The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) on Feb 18 announced revised operating hours for all government-run educational institutions in the capital for the upcoming holy month of Ramazan. The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced today that the crescent moon for Ramazan 1447 AH was sighted and the first fast of the holy month would be observed on Thursday. Accordingly, a decision notification issued by the FDE Academics Wing on school timings, affects Islamabad Model Schools and Colleges, as well
Child Rights in Focus
RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Feb 17 set aside the convictions of a father who had been sentenced to death twice, along with 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs30 million, in a case involving the brutal killing of his two minor daughters and the serious injury of his wife following a domestic dispute. The bench comprising Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa declared
ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has directed ancillary departments to further strengthen HIV prevention, timely diagnosis, availability of treatment and public awareness campaigns across the country. Chairing a meeting on HIV/AIDS situation in Pakistan, he directed that at least one HIV screening and treatment centre be established in every district to ensure citizens have access to quality treatment facilities within their own localities. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Common
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Feb 16 expressed grave concern over the failure of government functionaries to take appropriate, effective measures for the protection of children against different social evils. “Policies were confined to papers only as their implementation seemed to be invisible at grossroots level,” parliamentarians noted at ameeting of the NA Standing Committee on Human Rights held in the Parliament House. Ms Syeda Nousheen Iftikhar, MNA presided over the meeting. Members of
TOBA TEK SINGH: Police have arrested a teenage brother and sister for allegedly killing their father and burying his body in the courtyard in Mari Shah Sukhera in the Athara Hazari tehsil of Jhang. As per details, the Kot Shakir Police registered a case on Feb 6 on the complaint of deceased’s son F, who claimed that his father went across the Jhelum River on Feb 5 but did not return. The complainant had
KARACHI: Around 10,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in Pakistan every year, but due to delayed diagnosis, limited treatment facilities and financial constraints, fewer than 30 per cent survive, health experts said at an awareness session jointly organised by the Indus Hospital & Health Network on Feb 15. Speaking at the “Health Wise” session on childhood cancer, experts said that globally nearly 400,000 children and adolescents develop cancer annually, with about 80% of cases
FAISALABAD: Despite hundreds of reported cases of sexual abuse against minors in Faisalabad during 2025, not a single accused in cases registered during the year has been convicted so far, according to official statistics, raising serious concerns about delays in prosecution and delivery of justice. Data revealed that 663 cases of sexual abuse against minors were registered across 45 police stations in Faisalabad district during 2025. A total of 989 suspects were found involved
ISLAMABAD: As part of its comprehensive reform agenda, the Islamabad Capital Territory Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (ICT-PEIRA) has embarked on a major upgrade of its IT infrastructure to enhance efficiency, reliability, transparency and service delivery for private educational institutions operating in the federal capital. In a significant step towards digital governance and improved ease of doing business in the private education sector, ICT-PEIRA has successfully introduced a fully paperless system for registration and
SUKKUR: Five children of a couple have been suffering from a mysterious skin disease that has covered their all body parts. The patients are now losing their eyesight as well, according to the couple. Abdul Ghafoor Lashari, a resident of Gul Akbar Pathan village, located near Khanpur Mahar town of Ghotki district, told local reporters that he had taken his children to various health facilities but the disease could not be diagnosed. He said
PAKISTAN’S health sector is no longer merely under strain, it is in complete disarray. The Pakistan Medical Association’s Health of the Nation 2026 report reveals a crisis that has long festered, is preventable and most worryingly, normalised. The numbers should jolt policymakers: 675 newborns and 27 mothers die every single day from avoidable causes. Such losses cannot be viewed as acts of fate. They are failures of governance. Contaminated water remains the silent killer.
PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court has ruled that in trials of sexual offences involving minors, anti-rape law mandates child-friendly practices, in-camera proceedings, protection of privacy and dignity of victims. A bench consisting of Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal observed: “Furthermore, the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021, reflects legislative recognition that sexual offence trials involving minors require child-sensitive procedures, in-camera proceedings, protection of dignity and an environment conducive to truthful testimony.” The
RAWALPINDI: Board examinations for Class 8 in government schools across Punjab, organised by the Punjab Education, Curriculum, Training and Assessment Authority (PECTAA), will begin in the second week of March. For the first time, scripts will be marked through a computerised system, and results will be announced on March 31. The examinations will run for only two to three days and will cover four subjects: Urdu, English, Mathematics and Social Studies. The Punjab government