ISLAMABAD: Due to high-quality polio vaccination drives conducted across the country in the past few months, the tide is turning in Pakistan’s battle against polio as environmental samples from 34 cities have tested negative for the Wild Poliovirus 1 (WPV1), indicating that the virus is no longer circulating in these areas. This significant milestone includes negative samples from the federal capital Islamabad, along with several cities across the provinces. In Punjab, the cities free
Child Rights in Focus
PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court has acquitted four persons and set aside the sentence of life imprisonment awarded to them by a child protection court for allegedly abducting a teenage girl and forcing her to marriage with one of them in Swat district. A bench consisting of Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar and Justice Wiqar Ahmad accepted two appeals filed by the convicts including three brothers named Sher Ali Khan, Raza Khan and Samiullah and their
RAHIM YAR KHAN: Police arrested a suspect involved in the case of and murder of a minor girl on 9th February. According to the first information report (FIR) registered with Iqbalabad Police Station, the complainant, a resident of Bahudipur Machian, told police that his 12-year-old sister resided with him. On Saturday night when the whole family was asleep, he suddenly woke up and found his sister absent from her bed. He along with two
Islamabad: After installing IT labs in 50 government schools across the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has planned to extend the initiative to 30 more educational institutions in the region within two months. An official highlighted the significant strides the ministry is making in equipping students with essential technology skills and said the installation of IT labs had provided students with access to modern digital tools and
KARACHI: In grade 4, Zunaira Qayyum Baloch, had startled senior professor Dr Hamid Ali Baloch, and assistant professor Zahir Mengal of University of Balochistan. They were speakers at an interactive reading club session, The Importance of Reading, in the School of Intensive Teaching (SIT) in Hub Chowki. “Is there anyone here who reads?” Mengal asked the students. Several students, including Zunaira who joined SIT in grade three, raised their hands. “I have read George
In this insightful talk, Dr. Zafar Mirza, a leading expert in public health, explores the strategies and challenges of addressing public health crises in Pakistan. Drawing from his experience as a former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr. Mirza discusses the country’s key healthcare issues, including disease outbreaks, healthcare access, and policy reforms. He provides a roadmap for tackling future health crises through effective government response, public awareness, and healthcare infrastructure
Actions include dismissal, early retirement, and fine for misconduct RAWALPINDI: The Punjab’s Education Department has said it penalised 881 officers and staff members from grades 1 to 16 following disciplinary inquiries under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline, and Accountability (PEDA) Act over the past year. The inquiries, conducted from March 2024 to January 31, 2025, resulted in various actions against teaching and non-teaching staff. According to official data, 263 employees were found guilty and
KHYBER: The Khyber district administration has released one month’s salary of five teachers of as many community schools in Upper Bara area. Sources in Upper Bara said that the district education department had earlier refused to ‘own’ these five community schools and pay salary to its teachers despite repeated appeals from the local community. They said that these schools were established by NGO Dosti Welfare Organisation about a year ago as there was no
KHUZDAR: Police safely recovered Asma Jattak, who was abducted two days ago from Khuzdar, during a raid in Zehri town on 8th February and arrested 14 suspects. However, the main accused, Zahoor Zehri, remains at large. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Kalat Range, Sohail Khalid, confirmed the recovery at a press conference, alongside Deputy Commissioner Khuzdar Yasir Iqbal Dashti and SSP Javed Zehri. Asma Jattak was also produced before the media on the occasion.
The current legal framework in Pakistan, particularly the Guardian and Wards Act 1890, struggles to establish clear guidelines for visitation rights, resulting in inconsistent court rulings that can negatively impact children’s well-being. This situation leads to an unfair distribution of visitation time between parents, a lack of defined welfare standards for minors, and insufficient monitoring of custodial arrangements, which may cause emotional and psychological challenges for children. There is a pressing need for legislative
ISLAMABAD: Climate change has significantly disrupted education worldwide, with students in Pakistan losing 97 school days — 54 percent of a typical academic year — between 2023 and 2024. This alarming statistic was highlighted during a panel discussion titled, “Climate Education: Safeguarding and Empowering Children and Youth in a Changing World” under the two-day global conference on climate change Breathe Pakistan, organised by the Dawn Media Group. Participants noted that Pakistan ranked 7.8 out of 10 on the Climate Change
MANSEHRA: The Upper Kohistan administration on 7th February claimed that anti-polio drops had been administered to children in the district’s snowbound areas as well. “Our vaccination teams have covered snowbound parts during the ongoing drive, with anti-polio drops being given away to 681 out of 763 targeted local children,” Upper Kohistan deputy commissioner Tariq Ali Khan told reporters. He said that a total of 34,296 children had been vaccinated against polio across the district.