Kashmir the prime minister directed the federal institutions to intensify efforts to assist rain and flood-affected people in various districts of KP
“In this hour of calamity there is no federal or provincial government; we must ensure the assistance and rehabilitation of affected people the prime minister said adding, Helping our distressed Pakistani brothers and sisters is our national responsibility”
He said this was not a time for politics but for service and healing the wounds of the people The prime minister stressed that the federal government will also provide financial assistance to the families of the deceased and affected individuals under the Prime Minister’s relief package
Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan will oversee relief and rehabilitation operations in affected areas while the relevant federal ministers will personally monitor the restoration of electricity, water, roads, and other facilities in affected areas the prime minister added Furthermore he also instructed all relevant federal ministers to visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan in person The prime
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed on Monday that security agencies had successfully thwarted a planned suicide attack on Independence Day with a suspected bomber arrested in connection with the plot
Bugti disclosed that the would-be attacker was allegedly facilitated by a lecturer at Balochistan University, marking a significant operation against terrorism in the region
During a press conference in Quetta Bugti revealed that the arrested individual, a highly educated government employee with a PhD, had been part of the “sophisticated” tier of the Balochistan Liberation Army’s (BLA) Majeed Brigade a militant group known for targeting Pakistani security forces
The suspect reportedly provided shelter to the suicide bomber, helped him with transportation, and organized weapons for the attack Bugti stated that this was the first time security agencies had captured a high-ranking member of the Majeed Brigade s network which has been increasingly involved in terrorist activities
The CM denounced the argument that Baloch insurgency was driven by deprivation pointing to the suspect s well-off background The accused individual s family includes government employees, and he himself was a highly educated individual, benefitting from a scholarship,” Bugti said This statement directly contradicted the notion that socio-economic deprivation fueled militancy in the region
Bugti also took aim at the recent multi-party conference (MPC) held in Islamabad, which had tried to portray the Baloch insurgency in a different
light “The narrative presented by the MPC which differentiated between terrorism in Balochistan and KP is an attempt to justify these violent acts he stated
The chief minister underscored that the terrorism in Balochistan was not a result of economic hardship but the work of external forces and terrorist organizations like the BLA which operate with foreign support
Highlighting the efforts of the Provincial Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Bugti disclosed that, during the arrest operation local residents attempted to resist the authorities
He condemned these actions asserting that any individuals harboring militants would face legal consequences We will take action against everyone involved in supporting terrorists regardless of their affiliations ” Bugti declared
The CM further emphasized that in collaboration with law enforcement the provincial government had been investigating a large number of individuals, including government employees, to prevent further threats Bugti noted that this investigation was part of a broader strategy to strengthen the intelligence network and improve counterterrorism measures I
approach in tackling
ences and work together for national
He called for
“This
minister directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) not to differentiate between provincial or national highways; and opening routes for relief must be the top priority
He also ordered Ministry of Communications NHA and FWO to ensure repair of highways and bridges in affected areas Minister for Communications should personally oversee rehabilitation operations According to the preliminary es-
timates damages to public and private property exceeded around Rs 126 million NDMA presented a report on the provision of rations, tents, medicines, medical teams, and other essentials, with the prime minister directing an increase in the quantity of relief items
The meeting was informed that the monsoon season will continue until the second week of September, with six major spells already passed and two more expected with
‘no need’: FM dar rules out possibility of 27th amendment
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday said that the country was running well and experiencing stability and economic improvement adding that there was no need for a 27th Constitutional Amendment Even though the 26th Amendment remains mired in controversy, the power corridors in Islamabad had been abuzz with talk of a possible 27th Constitutional Amendment which according to insiders would further fine-tune the structure and the functioning of the superior judiciary
Speaking to reporters in London during a visit to the United Kingdom, the deputy PM said: “We are still digesting the 26th Constitutional Amendment so there is no need for a 27th right now The country is running well There is stability and economic improvement
“We are putting our full attention towards GDP growth and development Under [Prime Minister] Shehbaz Sharif s leadership all efforts are being made Dar added that under the leadership of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2017, Pakistan was “the 24th-biggest economy” and added that the government was working to bring the economy back to that point We are headed that way very quickly, and we are getting ready to become part of the G20, Dar said In June, amid speculation in
legal circles about the government planning to bring in the 27th Amendment, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association had endorsed a possible amendment while calling for broad-based judicial reforms including the nationwide rotation of judges Sources had said certain contentious matters, such as a separate constitutional court, left unresolved in the 26th Amendment would be taken up in the new amendment Though speculations had been rife since then there had been no official word regarding the 27th Amendment Separately, FM Dar had “productive meetings” with British lawmakers of Pakistani origin according to a statement from the
Foreign Office (FO)
The deputy PM arrived in the UK on Saturday ahead of diplomatic engagements with British and Commonwealth leadership from August 17-19 The FO said earlier this week that he would meet British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pakistan Hamish Falconer
In today’s statement the FO said that Dar met with British members of parliament (MP) Mohammad Yasin Tahir Ali Imran Hussain Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain The deputy prime minister/foreign minister underscored the deep historical and cultural bonds between Pakistan and the United Kingdom which are
further strengthened by the vibrant Pakistani diaspora in the UK,” the statement read During the meetings Dar highlighted the diaspora s pivotal role as a bridge between Islamabad and London, fostering mutual understanding, cultural exchanges and robust people-topeople connections, the FO added Dar “emphasised Pakistan’s strong commitment to enhancing bilateral parliamentary
expected to improve further as stability strengthens He made these remarks while inaugurating the Job and Education Expo at the Expo Centre Karachi organised by the Pakistan Hindu Council Around 120 stalls were set up by different institutions and companies to facilitate students seeking career opportunities Speaking to the media, Aurangzeb expressed gratitude to the organisers noting that he had the opportunity to meet “the country s future leadership at the event He pointed out that while both public and private institutions were present at the fair, the absence of the corporate sector was felt The minister stressed that “technology is the path to the future,” urging the youth to work with both “their hearts and minds” and to always strive for excellence On Independence Day celebrations which he described as the Marka-e-Haq Au-
rangzeb said followers of all religions commemorated the occasion with great spirit Aurangzeb said the corporate sector needs to step forward, adding that interest rate should not be made the single-point agenda ” To promote working capital he said Pakistan must look beyond banks and also include capital markets He emphasised that the debt capital market should be shifted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange mechanism for greater efficiency
Highlighting reforms in the energy sector the minister said circular debt in the power sector is on the decline with three distribution companies (DISCOs) to be privatised soon He added that the government is also working to resolve circular debt in the gas sector, which has long weighed on the economy
On monetary policy, Aurangzeb clarified that “the government has no role in setting interest rates as this falls under the mandate of the State Bank of Pakistan He further stated that the exchange rate would continue to be determined by the market Pakistan, he said, already has funding available, and “the challenge now is to put those resources to effective use ” The minister praised Mustafa Kamal s
efforts in population control and underscored the importance of women s economic participation, calling it a key driver in reducing poverty He confirmed that discussions with the World Bank regarding funding to support such initiatives had already taken place Aurangzeb also said that the International Monetary Fund s (IMF) review mission would soon arrive under the ongoing 37-month programme, stressing that the government remained in constant contact with the Fund Looking ahead he expressed optimism that “by 2047 Pakistan’s economic situation would be that of
PAKISTAN REFINERY LTD REPORTS RS4.66B LOSS
C hinese garment group invests $100m in Pakistan’s S pecial Economic Zone
alert for various districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan after the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast further rainfall According to the alert an active weather system is currently present over Pakistan which could lead to more heavy rains starting today (Monday) In Islamabad, intermittent thunderstorms and heavy rainfall are expected In Punjab, especially the Pothohar region and northeastern districts including Rawalpindi Attock Jhelum Chakwal Lahore Gujranwala Sialkot Gujrat Narowal Hafizabad and Mandi Bahauddin heavy rainfall is expected which could cause urban flooding In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, thunderstorms and heavy rains are forecast in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, and Swabi while southern districts including D I Khan Tank Bannu Lakki Marwat Karak and Kohat may also receive heavy showers Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Bagh, Haveli, Kotli, Mirpur, and Bhimber areas of Azad Kashmir are likely to experience strong winds and thunderstorms, increasing the risk of landslides and flooding in mountainous regions In Gilgit Skardu Hunza Ghizer Diamer Astore Ghanche and Shigar rains are expected potentially triggering floods and landslides in various parts of the valley Separately, the NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider stated on Monday that the country is currently experiencing the seventh spell of the monsoon season with two more spells expected to follow He warned that the melting of glaciers poses a threat to Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, and that Islamabad and Rawalpindi could also be affected During a media briefing alongside Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik and Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar the NDMA chairman said that Pakistan is passing through its seventh monsoon spell and that climate change is accelerating the melting of glaciers He added that this trend could intensify in the coming years According to him, glacier melt is increasing the risk for areas like Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir while cloudbursts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have made the monsoon situation more serious He recalled that Pakistan had also faced severe flooding in 2022 He revealed that so far, around 670 lives have been lost, and unfortunately, 80 to 90 people are still missing With two more monsoon spells expected the final one will likely pass
COMMENT
TH E announcement by Hamas that it would accept a new truce plan with the Israeli entity has once again sparked hopes that a permanent ceasefire might put an end to the indescribable horror taking place in Gaza right now
The current plan has been brokered by mediators Egypt and Qatar with backing from the United States It is pertinent to note that this would not be the first ceasefire in the current conflict which began in October 2022 and has since escalated to what is by all definitions a genocide Hamas’ acceptance of the current truce plan also comes after it was made clear that the plan would not involve any sort of exodus or resettlement of the Palestinian people a strategy that the US and Israel have been pushing hard In recent times Prime Minister Netanyahu has brought up plans to completely annex Gaza and has mentioned the Greater Israel project
The situation in Gaza reached boiling point a long time ago International inaction over the brutal occupation and systematic starvation of Gaza has been painful to watch, but Western leaders in particular have been under increasing pressure from mass demonstrations in their respective countries against the horrors in Gaza Mass protests in London and Melbourne have only been the tip of the iceberg
The situation in Gaza is one that will require massive international collaboration and aid The entire strip has been effectively raised to the ground no infrastructure is left beyond the small cluster known as Gaza City, and
Sfrom the TTP, further underlines the fluid alliances within jihadist networks Taliban support for the TTP goes beyond offering safe havens Financial aid such as a monthly transfer of roughly three million Afghanis (about $43 000) to the family of TTP chief Noor Wali Masoud funds arms procurement militant infrastructure and complex multi-stage attacks Over the past two years, the TTP has established new training and recruitment hubs in Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces, offering ideological indoctrination weapons training and logistical planning Some recruits even come from Taliban ranks later deploying their skills in suicide bombings and ambushes inside Pakistan This entire situation exposes the glaring contradiction in the Taliban s stance On one hand, they claim to reject terrorism; on the other they actively support the TTP a group responsible for spilling the blood of Pakistan’s soldiers and civilians Their actions reveal a lack of genuine commitment to Afghanistan s welfare and development A government truly invested in stability would not support violence or host hostile elements that destabilise the region
Geography further complicates the chal-
Alenge The rugged porous Afghanistan–Pakistan border allows militants to infiltrate Pakistan, strike, and retreat with ease The TTP s war chest is swelled by Afghanistan’s narcotics trade producing about 80% of the world’s opium and a fast-growing methamphetamine industry Revenues from drugs fuel recruitment weapons purchases and bribery deepening instability along the frontier In recent months alone more than 600 attacks from Afghan soil have targeted Pakistan, from suicide truck bombings to IED blasts and coordinated assaults like the deadly Mir Ali army base attack The threat is no longer confined to physical territory Extremist groups such as the TTP Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) have entrenched themselves in the digital space, using social media to glorify violence, recruit members, and spread fear While Pakistan’s traditional media is largely free from such propaganda the online arena remains a critical battleground In response Pakistan has launched a sweeping campaign to block terrorist-operated accounts, reporting hundreds linked to proscribed groups across major platforms Many have already been removed with the cooperation of tech companies though responsiveness
varies Facebook TikTok and Telegram have shown strong collaboration, while others lag Islamabad continues to push for permanent suspensions, AI-driven content detection, and real-time coordination with regulators
The anti-state propaganda driving this campaign is a serious threat While the crackdown is commendable Pakistan must expand its counterstrategies Just as the state uses electronic and mainstream media to promote its narrative, it should actively harness digital platforms where public engagement is highest to counter extremist messaging quickly and effectively Digital dominance is no longer optional; it is essential to winning the narrative war
The way forward requires a dual approach Pakistan must work with regional partners to deliver a clear message to the Afghan government through both kinetic and non-kinetic means that support for terrorism will not be tolerated Simultaneously it must strengthen its information warfare capabilities to outpace extremist propaganda online Terrorism recognises no borders; if Afghanistan continues to harbour it the threat will inevitably consume its own stability
The writer is a freelance columnist wafatania25@gmail com
Pakistan has launched a sweeping campaign to block terrorist-operated accounts, repor ting hundreds linked to proscribed groups across major platforms. Many have already been removed with the cooperation of tech companies, though responsiveness varies·Facebook, TikTok, and Telegram have shown strong collaboration, while others lag.
Freedom and failure
Digital justice now
technology designed for the work of justice
THE COURT’S TECHNOLOGY BLUE-
PRINT: In addressing the problem, the Supreme Court moved beyond diagnosis to prescription The honorable judges spoke of intelligent case management as a matter of institutional policy This meant more than simply increasing the number of judges It meant creating a system that could see the whole docket, track the age of every matter, and bring dormant cases to the surface The judges highlighted the role of artificial intelligence as an aid to this process AI could be used to identify cases that have been idle for too long to assist in scheduling so that hearings are set fairly and without preference, and to group matters for hearing in a way that conserves time without sacrificing the attention each deserves The Court made it equally clear that these tools must not replace the discretion of a judge They are there to inform and support not to decide
LEARNING FROM OTHER JURISDIC-
TIONS: The judgment did not place Pakistan s challenges in isolation It referred to the experiences of Singapore, the United Kingdom Brazil estonia Canada China Denmark and Australia These countries have confronted delays in their own systems and have acted to reduce them through a combination of technology, structural reform and procedural discipline From their examples, certain common elements emerge Digital filing systems that eliminate the inefficiencies of paper Real-time dashboards that allow judges and administrators to monitor the progress of cases Automated scheduling that follows published rules removing the possibility of manipulation Transparent oversight so that litigants and the public can see how justice is being managed
OGY LOOKS LIKE: Technology in the courts must be built with a purpose It should first ensure that data about every case is complete, accurate and structured It should then use that data to support fair scheduling and early triage It must make the system more transparent not less so that parties can follow their case without unnecessary visits to the court office Above all, it must be designed to work alongside judicial reasoning, not to displace it A well-crafted system can give judges better information and more control over their lists freeing them to focus on the substance of the law It can give litigants a process they can see and trust And it can give the justice system the one resource it cannot manufacture by any other means: time
AI’S PROPER ROLE: Artificial intelligence has the potential to be a powerful servant in the administration of justice Its role however must remain assistive It can track the age of matters and signal where inaction has set in It can help identify urgent issues that require early listing, such as cases involving constitutional questions, public safety, or immediate harm to a party It can group cases with similar issues to save hearing time and resources But every suggestion it makes must be visible and explainable to the judge No decision-making should take place in a black box every action should be capable of review, with an audit trail that ensures transparency In this way AI strengthens judicial control rather than diluting it
GUARDRAILS AND RIGHTS: The adoption of technology in the courts must protect rights at every stage Privacy safeguards are essential, both for litigants and for the infor-
T h e j u d g e s h i g h l i g h t e d t h e ro l e o f a r t i f i c i a l i n t e l l i g e n c e
a s a n a i d t o t h i s p ro c e s s A I c o u l d b e u s e d t o i d e n t i f y
c a s e s t h a t h a v e b e e n i d l e fo r t o o l
mation that flows through the system Open technical standards should be preferred to avoid dependence on a single vendor Digital inclusion must be planned from the start so that access to justice is not denied to those without personal access to technology Assisted filing counters, public kiosks and proper training for court staff and the Bar can bridge this
e s i nvo l v i n g c o n s t i t u t i o n a l q u e s t i o n s , p u b l i c s a f e t y,
o r i m m e d i a t e h a r m t o a p a r t y I t c a n g ro u p c a s e s w i t h
s i m i l a r i s s u e s t o s a v e h e a r i n g t i m e a n d r e s o u rc e s
recognised that the defect can be repaired with stronger systems disciplined procedures and
B r e a k - u p o f B r i t i s h I n d i a a n d d a n g e r s o f n a t i o n a l i s t m y t h m a k i n g
I’m
Tof
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in
of
tion lived in this vast British-Indian territory And then in the space of just fifty years the Indian empire shattered, writes Dalrymple, with the five partitions of the title carving out a dozen new nations triggering huge migrations of people and civil conflict and leaving a legacy of war exile and division that persists to this day
As the historian Patrick French is quoted as saying, few moments in modern history “have had a more lasting impact on so many people or were so ill-planned Many of the key events of the 1940s were the result of chance,
made on an almost random basis ” Pakistan the Land of the Pure far from being inevitable was only coined as a word in 1933 by a Cambridge student called Rahmat Ali Choudhary even the country s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah initially dismissed the idea as “some sort of Walt Disney dreamland if not a [HG] Wellsian nightmare” and only belatedly pushed for a separate homeland for Muslims Nationalist movements, helped by the hasty departure of a weakened Britain from its colonies after the second world war, did succeed in creating India, Pakistan Burma and eventually Bangladesh but neither the borders nor the populations within them were foregone conclusions Nepal and Bhutan also emerged as independent kingdoms, but few of the 565 Indian princely states that fell outside the direct control of the Raj survived, not even the powerful state of Hyderabad once a cultural beacon of the Islamic world whose Nizam was considered to be the
world’s richest man Nor did the Naga the Mizo the Pashtuns the Baluchs or the Sikhs achieve the independence that some of them craved Of the five partitions described by Dalrymple (son of historian William Dalrymple), the best known is the “Great Partition” of India and Pakistan in 1947 which was eventually followed in 1971 by the creation of Bangladesh out of east Pakistan Much has been already written about those two cataclysmic south Asian events, and one of the merits of Shattered Lands is its analysis of the other three: the largely forgotten removal of Burma from British India after 1937; the partition (though it was more like an absorption by India and Pakistan) of the princely states; and above all the separation from India of the Arabian peninsula, starting with Aden and ending with the transfer of the Gulf states from the Indian Political Service to British control before their oil wealth was fully apparent Without this minor administrative transfer it is likely that the states of the Persian Gulf Residency would have become part of either India or Pakistan after independence, as happened to every other princely state in the subcontinent Dalrymple writes In hindsight the negotiations read like India s greatest lost opportunity, willingly giving up the combined oil wealth of Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAe ” Dalrymple’s history of British India’s demise ends with a description of a virtual reality project he helped launch to allow a few of partition s victims to revisit their ancestral homes in Pakistan and India, and an impassioned warning about the dangers of nationalist mythmaking and historical amnesia in Asia the Gulf and Britain itself
The last decade has witnessed the decline of globalisation, the strengthening of borders and the resurgence of nationalism across the world ” he writes “India’s partitions are a dire warning for what such a future might hold
Victor Mallet is author of River of Life, River of Death: the Ganges and India s Future
Afew years ago, at a meeting of Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, we sat on the grass trying to brainstorm new initiatives Some Palestinians I had just met proposed sarcastically to form a Palestinian reservation that would preserve their culture along the lines of Indigenous reservations in North America
As a Jewish Israeli who hadn t fully grasped the depth of injustice baked into Zionism’s premise of Jewish supremacy I was horrified I couldn t believe their imagination had taken them so far Now looking back I see it was no joke It was a warning
What I once found unthinkable is quickly becoming our reality
The combination of genocide in the Gaza Strip accelerated ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and demolition of entire Bedouin villages within Israel makes it clear: There is a coherent logic behind the actions of the Israeli regime since its establishment Maintaining Jewish supremacy over the entire territory reflects an apartheid logic that restricts or erases Palestinian rights The genocide in Gaza is its most extreme manifestation showing how far the regime is willing to go to achieve its objective Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tied the war to the biblical commandment to blot out the memory of Amalek – a message every Israeli understands as a call for total annihilation Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a complete siege on Gaza City ‒ no electricity no food no fuel President Isaac Herzog claimed that it was false to speak of innocent civilians in Gaza and that an entire nation is responsible for Hamas’ crimes Words quickly turned into actions As early as November 2023 Brig Gen Yogev Bar-Sheshet reported from inside the Gaza Strip: There s nothing left Anyone who comes back here
THOUSANDS EVACUATE HOMES AS FEARS OF ISRAELI GROUND OFFENSIVE GROW IN GA Z A
China to work with India to maintain sustained peace, tranquility in border areas
Senior Iranian official warns war with Israel could break out anytime
Ali Khamenei told Iranian media the country was preparing plans for the worst-case scenario We are not in a ceasefire now, we are in a war phase, it could break down at any time, there is no protocol, no regulations, no agreement between us and the Israelis, between us and the Americans ” he said in remarks carried by the Shargh daily WASHINGTON
I E S US President Donald Trump said reclaiming Crimea or entering Nato were off the table for Ukraine, as President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington for Monday talks aimed at ending the war with Russia Zelensky who has repeatedly rejected territorial concessions will meet Trump in Washington on Monday, accompanied by European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and other leaders The meeting comes on the heels of a summit between Trump and Russia s Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday which failed to yield a ceasefire breakthrough but produced promises from both leaders to provide robust security guarantees” to Ukraine Zelensky was not invited to the Alaska meeting after which Trump pivoted to the long-held Russian position that a ceasefire was not needed before a final peace deal President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight ” Trump posted on his social media platform Remember how it started No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY
CM MARYAM TO ADOPT JAPANESE MODEL FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT, WASTE MANAGEMENT
Chairman CDA meets Bangladesh High Commissioner to Discuss Sister-Cit y Relations and Bilateral Cooperation ISLAMABAD s
Senator Rubina Khalid Inaugurates BISP Dynamic Registration Center In Kaghan
Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Muhammad Ali Randhawa, met with Bangladesh High Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Hussain Khan at the CDA Headquarters on Monday The meeting was also attended by CDA Member Planning Dr Khalid Hafiz Member Engineering Syed Nafasat Raza and other senior officers Chairman CDA welcomed the distinguished guest During the meeting, Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa highlighted the friendly and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh emphasizing the need to further strengthen bilateral cooperation The High Commissioner of Bangladesh commended the beauty of Islamabad and the development initiatives undertaken under the leadership of Chairman CDA
QUDRAT ULLAH
Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched a housing drive that stands out for its ambitious scale and remarkable speed of execution, reflecting her strong commitment to public welfare Under Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar and its companion scheme Apni Zamin the government has
Polio c ases rise in K hyber Pakhtunkhwa and S indh, bringing national total to 21 in 2025
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
A new polio case has been confirmed in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh raising Pakistan s total number of polio cases for the year to 21, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pakistan, alongside Afghanistan remains one of the last countries where polio is still endemic despite ongoing global efforts to eradicate the virus The NIH s Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication confirmed the new cases: a six-year-old girl from Union Council Pattan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa s Kohistan district and a 21-month-old girl from UC Matli-2 in Sindh s Badin
The latest cases bring the total for 2025 to 21, with 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause permanent paralysis The only effective prevention is the oral polio vaccine (OPV), which should be given to every child under five during each vaccination campaign, as well as through the completion of all routine immunizations A nationwide polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to take place from September 1 to 7 aiming to vaccinate over 28 million children across 99 districts in all provinces A campaign in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be conducted starting September 15
The campaign is part of the ongoing effort to close gaps in immunity among children and to ensure that no child remains unvaccinated Parents and caregivers are strongly encouraged to ensure their children receive the polio vaccine during this and every campaign
The Sindh government expressed concern about the new case Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah called for prompt action and emphasized the importance of completing the full vaccination schedule
Last week polio virus traces were found in 36% of samples tested across 87 districts in Pakistan The country reported at least 71 polio cases in 2024 with the virus detected in approximately 90 districts
s ta f f r e p o r t
The Senate is set to withdraw the private bill proposing a ban on social media use for children under 16 following strong objections from key stakeholders Senators from the PPP, who had introduced the bill, confirmed that a revised version will be reintroduced with significant changes
Sources revealed that concerns were raised about the proposed age limit of 16 and the harsh penalties outlined in the bill including the requirement to block accounts of minors and penalties for non-compliance On the leadership s instructions, PPP senators Masroor Ahsan and Sarmad Ali agreed to withdraw the bill, with plans for a revised draft to be presented after consultation
What changes are expected
The revised bill is expected to lower the minimum age to around 13 or 14 with more moderate penalties replacing the proposed six-month prison term and Rs5 million fine The new draft will also likely strengthen the role of parents in monitoring and blocking their children’s social media accounts making families and platforms jointly responsible
