Much of the debate surrounding the ongoing monsoon floods has centred around whether the state is doing or has done enough to prevent flooding. Do we need more dams? Are the country’s rescue and warning systems good enough? What are we going to do to rehabilitate the victims and why are there so many buildings in flood zones? It is easy to begin thinking that Pakistan is the only country facing this problem. It
Child Rights in Focus
LAHORE: More than 2,000 school buildings across Punjab have been submerged or damaged by the province’s worst flood in decades. The situation has pushed thousands of children out of classrooms and forced many schools to turn into makeshift shelters for displaced families. The devastation is widespread across districts. Kasur alone is reported to have over 100 unsafe schools while nearly 90 remain closed in Chiniot. Dozens more in Sialkot, Narowal, Multan and Muzaffargarh are
RAWALPINDI: A sudden outbreak of conjunctivitis has affected the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, impacting a large number of children, women, and elderly residents, many of whom have sought treatment at hospitals. The rise in cases has also led to an increased demand for rose water in the area. Over the past three days, 2,186 patients suffering from conjunctivitis visited the three major public hospitals — Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto General Hospital,
LAHORE: In the flood-hit districts of Punjab, where entire communities remain displaced and relief camps struggle to meet the rising tide of human need, a new generation of civil servants is being tested in real time. Among them stands Mr. Adil Riaz, topper of the 52nd Common Training Programme (CTP) and officer of the 48th Specialized Training Programme (STP), currently enrolled at the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) Campus of the Civil Services Academy (CSA).
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) on Tuesday showed annoyance over the exorbitant prices of medicines. Besides, it also suggested postponing the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) exam in the aftermath of floods. The committee chairman, Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti, said increase in prices of medicines was a huge issue. While suggesting expediting the process of registering new drugs, Mr Chishti said Health Minister Mustafa Kamal had told that
EVERY $1 invested in nutrition yields $23 in economic returns according to global studies. This is particularly true when that investment happens early, from conception to two years of age, when the brain and body grow at their fastest, requiring adequate amounts of essential nutrients. The returns are real: they are seen in children who grow and develop well, stay healthier, remain in school longer and grow into productive adults. Good nutrition reduces healthcare
• Over 200,000 displaced in southern districts • Three killed in Karachi, one death reported in Punjab • Sutlej in high flood as PDMA chief announces ‘end of 10th monsoon spell’; Met official refuses to rule out third wave • UN announces $5m aid; president orders measures to ensure food security LAHORE: As the overflowing Chenab continues to inundate large swathes of land in the southern districts of Punjab, authorities on Tuesday said the next two
At least 13 people, including five children, died as floods devastated Jalalpur Pirwala, where more than 50 villages have been badly affected by the Chenab and Sutlej rivers. Shops and houses collapsed, thousands of acres of crops were destroyed, and rescue teams struggled to reach stranded populations, authorities said. Relief Commissioner Punjab Nabeel Javed said that due to severe flooding in the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers, more than 4,300 villages have been affected.
Rawalpindi: The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Rawalpindi has announced that the Matric Second Annual Examinations 2025, which were earlier scheduled to begin on September 10, will now be held from September 29, 2025. This decision has been taken in view of the current weather conditions, recent flooding in different parts of Punjab, and the difficulties faced by students and parents due to continuous rainfall. Postponing the examinations by almost three weeks aims
ABBOTTABAD: A recent accident on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in which a dumper crushed a group of schoolchildren has once again laid bare the systemic failures of the traffic management, where rampant negligence, alleged corruption, and revenue-driven policing continue to overshadow public safety. Three students, including two sisters, were killed and four others from the same family were injured in the incident. The plight of the bereaved families has once again raised questions about
At least 19.7 million children under five were vaccinated during a week-long anti-polio campaign held from September 1 to 7 across several districts, according to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). Over 4 million children were vaccinated in Punjab, 8.7 million in Sindh, 2.2 million in Balochistan, and 4 million in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In Islamabad, nearly 479,000 children received polio drops, while 112,000 were vaccinated in Gilgit-Baltistan and 164,000 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier,
On the occasion of International Literacy Day, education experts emphasized that to address the issue of out-of-school children, the country must promote non-formal and informal modes of learning alongside the traditional education system. This, they said, would enable children deprived of education and literacy to play an effective role in social and community development. The experts expressed these views while addressing a ceremony organized by the Directorate of Literacy and Non-Formal Education, School Education