ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health authorities confirmed a fourth mpox case in the country on Sunday, identifying the patient as a resident of Peshawar who had been isolated by border health staff at the airport after showing symptoms of the disease.
Mpox, a viral disease causing flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, has prompted global concern, with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring it a public health emergency on August 14. A new strain of the virus, which first emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has since spread to several countries, leading to increased monitoring and preventive measures worldwide.
In response to the health emergency, Pakistan has implemented stringent screening protocols at all airports and border entry points to prevent the spread of the disease. Pakistani officials say health authorities are maintaining high alert to detect and manage any potential new cases promptly.
“The 47-year-old citizen was isolated on August 29 by the Border Health Services based on symptoms,” said a statement circulated by the health ministry. “The affected person came from the Gulf countries.”
“After the recent emergency, the number of mpox cases in Pakistan has reached four,” it added.
The ministry also reported that a suspected mpox case in Karachi, identified the previous day, had tested negative.
Dr. Mukhtar Bhart, the Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Health, emphasized the government’s commitment to preventing the spread of mpox and protecting the public.
“Practical measures are ongoing to protect the public from epidemics,” he said. “We are committed to ensuring all possible measures.”
Dr. Bhart added that the Ministry of Health, alongside provincial health departments, was actively monitoring the situation and coordinating efforts to prevent any further spread of the virus.
“Our goal is to protect the public from potential outbreaks, and we are prepared to take all necessary actions to achieve this,” he added.
Pakistan reports fourth mpox case in Peshawar amid airport screening
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Pakistan reports fourth mpox case in Peshawar amid airport screening
- The 47-year-old citizen was isolated on August 29 by the border health staff based on symptoms
- Officials say a suspected mpox case in Karachi, identified the previous day, has tested negative
Pakistan offers Turkmenistan its Arabian Sea ports for wider access to ‘South Asia and beyond’
- PM Sharif meets Turkmen president in Ashgabat, calls for deeper trade and energy cooperation
- Islamabad cites Karachi and Gwadar as key to boosting regional connectivity, including TAPI links
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday urged Turkmenistan to expand trade and connectivity through Karachi and Gwadar, saying its Arabian Sea ports offer Turkmen businesses and exporters a direct route to South Asian and global markets, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said after high-level talks in Ashgabat.
Pakistan and Turkmenistan have long discussed regional transport corridors and energy cooperation, including the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline, a proposed multibillion-dollar project that would carry Turkmen natural gas south through Afghanistan into Pakistan and India. Islamabad has also pushed to link the landlocked Central Asian states to the sea by offering transit access through its deep-water ports, which sit at the crossroads of the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia.
On Thursday, Pakistan's Sharif met Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the president of Turkmenistan, in Ashgabat as both countries look to revive momentum in bilateral engagement after years of regional instability. Pakistan has supported Turkmen neutrality policies at the United Nations, while Ashgabat has backed Pakistan during crises, including helping evacuate Pakistani nationals caught in Iran during the Iran–Israel conflict earlier this year.
“The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to enhance connectivity with Turkmenistan through land and sea routes and said that Karachi and Gwadar ports were ideally located to be utilized by the Turkmen side to enhance their outreach to South Asia and beyond,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
Sharif reiterated his intention to deepen trade and economic ties with Turkmenistan, saying enhanced transport links and energy cooperation could anchor long-term regional integration. He invited President Berdimuhamedow and Turkmenistan’s national leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, on official visits to Pakistan next year.
Sharif is on a two-day visit to Turkmenistan for the International Forum on Peace and Trust, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Energy Minister Awais Leghari, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and senior officials.
Turkmenistan’s president thanked Sharif for attending the UN-backed peace forum and said Ashgabat was keen to expand cooperation across multiple sectors, according to the statement.
