GUJRANWALA: Police claimed to have solved the mysterious disappearance and murder of a three-year-old girl in the jurisdiction of Sadr Wazirabad police station, arresting the child’s paternal aunt who confessed to the crime after initially attempting to portray the incident as an abduction. The victim, Ayesha, daughter of Ehtesham, had gone missing from her home in the suburban village of Dhonkal. Police said the child suddenly disappeared while playing outside the house, prompting her
Child Rights in Focus
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior will take up today (27 Jan) the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a key legislation aimed at tackling drug use in educational institutions by further amending the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997. Introduced by PPP MNA Sahar Kamran, the proposed legislation aims to prevent drug use in educational institutions, promote student rehabilitation, protect mental health and introduce a treatment-based approach instead of a
In Pakistan, like many countries across the globe, menstruation is perceived as a shameful and private matter that is not meant to be discussed openly. Due to this culture of shame and secrecy, adolescent girls in Pakistan often lack accurate knowledge and awareness regarding menstruation. According to Shah et al. (2023), 51.7% of schoolgirls were unaware of menstruation before experiencing their first period. As a result of this limited knowledge, many girls associate menarche
ISLAMABAD: A rapid assessment of 120 girls’ schools in Swat district, carried out by Unesco, has revealed widespread damage to roofs, walls, and basic water and sanitation facilities, and called for a climate-resilient recovery to keep students learning safely. In a bid to restore safe learning environments, Unesco launched a rapid education infrastructure damage and climate resilience assessment across 120 government primary schools in four flood-affected areas of Swat. It found that more than 12,000 girls
TOBA TEK SINGH: As many as five accused were arrested for allegedly raping minors in separate cases from different areas of Faisalabad. In one case, the Mureedwala Police arrested a prayer leader of the village mosque for raping a 15-year-old girl and blackmailing her for 18 months. The victim’s uncle in his complaint to the police claimed that his niece was learning the Holy Quran from the accused’s wife, who forcibly raped her and
ISLAMABAD: Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be formally taught in schools and colleges of Islamabad from the upcoming academic session starting in April this year. According to the National Curriculum Council, students from class six to eight will be given a choice for opting either for computer science or AI. From class 9 to 12, students can opt for AI as an elective subject. Similarly, students from nursery to class 5 will be taught AI
HYDERABAD: A 12-member medical board has examined a young girl who was admitted to the Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) for reconstructive surgery after she was subjected to a brutal attack in the Chhotiarioon (also known as Chhotiari) area of Sanghar district on Jan 21. She had suffered grave injuries on different parts of her face and is now under treatment at LUH’s Plastic & Burns Ward. The medical board comprises professors, associate professors and
This policy brief focuses on the child protection needs and lived experiences of migrant and forcibly displaced children in Pakistan. It draws on recent research conducted by UNICEF Pakistan and UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight, in collaboration with the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) and the social enterprise Samuel Hall. The research examines internally displaced Pakistani children, Afghan child migrants, and forcibly displaced children, with particular
The State of the World’s Children 2025 warns that global progress in reducing child poverty is slowing and risks reversal due to conflict, climate shocks, debt pressures and deep cuts in development aid. About 412 million children live in extreme monetary poverty, while 417 million face severe deprivation in basic needs such as education, health, water and sanitation. South Asia – including Pakistan, which faces recurring climate disasters, economic stress and service gaps –
Matriculation and intermediate examinations in Sindh have long been rampant with allegations of bribery-related corruption, mismanagement and thriving cheating networks. And it seems that the Sindh government is least bothered about reforms at a foundational level, instead engaging in rolling out modern initiatives that are akin to concealing real issues. Just recently, Sindh has introduced a new grading system for matriculation and intermediate levels similar to that of the Cambridge Board. Marks will now
KARACHI: The first case of rabies was reported in Karachi in 2026 as an eight-year-old girl from Sanghar district was diagnosed with the deadly disease on Monday. The child developed severe rabies symptoms nearly six weeks after she was bitten by a stray dog. She was subsequently shifted to Indus Hospital in Korangi where doctors confirmed the disease. At the hospital, Rabies Prevention Clinic Manager Aftab Gohar said the child had received inadequate treatment at multiple
KARACHI: In view of the prevailing cold weather, the Sindh School Education Department has extended the decision to start schools at 9am until February 4. According to notification issued by Secretary School Education Sindh Zahid Ali Abbasi, stated that all public and private schools across the province would continue to open at 9am until February 4. Earlier, under a notification issued on January 10, the revised school timings were applicable until January 26; however, the decision