ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s anti-polio program said on Friday the country had reported a new case of the polio virus in the southwestern Balochistan province, taking the nationwide tally to 49 this year.
A new case was reported from Jaffarabad in Balochistan, according to updated figures on the website of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program.
Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. Starting from late 2018, Pakistan saw a resurgence of cases and increased spread of polio, highlighting the fragility of gains achieved in the preceding three years.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the child is under process,” the polio program said in a statement.
This year, 24 cases have been reported in Balochistan, 13 in Sindh, 10 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one each in Punjab and the federal capital of Islamabad. In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.
Pakistan’s polio eradication program began in 1994, and the number of cases has declined dramatically since then.
But Pakistan continues to face challenges in its fight against polio, including militancy, with polio workers regularly targeted by attacks, particularly in the northwestern KP province.
The polio program has adapted to respond to climate disasters such as floods, but continues to face disruptions. There are also gaps in supplementary immunization activities, especially in areas where the virus is still present.
New polio case reported in Pakistan, taking 2024 tally to 49
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New polio case reported in Pakistan, taking 2024 tally to 49
- In early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases
- This year, 24 cases reported in Balochistan, 13 in Sindh, 10 in KP and one each in Punjab and Islamabad
Pakistan, Jordan discuss defense cooperation amid flurry of high-level contacts
- Field Marshal Asim Munir hosted Maj Gen Yousef Ahmed A. Al Huneiti of Jordan in Rawalpindi
- Munir visited Amman in October, followed by King Abdullah II’s trip to Pakistan the next month
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir met the chairman of Jordan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on Thursday to discuss defense and military cooperation, the Pakistani military said in a statement, amid a recent uptick in high-level engagement between the two countries.
Major General Yousef Ahmed A. Al Huneiti, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordan Armed Forces, called on Munir at Pakistan’s military headquarters in Rawalpindi, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
“During the meeting, both sides discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security dynamics, and avenues for enhanced bilateral defense and military cooperation,” ISPR said.
“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening defense ties with Jordan and emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to address evolving security challenges,” it added.
The meeting follows a series of senior-level interactions between the two countries this year. Munir paid an official visit to Jordan in October, while Jordan’s military leadership has also engaged with Pakistan’s top brass in recent months.
In November, Jordan’s King Abdullah II visited Pakistan for talks with the country’s civilian and military leadership.
Pakistan and Jordan have long maintained cordial relations, including defense cooperation and military training links, though senior-level exchanges have been relatively infrequent.
Both countries were also among eight Muslim-majority states whose top leaders participated in discussions with United States President Donald Trump in September on proposals aimed at ending the war in Gaza and issued joint statements with other countries over the situation in West Asia in recent months.
ISPR said the meeting concluded with a shared resolve to further deepen military-to-military cooperation between Pakistan and Jordan.
