ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) have made the birth and death registration system in Islamabad online. As a result, citizens can now register births and deaths and obtain certificates from their homes without visiting the MCI and union council offices. Chief Commissioner Islamabad and CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf inaugurated the facility. During a briefing on the occasion, officials said the service was being provided on the Pak ID
Child Rights in Focus
Pakistan is confronting a serious but largely overlooked public health challenge, with thousands of children born every year with cleft lips and palates. Although the condition is treatable, many patients remain without timely care due to gaps in the healthcare system. Experts estimate that nearly 300,000 children are affected nationwide, placing Pakistan among the highest-burden countries globally after China, India, and Indonesia. From Karachi to Lahore and Peshawar, parents, surgeons, and healthcare workers describe
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has ordered all inspectors general of police (IGPs) to devise and implement effective mechanisms for the protection of girls attending schools, colleges, and universities, particularly regarding complaints of harassment, stalking, and other offences. In an 18-page judgment authored by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar while hearing an appeal against a death sentence awarded to a sweeper for raping a 10-year-old schoolgirl, the court emphasized that such complaints must be treated seriously, investigated
Karachi is witnessing a steady rise in dog-bite cases amid an expanding and largely unregulated stray dog population, placing increasing pressure on major public hospitals as thousands of residents seek treatment across the city. Most cases are reported from Baldia, Lyari, Liaquatabad, Surjani, Korangi, Orangi Town, Azizabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, PIB Colony, Jahangir Road, Malir, Saudabad, Shah Faisal Colony, Usmania Colony and other localities. Citizens complain that dog-bite incidents continue to increase because of inadequate measures
QUETTA: A local court has sentenced the father and maternal uncle of 14-year-old American-Pakistani girl Hira to life imprisonment after convicting them of her murder, a case that has ignited nationwide debate over honour killings and the safety of young female content creators in Pakistan. Additional District and Sessions Judge-X delivered the verdict on Saturday, finding Anwarul Haq Rajput and Muhammad Tayyab Bhatti guilty of the crime. The court also imposed a fine of
RAWALPINDI: The body of a seven-year-old who had been missing after falling into an open sewage drain and being swept away in the Westridge area on June 17 was discovered floating on the water surface of Leh Nullah, Gawal Mandi about some seven kilometers from his home, on the afternoon of June 19. He was Muhammad Farooq, a resident of Gawal Mandi, who called 15 emergency and Rescue 1122 after his brother spotted the body floating
ISLAMABAD: More than 8.6 million children in Pakistan are engaged in child labour, including over 6.6 million involved in hazardous work that threatens their health, safety and development, according to a national report launched on Thursday by the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) in collaboration with UNICEF. Titled ‘Pakistan: Child Labour Surveys, Evidence for Action’, the report provides the first nationally representative child labour dataset in nearly three decades, offering a comprehensive assessment
LAHORE: Speakers at a symposium here have highlighted the shortcomings in the education system in the country that are creating hurdles to religious freedom and equality. The symposium on “advancing religious freedom through education and exploring the emerging challenges, opportunities, and responses” was held at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on June 18. Veteran educationist Neelam Hussain said when she grew up and was in school, there were no stark differences among
BANNU: The district administration and health department have launched a joint investigation into the “mysterious” deaths of five children of a family in Takhtikhel area of Bakakhel tehsil here. The children had died at their house three weeks ago, while three others reported serious health issues. On the directives of Bannu deputy commissioner Mohammad Faheem, district health officer Dr Zafar Iqbal Wazir has constituted a special medical board, comprising senior physicians, to examine all
Karachi and Lahore are often pitted against each other as major urban cities with drastically different levels of development, be it in infrastructure, healthcare or security. While Karachi suffers from an ordained fate of broken roads and broken administrative promises, Lahore seems to be progressing full speed ahead. Although, there is at least one grave negligence tragically shared by both cities – open manholes that have swallowed one too many innocent children. After the
BAHAWALPUR: The Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) administration has suspended five doctors from service for their alleged negligence, after an arm of a newborn was allegedly fractured during delivery at the hospital. According to BVH administration’s announcement, the action has been taken against the five medics when a newborn’s arm was found fractured following the delivery at the hospital. Those suspended from service include three women doctors, a senior registrar and two post-graduate trainees. The
KARACHI: The Sindh government has earmarked more than Rs148 billion for hospitals, specialised medical institutions and emergency health services in the 2026-27 budget. The funding package focuses on expanding access to quality treatment, upgrading critical care facilities and enhancing emergency response systems amid growing healthcare demands across the province. According to budget documents, grants totaling Rs148.17 billion have been allocated to major healthcare institutions and medical centres. The budget of the Sindh Institute of