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
Child Rights in Focus
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.
MUZAFFARGARH: A man’s heartless act of hanging his child from a tree was thwarted as the child’s screams attracted locals who rescued him in Basti Makwal in the Shahjamal police area. The police responded a call and saved the four-year-old boy’s life on the night of February 6. Four-year-old Muhammad Wasay’s neck bore marks of the rope used in the attempt. The father, Jameel, took him to an orchard, tied a rope around his
RAWALPINDI: A teenage pregnant girl was allegedly murdered while a man was gunned down by his rivals over an old enmity in the Civil Lines police area, the police said on 7th February. Syed Ahmad, a resident of Khayaban-i-Sir Syed, lodged an FIR with the police that his 17-year-old daughter was married to his nephew Zardad Khan. He said on receiving a phone call from his uncle, he rushed to Holy Family Hospital (HFH)
Quetta. The high-profile abduction of a 17-year-old girl in Khuzdar named Asma Jattak, echoed in the Balochistan Assembly on February 7 as lawmakers strongly condemned the incident, urging authorities to take swift action for her recovery. They expressed their serious concern over the issue, emphasizing the need for immediate intervention by the authorities. Prince Omar Ahmedzai, a treasury bench member, announced that a tribal Jirga would be convened to discuss the matter and determine
The doctors examined the body and confirmed that Ali Raza had been tortured and strangulated to death. Jaranwala. A 15-year-old employee working at a spare parts shop in Medina Town was allegedly strangulated to death by the shop owner and two accomplices. Muhammad Buta, a resident of 408-GB, reported to the police that his 15-year-old son had been working at the spare parts shop for five years. On February 3 at 11am, Arif Hussain