educational institutions. The bill was presented in National Assembly by MNA Shazia Marri, which was passed by the house.
Child Rights in Focus
LAHORE: Around 20,000 teachers working in 4,300 schools operating under the Punjab Education Initiatives Management Authority (PEIMA) did not get salaries for the past three months, leading to severe financial difficulties for them. The situation could prompt many of the teachers to quit their jobs that would affect education of nearly 600,000 students and lead to closure of schools. Teachers and school administrations said payments to PEIMA partner schools for January, February and March
• Says executing sole surviving parent would create ‘judiciary-sponsored orphanhood’ • Convict had killed his wife and daughter in Vehari in 2021 ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view the welfare of a child, the Supreme Court on March 10 commuted the death sentence of a convicted father to life imprisonment, observing that executing a sole surviving parent would render the child a “silent victim” of the justice system. “When the judiciary imposes the death penalty upon
Education remains a crucial driver of human development and economic growth in Pakistan. Investments in learning strengthen human capital, enhance productivity, and expand opportunities for innovation and inclusive progress. Article 25-A of the Constitution guarantees free and compulsory education for all children aged five to sixteen, while Article 37(b) commits the state to removing illiteracy and providing free and compulsory secondary education within the minimum possible period. Together with Pakistan’s commitment to Sustainable Development
LAHORE/ QUETTA: The provincial governments of Punjab and Balochistan announced the closure of all educational institutions on Mar 9 due to the fuel crisis gripping the country because of the ongoing war in the Gulf. Meanwhile, the Sindh government will convene a meeting today (Tuesday) to decide on this matter, while the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) education department is also likely to announce keeping educational institutions closed on Fridays and Saturdays after a meeting scheduled for
KARACHI: Sharing serious concern over the alarming increase in stray dog attacks across the province, which have resulted in injuries and loss of lives, speakers at a roundtable conference held on Monday called upon the government to carry out its constitutional duty of protecting human lives by taking immediate steps to control the dog population. They underscored the need for removing stray dogs from the streets, while suggesting the establishment of shelters where they
FIRST the good news: on Feb 21, 2026, Sindh carried out its first real-time digital birth registrations of four newborns at public teaching hospitals — a long-awaited move towards reducing bureaucracy and improving archaic processes. The first paperless registrations were accomplished under a digital framework that integrated these hospitals with Nadra’s Birth Notification Tool (BNT). The Sindh government and Nadra indeed deserve a pat on the back. Registration of birth at source hugely shortens delays,
NAROWAL: Kotli Loharan police have registered a case against a man for allegedly subjecting his daughter to rape at Chak Sadio, Sialkot. ‘Z’ filed a complaint with the police, saying that she was at home with her family on the night of Feb 18. She said at 2:30am, she heard her 17-year-old daughter ‘A’ screaming and found her husband ‘E’ raping her. She said her husband had also been forcibly preventing her from coming
Artificial intelligence is quietly shaping a generation’s thinking. Children are increasingly using AI tools to answer questions, complete assignments and tackle problems that once required reflection and research. What appears to be efficiency may also be altering the way thinking itself develops. This shift is unfolding within a generation shaped by a uniquely digital start. Many of today’s students experienced important school years during Covid-19 lockdowns. For them, digital environments are not an adjustment
ISLAMABAD: UNAIDS officials in Pakistan say they are assisting the country’s pharmaceutical industry to explore the local production of lenacapavir, a long acting HIV prevention medicine described by the World Health Organisation chief as a “prevention breakthrough” because it can prevent almost all infections among people at risk when taken once every six months. “UNAIDS is supporting discussions with Pakistani pharmaceutical manufacturers and other stakeholders to explore pathways for local production and wider access
LAHORE: The Punjab education authorities have failed to stop the sale of books and uniforms by private schools. According to parents, the beginning of the 2026 academic year in the province has again exposed the failure of regulatory authorities and disregard for court directives by private schools as many institutions are selling textbooks and uniforms directly to parents despite a ban imposed by the education department and courts. With schools reopening across the province,
BADIN: Residents of a coastal village in Badin district have expressed concern over the closure of a government primary school for the past five years, leaving local children without access to basic education. The Government Primary School located in the village of Sheikh Qarehio Bhandari, the last settlement of Union Council Bhugra Memon in the coastal belt of Badin, remains non-functional. The school building, described by residents as a hut-like structure in a dilapidated