ISLAMABAD: Health experts on 18 January said hospitalised children face higher nutritional risks with disease-related complications closely linked to body weight and nutritional status. They suggested continued breastfeeding as a primary preventive measure and ensuring psychological support and counselling for parents as illness further worsens nutritional deficiencies in malnourished children. They also suggested regular use of growth charts for early detection of growth failure. They were speaking at the 13th Nutrition Continuing Medical Education (CME)
Child Rights in Focus
LAKKI MARWAT: The Karak district administration took serious notice of thin attendance of students in government schools and asked the local officials of the elementary and secondary education department (ESED) to focus on improving the key performance indicators and initiate action negligent teachers. During a surprise inspection visit to various public sector schools, additional deputy commissioner Sahibzada Samiullah found many students absent from schools. Along with examining the overall hygiene conditions, the official also
BAHAWALPUR: Mailsi police booked seven persons, including groom and nikah registrar, for allegedly arranging the nikah of a minor girl with a man in Basti Nonarian of mauza Ojla in Vehari district on Sunday. According to the police, the case has been registered on the complaint of police officials. In the FIR, it has been alleged that a woman, Khalida Mai, wife of one Ramzan of mauza Ojla, in connivance with two suspects Riaz
KARACHI: Based on forensic evidence including DNA profiling, a man held three days ago was found to be involved in the rape of over 100 boys in the city over a period of more than five years, police said on January 17. City police chief Azad Khan said that two suspects were arrested by Surjani police three days ago when they were allegedly taking a minor boy on a motorbike with the intention to
ISLAMABAD: As many as 40 environmental samples from all four provinces and the federal capital were found positive during the month of December. According to an official of the polio laboratory located at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, as many as 127 sewage samples from 87 districts were tested for the presence of poliovirus in December 2025. Of these, 87 samples tested negative, while 40 samples were found positive for poliovirus. “As
• Contrary to official figures of 33 deaths from dengue and malaria, data from four major hospitals in Karachi and Hyderabad paint a much grimmer picture • 83 deaths occurred at hospitals in Karachi • Prompt diagnosis and treatment are recommended to prevent complications and mortality KARACHI: As many as 103 people died from mosquitoborne diseases across Sindh during 2025, with 23 of them losing their lives at a Karachi hospital due to malaria,
A few days ago, I watched a boy no older than 10 or 12 dragging a sack of garbage larger than his own body. He was doing what thousands of children across Pakistan do every day, collecting recyclable waste to earn a living. Suddenly, several street dogs began barking. Moments later, they chased him. The boy ran, clutching his bag, disappearing into a narrow alley. No one intervened. The street returned to normal. For
LAHORE: Thousands of students across Punjab continue to attend classes in structurally unsafe school buildings despite repeated warnings from officials, audit reports and education experts, raising concerns about student safety as cold weather intensifies across the province. According to official assessments, a significant number of government schools are operating in buildings declared either dangerous or in urgent need of major repairs. Education department sources say nearly one-quarter of surveyed schools across Punjab require immediate
Islamabad: Leading child rights groups, public health experts and national civil society networks have strongly opposed the government’s proposal to make standards for nicotine-containing, tobacco-free oral products mandatory. They warn that the move could normalise nicotine use, endangering children and undermining public health priorities. The opposition comes from the Child Rights Movement (CRM), Syed Ishtiaq Gilani of the National Action and Coordination Group (NACG), SAIEVAC’s Civil Society Mechanism, the All Pakistan NGOs Alliance (APNA),
ISLAMABAD: Senators on Friday called for keeping tabs on the use of social media platforms by children under 18, with the chair proposing a special committee to develop safeguards in consultation with relevant ministries. The issue was raised through a calling-attention notice moved by Senators Falak Naz, Fawzia Arshad, Aimal Wali Khan, Saadia Abbasi and Dilawar Khan. Presiding over the sitting, Senator Sherry Rehman said some checks were needed and suggested forming a special
ISLAMABAD: The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Peira) on Friday told schools that they can’t increase their fee by more than five per cent annually. “Today, we held a meeting with schools and asked them that no school can raise fee more than eight per cent. Schools are bound to increase only five per cent, in special cases, after showing their expenditure sheet, schools can increase further 3pc…but no school in any case can
Rawalpindi: The Rawalpindi Police conducted an awareness walk on January 16 to highlight the hazards of kite flying and aerial firing, and to educate the public on the legal consequences of such activities. The walk, launched on the special instructions of City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani, took place across areas under Race Course and R. A. Bazaar police station limits. A large number of citizens attended, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)