ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday ordered that dengue prevention standard operating procedures be “strictly” implemented, with at least nine cases reported so far in the Pakistani capital ahead of the monsoon season that starts next week.
There is currently no cure or vaccine for dengue fever, which is spread by mosquitoes and in its most severe form can lead to death. Dengue fever often results in intense flu-like symptoms, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, full-body aches, high fever, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands and rashes.
This year’s first dengue-related death was reported on June 3 in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.
“The anti-dengue plan formulated should be implemented diligently,” the interior minister was quoted in a statement as telling the chairman of the Capital Development Authority and the Islamabad chief commissioner on Saturday. “Ensure rapid drainage of rainwater from low-lying areas.”
The CDA chairman informed Naqvi an anti-dengue working group was being established in the boundary areas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and the administrations of the two cities would work “as a team” for dengue prevention.
Dengue fever is endemic to Pakistan, which experiences year-round transmission with seasonal peaks.
An advisory published by Pakistan’s National Institute of Health in 2023 said a total of 52,929 cases and 224 deaths from dengue were reported in the country in 2021, while there were approximately 79,007 confirmed cases of dengue with 149 deaths in 2022, with the surge in cases following unprecedented flooding that began in mid-June 2022. In 2023, Pakistan reported 3,019 suspected cases and 8 deaths from dengue.
Nine cases have so far been reported in Islamabad, according to the Islamabad chief commissioner.
The virus has been surging worldwide, helped by climate change. In barely six months, countries in the Americas have already broken calendar-year records for dengue cases.
The World Health Organization declared an emergency in December, and Puerto Rico declared a public health emergency in March.
Dengue remains less common in the continental United States, but in the 50 states so far this year there have been three times more cases than at the same point last year.
Pakistan orders ‘strict’ implementation of anti-dengue plan ahead of monsoons next week
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Pakistan orders ‘strict’ implementation of anti-dengue plan ahead of monsoons next week
- Nine dengue cases reported in capital city, Islamabad chief commissioner says
- First dengue-related death reported on June 3 in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province
Islamabad says Pakistan Saudi Arabia Economic Cooperation Framework initiatives ‘being materialized’
Islamabad says Pakistan Saudi Arabia Economic Cooperation Framework initiatives ‘being materialized’
- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia agreed to launch framework in October to expand trade, investment ties in priority sectors
- Pakistan views Saudi Arabia as a vital regional ally that has helped it avert macroeconomic crises over the years
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson said on Thursday that certain initiatives related to the Pakistan Saudi Arabia Economic Cooperation Framework “are being materialized,” describing the economic partnership between the two countries as “solid, firmly rooted.”
Islamabad and Riyadh agreed to launch an Economic Cooperation Framework in October, as per the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), to expand bilateral trade and investment ties. This decision was taken during a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh.
Sharif’s office had said the framework will see the two countries focus on priority sectors including energy, industry, mining, information technology, tourism, agriculture and food security.
“Pakistan-Saudi economic partnership is solid, firmly rooted,” Tahir Andrabi, the foreign office spokesperson, said during a weekly news briefing. “There were certain initiatives taken during the visit of our prime minister to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are being materialized.”
Andrabi said Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Board of Investment are working on “individual investments” between the two countries but did not provide any further details.
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb departed for Riyadh on Wednesday to attend the three-day Global Development Finance Conference, where he is expected to present Islamabad’s perspective on climate adaptation and financing.
“During the conference, Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb will participate in a high-level session on climate adaptation and resilience, where he will join global leaders in discussing how developing countries can secure the capital needed to address climate vulnerabilities,” the Finance Division said in a statement on Wednesday.
Aurangzeb is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with senior Saudi officials, including leadership of the National Development Fund and the Ministry of Finance, to discuss development financing, investment opportunities and broader economic cooperation.
The finance chief will additionally meet Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Riyadh to review ongoing economic diplomacy initiatives.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long enjoyed close ties but have sought to broaden cooperation in recent months.
In September, the two countries signed a security agreement pledging that aggression against one would be treated as an attack on both. The move was widely viewed as formalizing longstanding military cooperation into a binding commitment aimed at bolstering joint deterrence.
The Kingdom also hosts more than 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the largest source of remittances for Pakistan’s $407 billion economy.
