FIRST the good news: on Feb 21, 2026, Sindh carried out its first real-time digital birth registrations of four newborns at public teaching hospitals — a long-awaited move towards reducing bureaucracy and improving archaic processes. The first paperless registrations were accomplished under a digital framework that integrated these hospitals with Nadra’s Birth Notification Tool (BNT). The Sindh government and Nadra indeed deserve a pat on the back. Registration of birth at source hugely shortens delays,
Child Rights in Focus
NAROWAL: Kotli Loharan police have registered a case against a man for allegedly subjecting his daughter to rape at Chak Sadio, Sialkot. ‘Z’ filed a complaint with the police, saying that she was at home with her family on the night of Feb 18. She said at 2:30am, she heard her 17-year-old daughter ‘A’ screaming and found her husband ‘E’ raping her. She said her husband had also been forcibly preventing her from coming
Artificial intelligence is quietly shaping a generation’s thinking. Children are increasingly using AI tools to answer questions, complete assignments and tackle problems that once required reflection and research. What appears to be efficiency may also be altering the way thinking itself develops. This shift is unfolding within a generation shaped by a uniquely digital start. Many of today’s students experienced important school years during Covid-19 lockdowns. For them, digital environments are not an adjustment
ISLAMABAD: UNAIDS officials in Pakistan say they are assisting the country’s pharmaceutical industry to explore the local production of lenacapavir, a long acting HIV prevention medicine described by the World Health Organisation chief as a “prevention breakthrough” because it can prevent almost all infections among people at risk when taken once every six months. “UNAIDS is supporting discussions with Pakistani pharmaceutical manufacturers and other stakeholders to explore pathways for local production and wider access
LAHORE: The Punjab education authorities have failed to stop the sale of books and uniforms by private schools. According to parents, the beginning of the 2026 academic year in the province has again exposed the failure of regulatory authorities and disregard for court directives by private schools as many institutions are selling textbooks and uniforms directly to parents despite a ban imposed by the education department and courts. With schools reopening across the province,
BADIN: Residents of a coastal village in Badin district have expressed concern over the closure of a government primary school for the past five years, leaving local children without access to basic education. The Government Primary School located in the village of Sheikh Qarehio Bhandari, the last settlement of Union Council Bhugra Memon in the coastal belt of Badin, remains non-functional. The school building, described by residents as a hut-like structure in a dilapidated
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The police have arrested an accused in connection with the assault and murder of a 13-year-old boy in Tanai area of Wana tehsil, Lower South Waziristan, officials confirmed on Sunday. The tragic incident had occurred on March 4 when the deceased, Imran, reportedly went to graze his herd of goats and sheep in the nearby Khowar-i-Khulla Mountain. He did not return home, causing concern among his family and residents, who later launched
GUJRAT: A 16 years old girl was reportedly raped by a man in a private hospital of Mandi Bahauddin Civil Lines Police precincts. The mother of the girl lodged a complaint with the police three days ago that her daughter had gone to a private hospital along with her aunt (sister of complainant) to have some medicine. When the girl went to a hospital washroom and did not return for quite some time, her
ISLAMABAD: Thousands of students across Pakistan are seeking admission to the newly established Islamabad Daanish School, which has received over 7,000 applications against just 210 seats. The state-of-the-art school is all set to start classes from next month. Initially, admissions are being offered only in classes six, seven and eight. Each class will have two sections with a capacity of 35 students each. In response to the admission call, 7,387 students from across Pakistan
PESHAWAR: Human Rights Council of Pakistan, a non-government organisation, on Mar 7 launched the 2025 human rights report, highlighting that a total of 258 rape cases were reported in the province, but only one conviction was recorded, reflecting a conviction rate of around 0.39pc. The report was launched at the Peshawar Press Club on the eve of International Women’s Day, which is observed on March 8. Speaking on the occasion, the council’s provincial president
MUZAFFARGARH: An 11-year-old boy was allegedly tortured to death in Layyah under the pretext of performing rituals. According to police, a murder case has been registered against a couple, Shahbaz Gul and his wife Martha Shahbaz Gul, residents of Alishan Colony, Layyah, were taken into custody following a complaint filed by the victim’s uncle, Ejaz Akhtar of Chak 75 A TDA, Layyah. According to the First Information Report (FIR), the deceased child, identified as
MUZAFFARABAD: Rejecting reports that school textbooks had been changed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the region’sTextbook Board on Mar 6 clarified that while it had maintained the prices of textbooks for the primary classes, the prices of textbooks for middle classes had been considerably reduced compared to last year. In a press release, the board reiterated that it served as the regulatory body responsible for textbooks and supplementary learning material for classes one