SWAT: Hundreds of residents gathered at Matta Chowk here on June 12 to demand immediate recovery of a young girl who has been missing for nearly two years, urging law enforcement agencies to take effective action in the case. The protest was organised by the Swat Olasi Pasoon and attended by civil society members, human rights activists, local elders, youth representatives, and residents from various parts of the district. Among those who addressed the
Child Rights in Focus
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has pledged to eliminate child labour, ensuring a safe, dignified and prosperous future for children across the province. On the World Day Against Child Labour, the chief minister reaffirmed on Friday the government’s resolve to eradicate the menace and urged parents to provide their children with access to education, healthcare and recreational opportunities. She emphasised that respect for children’s rights is a hallmark of a civilised and dignified
KARACHI: A sessions court on June 12 sentenced a man to death on charges of rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in 2022. Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Naseer Noor Khan found Muhammad Irfan, a plumber by profession, guilty of the crime and handed him capital punishment on two counts — for committing rape and murder. The court also ordered the convict to pay total Rs1 million to the legal heir of
ISLAMABAD: An estimated 8.6 million children aged between 5 and 17 are currently engaged in child labour in Pakistan, according to figures shared during a briefing held in Islamabad to mark World Day Against Child Labour. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) organised the media briefing on Thursday to highlight the scale of child labour in the country and to underline the need for coordinated national action to address the issue. The session was told
A DECADE ago, during one of the ‘Growing Up’ sessions I was holding in Karachi schools, I talked to seventh graders about drugs and addiction. Their interest and giggling prompted me to ask whether they knew where drugs could be obtained. They named several locations. Later, I realised that drug availability among the youth is far more common than we may believe. Perhaps the most alarming evidence is found in rehabilitation centres where children
ISLAMABAD: The literacy rate for individuals aged 10 and above in Pakistan rose from 61 to 63 percent, while spending on education faced a decline, according to Economic Survey 2025-26. It stated that male literacy was 73pc and female at 54pc, reflecting a gradual progress and narrowing gender gap. Urban areas continued to have higher literacy rates with a total of 74 per cent (81 per cent for males and 68 per cent for
RAWALPINDI: Murree police recovered a 15-year-old Hindu girl within 24 hours of her alleged abduction through what officials described as a timely and effective operation. According to police, the girl was recovered from Haripur after special teams were formed under the supervision of senior officers immediately upon receiving information about the incident. Police said the girl, who belongs to the Hindu community, was staying with her parents at a hotel on Mall Road in
ISLAMABAD: Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said on June 9 that nearly 10 million Pakistani children aged between five and 15 are living with diabetes, warning that the country continues to struggle with preventable diseases due to the lack of effective measures to curb the consumption of sugary drinks. Speaking at the inauguration of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Health Services Academy (HSA), the minister called for a fundamental shift from a treatment-based
TOBA TEK SINGH: Jhang police arrested three suspects allegedly involved in the kidnap and death of a first-year college student in the city. Jhang District Police Officer Sajid Hussain had taken notice of the incident and formed a special team that arrested the suspects. On June 7, information was received on 15 that a young girl had been admitted to a private hospital in a critical condition while the people who brought her to
QUETTA: A man shot dead his wife, four children and then took his own life in Wahdat Colony of Brewery Road area on June 8. According to police, Muhammad Asif, son of Musa Khan, who was an employee of the Civil Secretariat, also recorded a video message before killing himself, his wife and the four children. In the video, which immediately went viral on social media, Asif accused two senior officers of the Balochistan
BANNU: Unidentified assailants abducted a school-going student in the limits of Bakkakhel Police Station here on June 9, police said. Sohail Khan, son of Malik Umran also known as Bukhmal, was returning from school when two armed men on motorcycles intercepted him on Malak Zalkala Road and whisked him away. The attackers fled the scene after the kidnapping. Police have registered a case and launched a search operation. Notably, Malik Umran himself was kidnapped
CHAKWAL: Two toddlers were left abandoned after their poverty-stricken parents died by suicide, police sources said on June 6. The incident occurred in Chak Chakora village within the jurisdiction of Dohman Police Station on Friday evening. Mohammad Nadeem, 42, was first married to a close relative. He had seven daughters and a son from his first wife. His eldest son is 25, while his seven daughters are 22, 20, 18, 12, 10, 7, and