Every few years in Pakistan, madrassahs return to the headlines as if they are a new discovery. A tragedy occurs. A security report is published. A political speech is delivered. And once again, the debate collapses into accusation and denial. There are few words in Pakistan’s public life that ignite more heat than ‘madrassah’. The moment it is spoken, the debate fractures into two predictable camps. One sees sacred tradition under siege. The other
Child Rights in Focus
Girls’ education statistics have shown remarkable improvements over the past few years, but, unfortunately, given the extremely weak starting point, they are still well off the mark for a nation that hopes to create a socioeconomic miracle. The Federal Ministry of Education and Technical Training’s Girls’ Education Statistics and Trends Report 2023-24 shows that, despite historic progress on many fronts, there is still a lot to worry about, most notably the stubborn stagnation of
KARACHI / LARKANA: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed its grave concern over the recent incident of forced eviction of long-settled families in Umerkot district. In a statement issued on Friday, it said that the reported conduct of the police, including violence against women, children and the elderly, reflected “entrenched structural deficiencies, a politicised command, weak civilian oversight and impunity for excesses”. It said that suspension (of some police officers and
SWABI: A 13-year-old girl was injured when a homemade drone carrying explosive material crashed and detonated outside the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Pabini village, Swabi district, on Friday. According to ASP Numan Khan, the drone exploded upon impact, wounding the student who was near the school premises. Rescue teams promptly provided first aid at the scene and transferred her to a hospital via ambulance for further treatment. Other students inside the school
LODHRAN: An additional district and sessions court in Lodhran has sentenced a man to four counts of the death penalty and imposed a fine of Rs200,000 after finding him guilty of poisoning his wife and three children in 2023. Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Ayaz announced the verdict, convicting the accused, Saghir Abbas, on four separate counts of murder. According to the prosecution, the convict poisoned his wife, Rukhsana Bibi, and three of their children,
BUREWALA: An accused in a rape-cum-murder case of a minor girl was sentenced to double life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs800,000 in a four-year-old case, here on Feb 27. Additional Sessions Judge Mohsin Ali announced the verdict, sentencing the accused, Sufiyan Ali, to two life terms with a hefty fine. The case was prosecuted by Advocate Zahid Mehmood. According to the prosecution, the convict kidnapped the six-year-old daughter of Amjad Ali, a
NORTH WAZIRISTAN: A suspected quadcopter (drone) strike has severely damaged building of Government High School Shamazan Kot in Miami Kabul Khel Doarzinda area of tehsil Shewa here on Feb 26. About 80 percent of the building was destroyed just days before educational institutions were scheduled to reopen on March 1. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. According to sources, a powerful explosion was heard late on Wednesday night, spreading fear and panic among residents. The
ISLAMABAD: Despite efforts by the federal and provincial governments, the number of out-of-school children remains alarming, as a new government report revealed that 26.2 million children nationwide are still out of school. The Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training on Thursday released the “Girls’ Education Statistics and Trends Report 2023-24,” which also showed the number of out of school children. It said that 26.2 million children remain out of schools, including 3.4 million
LAHORE: After yet another series of child abuse cases in Kasur, the Crime Control Department (CCD) arrested a serial rapist who had allegedly raped two minor girls and sexually assaulted another, leaving the victims with lifelong physical and psychological trauma. According to the gynecologists, treating the minor girls, aged between four and seven years, the heinous nature of the crime may alter the children’s brain development and affect their adulthood if timely psychological treatment
ISLAMABAD: In response to a surge in cyberattacks and growing digital threats, the federal government has announced emergency measures across federal educational institutions. Acting on special directives from the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has instructed all educational institutions in Islamabad – including private schools and colleges in both urban and rural areas, as well as Islamabad Model Schools and Colleges – to complete mandatory online training in cybersecurity
RAWALPINDI: Police on 26 Feb arrested a man identified as Ibrahim Yaseen, who was accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy in a madrassa in Rawalpindi. “My son went to offer prayers; on his way back, the suspect who was lying in wait assaulted my son and recorded an indecent video,” said the boy’s father. In the First Information Report filed on Wednesday, the 12-year-old boy was at a madrassa in his village at
ISLAMABAD: The Statistics and Trends Report 2023-24 on girls’ education reveals that a total of 26.2 million children are still out of school, 13.4 million of whom are girls. Regarding facilities for disabled students, the report revealed that 23% of schools have ramps, but there are fewer educational institutions providing special teaching materials or assistive devices. The report also mentions that 23% of teachers in girls’ schools are trained at the foundational level. Only