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
Islamic military coalition, Pakistan to deepen cooperation to combat ‘terrorism’ — Pakistani military
- Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition is a 43-member alliance that includes Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, UAE and other nations
- The Pakistani military statement comes after a meeting between IMCTC secretary-general and the chief of Pakistani defense forces in Rawalpindi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation, including intelligence sharing and capacity building, to jointly combat “terrorism” and “extremism,” the Pakistani military said on Monday.
The IMCTC is a 43-member military alliance that was formed on Saudi Arabia’s initiative in Dec. 2015 to consolidate Muslim countries’ efforts in countering “terrorism.”
A 17-member IMCTC delegation is visiting Pakistan from Feb. 2-6 to conduct a training at National University of Sciences and Technology on “Re-integration and Rehabilitation of Extremist Elements,” according to the Pakistani military.
On Monday, IMCTC Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi held a meeting with Chief of Pakistani Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir to discuss cooperation among IMCTC member states.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest were discussed, with particular emphasis on regional security dynamics and enhanced cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing, said in a statement.
“Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism and extremism through collaborative strategies, intelligence sharing, and capacity building among member states.”
The IMCTC features Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Palestine, UAE, Bangladesh and other nations. In 2017, Pakistan’s former army chief Gen. (retd) Raheel Sharif was appointed as the IMCTC commander-in-chief.
During discussions with Major General Al-Moghedi, Field Marshal Munir appreciated the role of IMCTC in fostering stability and promoting coordinated counterterrorism initiatives across the Islamic world, according to the ISPR.
The IMCTC secretary-general acknowledged Pakistan’s significant contributions and sacrifices in the fight against militancy and lauded the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces.
“The meeting underscored the resolve of both sides to further strengthen institutional collaboration for peace, stability, and security in the region,” the ISPR added.
Pakistan enjoys cordial ties with most Muslim countries around the world, particularly Gulf Cooperation Council countries. In Sept. 2025, Pakistan signed a landmark defense pact with Saudi Arabia according to which an act of aggression against one country will be treated as an act of aggression against both.
