PESHAWAR: Twelve-year-old Aalyan, a sixth-grade student from Peshawar, is suffering from severe psychological trauma after losing his mother in a house fire, a tragedy that has left deep emotional scars. What began as shock and silence has now developed into clinical depression, worsening his mental and physical health. Aalyan has lost his appetite and has become visibly weak. His family has taken him to a private hospital in Peshawar, where he is receiving treatment.
Child Rights in Focus
KARACHI: Raising an alarm over the recurring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outbreaks at healthcare facilities in the country, experts at a press conference held on May 2 demanded that the government declare a national health emergency over the “dangerous spread” of the disease, now affecting children in large numbers. They also called for the strict implementation of basic infection control measures and the law on single-use syringes. They further pressed for setting up a
LAHORE: The Punjab Education Curriculum, Training and Assessment Authority (Pectaa) has introduced curricula changes in grades I to V aiming to replace rote memorisation with concept-based learning. The authority convened the inaugural meeting of its Curriculum Advisory Committee here on Saturday regarding reforming the primary education system in Punjab. The meeting was chaired by Nausheen Adnan, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Pectaa Vice Chairperson Musa Ali Bukhari. A keynote presentation outlining the current
KHYBER: Dozens of school buildings, destroyed in acts of terrorism, in Khyber tribal district have been reconstructed with modern facilities under a China-aided project. Maqbool Azam, the executive engineer of communication and works department, told this scribe that with the cooperation of China Assistance Programme, 50 educational institutions, which were completely destroyed by terrorists between 2006 and 2014, were reconstructed in Bara tehsil. “These include 35 primary schools, seven middle schools, seven high schools
• Calls for nationwide audit, seizure of non-compliant, falsely labelled stocks • Blames Drap, provincial authorities for ‘catastrophic failure’ KARACHI: Warning of a looming “man-made epidemic”, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on April 30 expressed serious concern over the widespread manufacture and use of reusable syringes despite a countrywide ban and demanded an audit of all syringe-manufacturing units and the seizure of all non-compliant stocks. The association also called for a high-level inquiry into
SAHIWAL: The bodies of two minor brothers were recovered on 1st May from a tin trunk in their house at Bashera village of Sahiwal tehsil, hours after they allegedly went missing. Initial police investigation suggested the boys got asphyxiated after hiding in a trunk out of fear, during a violent quarrel between their parents on the previous night. However, Bahadar Shah Police expressed doubts over the parents’ claim after the medical examination of the
KARACHI: A sessions court has directed a man to pay over Rs6.7 million as diyat (blood money) to the legal heirs of a teenage boy who was killed in accidental firing in the Chakiwara area. Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) Irshad Hussain found Muhammad Hasnain alias Babul guilty of committing the offence of qatl-bis-sabab (manslaughter), as, in an “intoxicated” condition, unloading the chamber of a pistol led to firing and resulted in the
The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) confirmed two new cases of wild poliovirus in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 29. The cases were reported in Bannu and North Waziristan, where access constraints continue to aid poliovirus transmission, posing a continued risk to children’s well-being. Pakistan has reported three polio cases so far in 2026. Since the launch of the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) in 1994, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8% — from
Four in every ten children aged between 12 and 36 months living in high-risk areas across seven cities in Pakistan were found to have lead in their blood, according to a study released by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination in collaboration with UNICEF. The findings highlight a serious public health concern, as lead exposure can stunt growth, cause anaemia, weaken the immune system, and adversely affect cognitive development. It is also associated
Children Involved in Drug Consumption in Pakistan (2025) Offence Children Detained Male Female Age 11–15 Age 16–17 (under 18) In School Out of School Substances Reported Drug Consumption 108 108 0 42 66 0 108 Ice, Crystal, Cannabis, Alcohol Source: Ministry of Narcotic Control (2025)
Number of Child Registration Certificates Issued in 2025 (1 Jan-31 Dec ) AGE GROUP ISLAMABAD BALOCHISTAN KP PUNJAB SINDH M F X M F X M F X M F X M F X 0–5 Years 21,359 20,084 1 160,478 159,490 5 592,586 577,490 8 1,774,922 1,690,106 31 766,534 745,331 31 6–10 Years 2,289 2,331 – 73,434 67,952 – 177,143 172,729 1 345,204 336,772 6 290,875 275,230 3 11–15 Years 1,165 1,017 – 48,748
Provincial Distribution of Missing Children in 2025 Province/Region Number Percentage (%) ICT 49 5.9 Balochistan 79 9.4 KP 113 13.5 Punjab 417 49.8 Sindh 170 20.3 Source: ZARRA Reported Missing Children in 2025 Category Number of Cases Percentage (%) Total Child Cases (Missing + Abducted) 837 100 Missing Children 630 75.3 Abducted Children 207 24.7 Children Recovered 469 56.0 recovery rate Source: ZARRA