Latest news with #AyeshaRazaFarooq
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Health
- Business Recorder
Commitment to eradicating polio by finalising ‘Road to Zero' strategy reaffirmed
LAHORE: The national and provincial leadership has reaffirmed its commitment to ending polio in Pakistan by finalizing a comprehensive 'Road to Zero' strategy during a two-day National Polio Management Team (NPMT) meeting, which concluded here on Saturday. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister's Focal Person on Polio, Ms. Ayesha Raza Farooq, and attended by Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) coordinators from all four provinces as well as representatives from Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). Senior officials from the federal government, partner agencies, and development organizations were also present. Presiding over the meeting, Ms. Ayesha Raza Farooq paid rich tribute to the frontline polio workers, acknowledging their unwavering dedication despite persistent challenges such as refusals, misinformation, and access issues in high-risk areas. 'Despite the odds, our frontline workers are doing a remarkable job. The NPMT has provided all stakeholders an opportunity to openly discuss and deliberate on the challenges facing the programme and strategize actionable solutions,' she remarked. While expressing concern over the evolving epidemiological trends, the PMFP noted that although serious challenges remain, substantial progress has been made in areas such as surveillance quality, campaign performance, and risk communication. She called on all stakeholders—including government departments and international partners—to work with renewed commitment and collaboration. 'This year, we will approach things differently. Out-of-the-box solutions must be applied to reach every missed child and eradicate polio once and for all,' she stated. Ms. Farooq emphasized the critical importance of the pre-campaign phase of Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) to ensure successful outcomes and lasting impact. She also highlighted the growing synergy between the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) and the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), terming it a pivotal element for polio eradication. Addressing specific regional challenges, she urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) team to intensify efforts to overcome security-related barriers, particularly in South KP, which remains one of the most challenging zones for the programme. While maintaining focus on traditional polio hotspots and virus reservoirs, the PMFP cautioned stakeholders not to neglect other areas that currently appear stable. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
4 days ago
- Health
- Arab News
Pakistan says will explore ‘new solutions' in polio eradication as cases hit 19 in 2025
KARACHI: Pakistan will adopt new approaches in its fight against polio as the country confirmed its 19th virus case of the year, the country's top polio official said on Friday, stressing the need for accountability and innovation ahead of the next nationwide vaccination drive next month. Pakistan recorded its 19th polio case of the year this week after a five-month-old child tested positive in the northwestern Lakki Marwat district. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries where polio is still endemic. Islamabad made significant progress in curbing the virus, with annual cases falling from around 20,000 in the early 1990s to just eight in 2018. Pakistan reported six cases in 2023 and only one in 2021, but the virus resurged sharply in 2024 with 74 reported cases. 'We will work differently this year, moving beyond traditional approaches and exploring new solutions,' said Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister's Focal Person on Polio, after chairing a meeting of the National Polio Management Team in Islamabad. The meeting brought together the National Emergency Operations Center, provincial polio coordinators and international eradication partners to review the situation across all four provinces. 'The spread of the poliovirus has increased, but work is continuing toward improvement,' Farooq added. 'The period before a polio campaign is crucial for results.' Health authorities will begin the next nationwide polio vaccination campaign on September 1, with a special focus on high-risk and priority areas including southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Farooq directed teams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the worst hit province with 12 of the total 19 cases, to address security challenges in its southern districts and emphasized maintaining efforts in both high-risk hotspots and better-performing areas. 'Polio eradication requires real accountability at every level,' she said, adding that collaboration with routine immunization programs remained critical. Pakistan's efforts to eradicate the virus have been repeatedly undermined by vaccine misinformation and resistance from some religious hard-liners who claim that immunization is a foreign plot to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western espionage. Militant groups also frequently target polio vaccination teams, and the security personnel assigned to protect them, particularly in the KP and Balochistan provinces.
Express Tribune
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
The age of consent & the borders of belief
Child rights organisations and advocates, along with concerned citizens, have warmly welcomed the passage of recent legislation on child marriages, describing it as a landmark step toward protecting the rights and well-being of children. 'The passage of the ICT Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 is a defining moment for Pakistan. This legislation affirms our national commitment to protecting children—particularly girls—from harmful practices that rob them of their childhood, health, and future. By setting 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage, we are not only upholding constitutional and international obligations, but also empowering our girls to pursue education, opportunity, and leadership. We also call on the provinces of Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to set the same precedent and harmonise their respective marriage laws in line with the rights and best interests of the child', Ayesha Raza Farooq, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) said. 'While every piece of legislation leaves room for future improvement which may be addressed sometimes in the rules and sometimes through further amendments, this Act sets a strong precedent in curbing the menace of child marriage," explained child rights expert Syed Miqdad Mehdi. The enactment of the ICT Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 marks a significant step forward in the protection of children's rights in ICT. It is a comprehensive legal framework that not only criminalises the practice by making it a cognizable offence, but also rightly categorises it as a form of child abuse and trafficking, aligning with both national and international child protection standards. It is hoped that this landmark legislation will serve as a model for other territories, especially Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, to follow it and strengthen their legal response to this grave human rights violation'. The journey toward a safer, progressive and more equitable Pakistan begins with laws that protect its youngest citizens. Therefore, in order to restrain child marriages and protect the basic rights of children, it is expedient to enact a law for ICT. Prevalence of child marriages in Pakistan This act was passed to combat and eradicate the phenomenon of child marriages, which is highly prevalent in Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017-2018, 3.6 per cent of girls under the age of 15 are married off while 18.3 per cent of girls married off are under 18. However, Unicef reports 21 per cent of Pakistani girls are married by the age of 18, and three per cent before 15 years of age. In 2019, the World Health Organisation reported that 21 per cent marriages were being solemnised by the age of 18 years in Pakistan. According to a World Bank report, 18 per cent of girls in Pakistan marry before the age of 18 and 4 per cent marry before the age of 15. It further added that five per cent of boys in Pakistan marry before the age of 18. In 2020, 119 cases of child marriages were reported in the country, of which 95 per cent were of girls and five per cent were of boys, according to a report by Islamabad-based Sahil, a non-governmental organisation working for child protection. In Pakistan, there are various causes of child marriages, the most prevalent being insufficient legislation and lack of political will to ensure implementation of existing laws. There is a dearth of awareness among the public about the damaging effects of child marriages, especially within tribal and feudal societal structures, harmful practices, extreme poverty and illiteracy. Religious beliefs also enable this tradition. Moreover, child marriage often problematically coincides with conversion of religion. Mostly, Hindu girls in Sindh and Christian ones in Punjab are forcibly married to older Muslim men after forced conversions. Child marriage is a form of sexual abuse in which the child is subjected to assault and deprived of their childhood. It affects the psychological well-being and intellectual, personal and social growth of the child. Girls who marry are more likely to drop out of school than other girls. The earlier girls are married, the more children they tend to bear, which contributes to overpopulation. Child brides face greater pregnancy-related health risks and their babies are more likely to have health problems. The high rates of maternal and infant mortality in Pakistan are closely linked to early marriage. Younger girls are more likely to face domestic violence than women who marry later. Additionally, child marriage leads to poverty when it limits the earning ability for girls because of dropping out of schools and missing development opportunities in many cases. ICT Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 After the President's assent the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 became a law on May 29 and extends to the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) of Pakistan. MNA Sharmila Faruqi presented the bill in National Assembly and it was passed on May 16. Subsequently, Senator Sherry Rehman presented it in the upper house. Despite heated debate in the Senate with the JUI-F insisting on sending a draft to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), the bill was passed with a majority on 19th May. CII rejected this bill on its own saying it un-Islamic on May 27. The NCRC, a statutory body, overruled the concerns of CII on May 29 stating 'various Muslim-majority countries—including Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco—have legislated minimum marriage ages aligned with international standards which means 18 for boys and girls, recognising the long-term harm caused by child marriage'. Interestingly, in 2023 the Federal Sharia Court in the context of Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Amendment Act 2013, gave their judgement that it is the prerogative of the state to set the minimum age for marriage. Salient features of the act According to the new act the age for both girls and boys is 18 years, which is a step forward to eliminate discrimination among children and to promote gender parity. If a parent or guardian permits child marriage or fails to prevent it, they will be punished with rigorous imprisonment of two to three years with fine. The contracting parties will provide Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) by NADRA to the Nikkah registrar. If the person solemnising the Nikkah doesn't obey it, he will be punished up to one year of imprisonment and one hundred thousand rupees fine. The condition of CNIC will also be helpful in curtailing the phenomenon of forced conversion of minority girls to the majority religion, as it will decrease the chances on manipulating the age. If a male above eighteen years contracts a child marriage, his imprisonment will be two to three years along with a fine. Any form of cohabitation before the age of eighteen years in a child marriage is child abuse and the punishment for any person who induces, forces, persuades, entices or coerces any child bride or child groom to engage in cohabitation will be punished with 5 to 7 years of imprisonment or/and at least fine of a million. Any person who traffics the child from ICT for marriage purpose will be punished with imprisonment of 5 to 7 years with fine. The Court of District & Sessions Judge shall take cognizance of or try any offence under this Act. If anyone submits an application that a child marriage in contravention of this Act is going to be solemnised, after giving a notice, the court will issue an injunction prohibiting such marriage. If the applicant requests to keep his/her identity hidden, then the court shall adopt appropriate measures to protect their identity. An offence punishable under this Act shall be cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable. The case will be concluded in 90 days. With the passage of this new law, The Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 is repealed for ICT. What do other laws say? After 2010, the prevention of child marriages became a provincial subject. Sindh is the only province so far to have passed a law barring marriage under the age of 18. The Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act, 2013 makes underage marriage a cognizable and non-compoundable offence. This means that the police can take action on their own to arrest offenders upon any information, and no private conciliatory deals can be made between families, communities or jirgas to bypass the law. The Punjab Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act, 2015 still permits girls to be married at 16 while the legal age of boys is 18 years and above. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan continue to be governed by the 1929 Act where minimum marriageable age for girls in 16 years and for boys is 18 years. Furthermore, it is imperative to adhere to international conventions such as the UNCRC and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) where the minimum age for marriage is 18 years. Pakistan's commitment to these treaties necessitates taking proactive measures to combat child marriage and protect women's rights. Pakistan is obligated to align national laws with the ratified conventions and to implement these laws. The approval of the new law is at an important time when Pakistan's 6th and 7th combined periodic reports will be reviewed by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. This development will be observed positively by the Committee, as it shows Pakistan's inclination to satisfy earlier recommendations Under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), countries around the world, including Pakistan, have pledged to end marriages before age 18 by the year 2030. Goal 5 of the SDGs focuses on gender equality and includes target 5.3 to end child marriages. What next? An inclusive set of legal, policy and administrative measures is required to combat child marriages in the country. The following steps are urgently required to save children from the nuisance of child marriage. The Federal Government should make rules for ICT Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 without wasting any time. The remaining provinces and territories should take action without delay in passing similar laws—ensuring that no child is subjected to the injustice of child marriage. The Christian Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2024 has been passed in the National Assembly and its current jurisdiction is limited to ICT. All the Provincial Assemblies should immediately submit a resolution as per Article 144 of the Constitution of Pakistan and adopt it in their respective provinces after due process. The Hindu Marriage Act 2017 was promulgated under Article 144 of the Constitution of Pakistan and is applicable in ICT, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Province Sindh has its own law. The age of marriage is 18 years and above according to these laws. Minorities' Personal Laws override the related laws of the respective territories, provinces where the marriageable age of the girl child is sixteen years, will not be implemented to Hindu girls. Just administrative measures are required for the implementation. For implementation of the Punjab Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Act 2018 a set of administrative measures is required. A vibrant local government system should be in place to work with Anand Karaj Registrar and the Sangat to register the marriage. Local government bodies must be empowered to ensure that legal safeguards are implemented in letter and spirit. Special safeguards will be needed for any out-standing victims of child marriage. Their protection, privacy, confidentiality, restitution, trauma healing, rehabilitation and fair legal participation must be prioritised. There must be pro bono legal facilities and expedited procedures before, during and post-trial. The state and government personnel (judges, police, medical officers, etc.) involved during the reporting, investigation and prosecution of child marriage cases should be sensitised and held accountable on the issue. All human rights institutions and civil society organisations must support the cause and advocate for the enactment of robust child protection laws. A nationwide campaign can help raise awareness on the damaging effects of child marriages. The public should be made aware of the harms associated with such practices, as well as punitive laws pertaining to child marriages and related crimes. Parents need to be more sensitive regarding child protection so that their children are not victims of pedophilia and child sexual abuse. To combat child marriages, education for every child is a must. This will help enable our future generations to live healthier and freer lives in a more thriving Pakistan. Nabila Feroz Bhatti is a human rights activist and columnist. She is Member Working Group at National Commission on the Rights of Child. She can be connected at nabilaferoz@ or on X: @NabilaFBhatti All facts and information are the sole responsibility of the author
Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Year's third polio drive kicks off
A health worker administers polio drops to a child during a door-to-door vaccination campaign amidst heavy snow in the Bakwali-Surgan area of Azad Jammu Kashmir's Neelum Valley, on February 4, 2025. (AFP In continued efforts toward a polio-free Pakistan, the Pakistan Polio Programme launched its third National Immunisation Days (NIDs) campaign of the year on Sunday at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), Islamabad. The campaign was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister's Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq, alongside members of the Polio Programme's core group and representatives of partner organisations. To mark the launch, Farooq administered oral polio vaccine and Vitamin A drops to children under five, reinforcing the government's unwavering commitment to eradicating the crippling disease from every corner of the country. Scheduled to begin on May 26, the weeklong campaign aims to vaccinate over 45 million children under five, making it a critical intervention in Pakistan's final push to interrupt poliovirus transmission and achieve eradication by the end of 2025. "Polio eradication is not just a health goal — it is a national imperative and a matter of immense pride for our country," Farooq said. "This third campaign of 2025 marks a decisive milestone in our 2-4-6 roadmap. These back-to-back rounds from September 2024 to May 2025 represent our most strategic opportunity to close immunity gaps and halt virus circulation before the high transmission season begins." Farooq acknowledged the persistent challenges in key reservoirs such as Karachi, South K-P and Quetta Block but noted encouraging progress in reaching previously underserved populations. She also extended heartfelt appreciation to the 400,000 frontline workers powering the campaign, including 225,000 female vaccinators and recognised the critical role of civil and military law enforcement in ensuring safe access to children. Despite major gains, wild poliovirus continues to pose a threat. Pakistan has confirmed 10 cases so far this year. Environmental surveillance has detected the virus in 272 sewage samples from 127 testing sites, across 68 districts, signalling continued circulation. Speaking at the event, UNICEF representative in Pakistan, Abdullah Fadil, expressed confidence in the programme's direction. As he concluded his tenure in Pakistan, Fadil commended the national leadership and Farooq for their tireless dedication to polio eradication. "Pakistan is closer than ever to making history. With continued political will, community engagement, and coordinated action by all partners, I believe this country can soon achieve a polio-free future," he said. The public is strongly encouraged to cooperate with vaccination teams and report any missed children via the Sehat Tahaffuz Helpline 1166 or the WhatsApp Helpline at 0346-7776546.
The Star
25-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Pakistan launches national polio vaccination drive
ISLAMABAD, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan launched its third National Polio Vaccination Campaign of 2025 on Sunday to immunize more than 45 million children under the age of 5 against polio, said the health ministry. Prime Minister's Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq emphasized the national significance of polio eradication during an inauguration event, described it as a "matter of immense pride" and outlined a roadmap to interrupt virus transmission and achieve eradication by the end of 2025. "This campaign is a decisive milestone to achieve the complete eradication of the disease," said Farooq, highlighting the campaign's role in closing immunity gaps and halting virus circulation ahead of the high transmission season. So far this year, Pakistan has reported 10 polio cases, with environmental surveillance detecting the virus in 272 sewage samples from 127 testing sites across 68 districts, underscoring the continued threat, added the ministry.
