KARACHI: Expressing concern over the state of the economy, health, and environment in the country, speakers at a symposium held on September 4 underscored the need for innovative solutions to address the growing challenges of climate change, which is deeply affecting all sectors of life. The event—Climate Change and Health and Development Consequences in Pakistan—was organised by Aga Khan University’s Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) in collaboration with the Pakistan Academy of
Child Rights in Focus
GUJRAT: In a shocking incident, the case of rape of at least five underage schoolgirls by the husband of their schoolteacher at a government school has surfaced in Saleem Colony (Therri Sansi) of Gujranwala. Reports said the suspect was running a canteen at the non-formal literacy centre where his wife was a teacher. The suspect had been raping the minor girls, belonging to the age group of 11 to 14 years, for quite some
To accelerate polio eradication efforts in Pakistan and enhance integrated service delivery, the Chairperson @ncrcpak @ayesharazafarooq met with @unicefpk Country Representative Abdullah A. Fadil. They discussed how UNICEF’s health, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), and Nutrition interventions could be strategically leveraged to support and reach to communities where polio remains a critical challenge. @pakfightspolio
PESHAWAR: A child protection court has convicted a man for sexually assaulting his teenage cousin and sentenced him to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs500,000. Judge Lubna Zaman ruled that the prosecution proved its case against the accused, Usman, a resident of the Mardan district, and the evidence on record connected him with the commission of the offence. The accused was charged in an FIR registered at Sheikh Maltoon police station in Mardan
RAWALPINDI: Four girl students from Talagang and Gujar Khan clinched the top three positions in the Higher Secondary School Certification annual examinations 2024, while the formal result will be announced on 4th August 2024. The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Rawalpindi (BISER) announced the names of top position holders on Tuesday. The results will be announced during a ceremony at Fatima Jinnah Women University. Notably, all position holders belong to the Punjab College
OKARA: Chuchak police claimed on 2nd September to have recovered three minor girls who had allegedly been kidnapped around two weeks back. According to the first information report, on the night of Aug 21, three minor girls from the same family Sahr Fatima (15), Noor Fatima (12), and Sidra Yousaf (14) were kidnapped at gunpoint from an outhouse at Village 5/GD on Renala-Chuchak Road. The suspects, identified as Babar Sohail, Akram, Zohran (wife of
SARGODHA: A man allegedly raped his 16-year-old stepdaughter and threatened her with consequences if she did not remain silent in the Sahiwal area of Sargodha. Her mother also pressured her to stay quiet. However, her brother lodged a report with the Sahiwal police. The police said a widow, who had a daughter and a son from her previous marriage, married the suspect. Recently, when she returned home after being out, she learned from her
ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on September 2 suggested the formation of a task force, comprising representatives from the federal and provincial governments, for judicial reforms to effectively curb incidents of child abuse and violence against women. The minister gave the proposal in the National Assembly in reply to a question from PPP MNA Sharmila Sahiba Faruqui Hashaam. In the absence of an interior minister, Mr Tarar confirmed that there had been a sharp
AS a mother of two school-going children, the record-breaking heatwave experienced in Karachi this year has heightened my concern about the growing impact of climate change on our children’s health, safety, and education. According to the Asian Development Bank, heatwave days in Pakistan increased by 31 days annually between 1980 and 2007, with coastal temperatures rising by one degree Celsius. Pakistan’s temperature rise is set to exceed the global average, making this relentless heat
HYDERABAD: A man accused of killing a child, 10-year-old Tahir Mallah, at his agricultural field on August 3 escaped from the District and Sessions Court following the cancellation of his interim bail. The accused, Agha Zubair Pathan, appeared before the court on 31 August 2024. The judge, however, denied the plea at the request of the prosecution. The police reportedly failed to prevent Pathan’s escape. While commenting on the incident, Sub-Inspector Arsalan Latif Channa
Most schools, a startling 90 percent, reported zero admissions in the new admissions phase which began in government schools following the summer break. The admission phase is scheduled to run from August 15 to August 31. In the initial 10-day period that has passed, from August 15 to August 24, government schools have merely witnessed a trickle of new admissions, with a staggering 90 percent of schools reporting zero new admissions. The overall number
ISLAMABAD: One-third of the total global child population, 766 million, were exposed to extreme heatwaves between July 2023 and June 2024 as temperatures hit new record highs, said a report released by the international non-governmental organisation ‘Save the Children’. The body working for children’s rights said during the same period, 344m children experienced the highest temperature recorded in their location since at least 1980, the report said. Heatwaves also disrupt education through school closures and