Entertainment
Govt to launch nationwide anti-polio drive in three provinces on Sept 1
- Pakistan reports 26 polio cases this year.
- Most cases reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
- Polio virus detected in sewage samples of 127 districts.
Pakistan will launch new nationwide anti-polio campaign on September 1 in three provinces, while in Punjab, the campaign will start on September 10.
Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal, accompanied by MQM-Pakistan leader Anis Qaimkhani, held a press conference at his camp office in Karachi on Friday regarding the upcoming nationwide polio Campaign and flood situation in Pakistan.
Addressing the presser, he said that the polio virus has been detected in sewage samples of 127 districts across the country, including all districts of Karachi.
He stated that out of the 26 reported cases this year, 16 were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with 13 cases emerging from southern KP where security challenges had hindered vaccination efforts.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) has postponed the polio vaccination campaign in nine districts of Punjab due to the ongoing flood situation.
The campaign has been postponed in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Okara, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Multan, Muzaffargarh, and Bahawalpur. Meanwhile, the polio drive will continue as scheduled in Rawalpindi, Mianwali, Faisalabad, and Dera Ghazi Khan.
In Attock, Rajanpur, and Rahim Yar Khan, the vaccination campaign will proceed as planned.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Kamal said: “The only solution to protect children from polio is repeated administration of polio drops. All religious scholars and madrasas have declared the vaccine safe, and we must depoliticise the fight against polio. Afghanistan and Pakistan are conducting synchronised polio drives, and with joint efforts, we will soon rid the country of this crippling disease.”
The health minister further stressed that parents in Karachi show the highest resistance to polio vaccination. He noted that door-to-door campaigns are underway across Pakistan.
Turning to the flood situation in the country, Kamal said the government has responded to all demands for medicines and medical equipment from flood-affected areas. He stated that federal and provincial governments are in constant coordination, while a Command and Control Room has been established at the National Institute of Health (NIH) to monitor the situation. He added that NDMA teams are in close contact with the Ministry of Health.
Kamal emphasised that natural disasters cannot be tackled by provincial or federal governments alone, and called for strengthening of the local government system, which he termed the most effective mechanism for disaster management.
“Our country is functioning under provincial and federal structures, but disasters of such magnitude cannot be managed without empowered local bodies. We need administrative reforms and creation of new units on administrative grounds, not to divide the country but to strengthen governance and ensure delivery at the grassroots level.”
The minister added that while the provinces received Rs 8,700 billion collectively, there is no mechanism to ensure that resources trickle down to the lowest tier. He called for transparent planning and effective utilisation of funds.
King Charles has opted not to deliver an Easter message this year that has left at least one senior church figure openly dismayed and questioning whether the Palace has misread the national sentiment.
Bishop Ceirion H Dewar describing himself as “bitterly disappointed” and warning the monarch that the decision risks falling out of step with public expectations.
While Buckingham Palace clarified that an Easter broadcast is not a fixed royal tradition in the way the Christmas address is, the bishop argued that the King has, in recent years, created his own precedent by marking the occasion.
Speaking candidly, the bishop suggested the absence of a message would leave many feeling overlooked, especially given the King’s title as Defender of the Faith.
He went further, claiming the choice could deepen concerns already circulating among Christians across the Commonwealth.
This latest criticism follows a letter Dewar sent directly to the Palace later made public in which he raised worries about how Christianity is represented in royal messaging.
That letter has since gathered thousands of signatures, turning a personal appeal into a growing campaign.
Some observers reading the unusual royal silence as a sign of possible strain.
Traditionally, the monarch has marked major Christian holidays with a public message, but this year Buckingham Palace confirmed no Easter address will be released.
Royal watchers worry that the break in tradition could hint at personal or health-related pressures weighing on His Majesty.
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- PTI says new rates compounded by additional levies.
- Rana Sanaullah urges opposition to rise above politics.
- Subsidies, relief announced for public: Sanaullah.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced plans to convene an All Parties Conference (APC) of “like-minded” parties in response to the massive hike in petroleum product prices.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan made the announcement during a press conference in Islamabad on Friday, slamming the PML-N-led government for the sharp increase in fuel prices.
While acknowledging the impact of the war in the Middle East, he said that the government has raised fuel prices excessively, even surpassing increases seen in Nigeria and Vietnam.
The PTI’s announcement comes following Thursday’s sharp increase in the prices of petroleum products.
Addressing a press conference along with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik announced the hike in petrol and diesel prices, citing rising global energy costs, triggered by the ongoing war in the Middle East.
“The new petrol price has been fixed at Rs458.41 per litre, marking a rise of Rs137.23 per litre. Diesel will now cost Rs520.35 per litre, up by Rs184.49 per litre,” he said.
However, the PTI rejected the hike, with party leaders saying the new rates were compounded by additional levies.
Speaking during today’s press conference, PTI leader Taimur Saleem Jhagra said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had previously announced the lowering of fuel prices himself.
“Today, the prime minister cannot face the public,” he added.
Jhagra alleged that the increase in prices was amplified by extra levies, including a rise in customs duties.
However, PM’s adviser Rana Sanaullah defended the recent measures on fuel pricing, emphasising subsidies and relief announced for the public.
In a televised address, Sanaullah said that a “few elements were trying to mislead the public” in the current conditions.
He urged the opposition to rise above political interests and cooperate with the government to strengthen the country.
Sanaullah explained that austerity measures and targeted relief were being implemented, saying the prime minister chaired a meeting on Thursday to ensure citizens receive relief.
Farmers and motorcyclists are being supported, and subsidies aimed at stabilising goods transport costs, he added.
Sanaullah said that the government made all efforts to keep prices down despite regional tensions causing fuel cost increases.
He warned that a prolonged Middle East conflict could have severe consequences worldwide, including for Pakistan.
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