ISLAMABAD: The administration in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad intensified screening at the city’s airport for suspected mpox cases this week, with the health ministry saying on Tuesday a suspected case from the Kashmir region had turned out to be negative.
The World Health Organization last week declared a global health emergency over the spread of a new mutated strain of mpox named clade I.
Health officials told media on Monday the one confirmed case of mpox in Pakistan was of an older, milder variant called clade II. Clade I has triggered global concern because it seems to spread more easily through routine close contact. The emergence of the new strain has been linked to a growing outbreak in Africa.
“A sample of a suspected case of mpox at PIMS Hospital was sent to the National Institute of Health,” the health ministry said on Tuesday, adding that it had come back negative.
“The 47-year-old suspect is a resident of Azad Kashmir … Effective measures are being taken to protect the public from mpox.”
Last week, Pakistan installed scanners at all airports and at border crossings with Afghanistan, China, India and Iran to report suspected infections as part of efforts to prevent the virus from spreading in the country.
“In response to the growing threat of monkeypox, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration has intensified its efforts to ensure the safety of citizens,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Monday.
The news agency said Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon had recently inspected screening measures at the Islamabad Airport to prevent the spread of the virus and directed health officials to speed up the process and ensure that no passenger went unchecked.
“He directed that if any symptoms of monkeypox were detected, the patient would be immediately isolated and transferred to PIMS Hospital for further care,” APP said.
Memon said Islamabad’s PIMS hospital had been prepared to handle monkeypox cases, with special arrangements in place to isolate and treat affected patients.
“The hospital has also been declared an isolation management unit and a special focal person has been appointed to oversee operations related to the DC Islamabad unit,” the report said. “These steps reflected the district administration’s proactive approach to controlling the spread of monkeypox and protecting public health.”
Patients who contract mpox get flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. Mpox is usually mild but can kill, and children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of complications from the infection.
Suspected mpox case returns negative as Pakistan intensifies screening at airports
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Suspected mpox case returns negative as Pakistan intensifies screening at airports
- Health ministry last week confirmed one case of mpox in a citizen who had traveled to Pakistan from abroad
- Health officials say confirmed case was of milder variant called clade II and not the more dangerous clade I
Saudi Arabia leads Pakistan’s December remittances as inflows rise 16.5%
- Remittances reach $3.6bn in December, central bank says
- Flows from Gulf countries remain backbone of Pakistan’s external financing
KARACHI: Workers’ remittances to Pakistan rose sharply in December with inflows led by Saudi Arabia, according to State Bank of Pakistan data released on Friday, providing critical support to the country’s foreign exchange reserves and balance of payments.
Remittances, a key source of hard currency for Pakistan, have remained resilient despite global economic uncertainty, helping cushion the country’s current account, support the rupee and stabilize foreign exchange reserves at a time when Islamabad remains under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program.
According to the State Bank of Pakistan’s official data, workers’ remittances reached a record $38.3 billion in fiscal year 2024-25 (July 2024–June 2025), up from about $30.3 billion the year before, reflecting strong labor migration to Gulf countries and improved formal banking channels. Economists say remittances are especially vital for Pakistan because they finance imports, support household consumption and reduce reliance on external borrowing.
“Workers’ remittances recorded an inflow of $ 3.6 billion during December 2025,” the central bank said in a statement.
“In terms of growth, remittances increased by 16.5 and 12.6% on y/y and m/m basis respectively.”
On a cumulative basis, remittances also posted solid growth in the current fiscal year.
“Cumulatively, with an inflow of $ 19.7 billion, workers’ remittances increased by 10.6% during H1FY26 compared to $ 17.8 billion received during the same period last year,” the statement said.
Saudi Arabia remained the single largest source of inflows in December with $813.1 million, followed by the United Arab Emirates at $726.1 million, the United Kingdom at $559.7 million and the United States at $301.7 million, according to the central bank.
Millions of Pakistanis work abroad, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, sending money home to support families and local economies. The government and central bank have encouraged the use of formal channels in recent years, helping improve transparency and sustain inflows.
