The pneumonia outbreak in Punjab continues to spread, claiming 12 more lives in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 220 since January 1st. According to official data, 1,077 new cases have been reported in the province during the same period, with a majority of the patients being children under the age of five. The latest fatalities include three deaths in Gujranwala, two each in Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur, and one each
Child Rights in Focus
President Dr. Arif Alvi has emphasized the need for an education emergency in Pakistan to address the issue of 26 million out-of-school children. Speaking at a function to mark World Education Day, the President stressed the importance of devising innovative solutions to tackle this pressing challenge. Dr. Alvi highlighted the need for drastic measures, such as doubling up on educational institutions and utilizing mosques as centers for learning. He also proposed engaging newly graduated
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has dismissed the appeal of a convicted rapist and killer, affirming his death sentence as handed down by the trial court. A bench comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah concluded that the medical evidence conclusively established the appellant’s involvement in the sexual assault and brutal murder of an eight-year-old girl in Nowshera district. The court found the prosecution’s account of the incident to be natural, trustworthy, and
“Child Marriage in Sindh: A Political Economy Analysis and Policy Options,” presents a comprehensive analysis of the factors contributing to child marriage in Sindh, one of the four provinces of Pakistan. The study was conducted by the Population Council and commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as part of a broader effort to understand and address child marriage in Pakistan. Read Child Marriage in Sindh: A Political Economy Analysis and Policy Options
Pakistan is facing a staggering education crisis, with a whopping 26.2 million out-of-school children (OSC), according to a recent report by the Pakistan Institute of Education in collaboration with UNESCO. This number represents a disturbing 40% increase from 2021 to 2022, with Pakistan now ranking third in the world after Nigeria and India in terms of the highest number of OSC. The report highlights a bleak picture across all provinces, with Punjab leading the
ISLAMABAD: The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has called upon the Punjab government to promptly and decisively implement the Hindu Marriage Act of 2017. In a letter from NCHR Member Punjab, Nadeem Ashraf, to Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, the commission emphasized the urgent need for the notification of Hindu marriage registrars, possibly secretaries of union councils. NCHR Chairperson Rabiya Javeri Agha, in a statement, revealed that the NCHR Regional Office Lahore
According to the News, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health Islamabad has confirmed the detection of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) in nine environmental (sewage) samples collected in December 2023. The poliovirus was detected in the environmental samples from Multan, Karachi South, Karachi Malir, Peshawar, Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Quetta, Hub and Mastung. In Multan, the environmental sample was collected on December 18, 2023 from the ‘Ali Town’
The Japanese government has announced $3.62 million grant to procure essential oral polio vaccines as part of its continued support for polio eradication efforts in Pakistan. Pakistan will use the funds to procure more than 21m doses of vaccines to support polio campaigns in 2024. According to a statement issued by the health ministry, Pakistan is one of the two countries in the world that has yet to eradicate polio. In 2023, the country
According to a report by Daily Tribune, The Supreme Court on January 15, 2024 has noted that Islam confers the right of khula—dissolution of marriage—to woman and a Muslim woman can get herself released from the bond of marriage if she feels, due to any reason, that she could not live with her husband within the limits prescribed by Allah Almighty. “The legislature while introducing amendment in the Family Court Act, 1964 has derived
The newly inaugurated Cybercrime Investigation Unit within the Pakistan police department has been officially established as part of Islamabad Police’s efforts to strengthen the fight against cybercrimes. This milestone initiative comes on the heels of amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), empowering Islamabad Police to register cybercrime cases under Section 30. Seeking to harness specialised expertise, Islamabad Police have collaborated with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to leverage technical assistance in
Gangsters have been using women, children and contract killers to carry out their extortion activities in Karachi, an arrested suspect revealed on 11 Jan 2024 by a Daily News report. The suspect, Kabir Ahmed, is allegedly associated with gangster Wasiullah Lakho’s group based in Lyari, the District City police spokesperson said. During the initial interrogation, the suspect revealed that the Lakho gang has become active once again, starting its extortion activities in the Lyari
A brief impact report released by Relief International in August 2023 discussed evidence-based case study on Afghan children in Education in Pakistan highlighting social behaviour change and retention. Read/Download Report