ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported another polio case from its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Tuesday, the country’s polio program said, taking the total tally of nationwide cases in 2024 to 50 as Islamabad struggles to contain an alarming surge in the infection.
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. Pakistan reported a total of six polio cases in 2023, up from only one in 2021.
The regional laboratory for polio eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad confirmed the wild poliovirus type 1 in a female child from the KP’s Tank district.
“Genetic sequencing of the virus isolated from collected samples indicates it is genetically linked to WPV1 detected in the same district in July,” the polio program said. “This is the second polio case from Tank.”
The program said Tank remains one of the polio-endemic districts of the southern KP province, reporting multiple positive environment samples in 2024 which indicated that polio remained a threat to children.
“There is no cure for polio,” the polio program stated. “Multiple doses of the polio vaccine protect children from the devastating effects of this disease.”
It advised parents to ensure timely vaccination of their children.
This year, 24 cases have been reported from Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, 13 from Sindh, 10 from KP and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
Pakistan continues to face challenges in its fight against polio, among them misinformation about vaccinations and attacks by religiously motivated militants on polio teams proving to be major impediments to immunization campaigns.
Pakistan’s chief health officer this month said an estimated 500,000 children missed polio vaccinations during a countrywide inoculation drive in November, blaming a large part of it on vaccine refusals.
Seven people, including five children, were killed when a bomb targeted police personnel guarding vaccine workers this month.
Pakistan reports fresh polio case, taking 2024 tally to 50
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Pakistan reports fresh polio case, taking 2024 tally to 50
- Female child from northwestern district of Tank contracts poliovirus, says Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme
- Pakistan has reported the highest number of cases this year from Balochistan, 24 and 10 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Gaza, Lebanon humanitarian crises in focus as Pakistan attends D8 summit in Cairo next week
- D8 summit is gathering of leaders forms eight developing countries to promote economic cooperation and development
- Ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed over 44,000 people, injured thousands since Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attack
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will participate in the 11th D8 summit in Egypt next week where Israel’s military offensive on Gaza and the humanitarian crisis and reconstruction efforts in Lebanon will be at the center of discussions, the foreign office said.
The D8 Summit is a gathering of leaders from eight developing countries including Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkiye. It aims to promote economic cooperation and development among member states, with a focus on areas like trade, energy, agriculture, and transportation.
The ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 44,000 people and injured thousands more since Oct 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage. Israel also stepped up its campaign in south Lebanon in late September after nearly a year of cross-border exchanges begun by Hezbollah in support of its ally Hamas.
“Pakistan will be participating in the D8 summit being held in Cairo on Dec. 19,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said during a weekly press briefing on Thursday. “The D8 summit will also have a special session on humanitarian crisis and reconstruction challenges in Gaza and Lebanon.”
She said Pakistan would also participate in the D8 Council of Ministers meeting, reaffirming that the South Asian nation supported the D8 agenda and would work toward the summit’s success.
The D8 summit was last held virtually in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The theme of this year’s summit is “investing in youth and supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) shaping tomorrow’s economy.”
Pakistanis stranded in Syria arrive home on chartered flight from Beirut
- More than 1,300 Pakistanis had been stranded in Syria since last week
- Pakistani PM sought Lebanon’s assistance in evacuating expats via border
ISLAMABAD: Over 300 Pakistanis have arrived in Islamabad from Beirut on a chartered flight as Pakistan continues evacuation operations to bring home citizens stranded in Syria since opposition forces toppled former president Bashar Assad’s regime, the prime minister’s office said on Friday.
More than 1,300 Pakistanis were stranded in Syria since last week when opposition forces seized the capital of Damascus unopposed following a lightning advance that sent Assad fleeing to Russia on Sunday.
While Pakistan’s foreign office initially said the Pakistanis would be evacuated once the Damascus airport reopened, PM Shehbaz Sharif on Monday sought his Lebanese counterpart Najib Mikati’s “personal intervention” to evacuate citizens via land routes through the border with Syria.
“318 Pakistani citizens in Syria, including pilgrims and staff, have been brought to Islamabad, Pakistan, from Beirut, Lebanon, in a chartered plane,” the Pakistani PM’s office said in a statement.
On the directions of Sharif, the National Disaster Management Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had prepared a “comprehensive plan” and finalized arrangements for the safe evacuation of Pakistani citizens, the statement added.
“Prime Minister also thanked the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Mr. Najib Mikati, whose government provided all possible cooperation and assistance for the return of Pakistanis via Beirut,” the PMO said. “The Prime Minister has also directed the relevant authorities to continue taking immediate steps to evacuate more Pakistani citizens from Syria.”
Pakistanis Arab News spoke to this week described 12-hour-long bus rides, multiple check posts, interrogations and bills piling on as they left the war-torn nation by road through neighboring Lebanon.
The closure of Syria’s airports and borders with Jordan and Oman had posed a “major challenge” to the repatriation effort, the foreign office said.
Pakistan Test team head coach Gillespie resigns
- Gillespie refused to join squad on tour of South Africa over disagreements with country's cricket board
- Pakistan, with history of sacking coaches, have had six different coaches in all formats in the last four years
KARACHI: Jason Gillespie resigned from his role as coach of the Pakistan Test team on Thursday after refusing to join the squad on their tour of South Africa over disagreements with the country's cricket board.
The former Australia bowler was appointed head coach on a two-year deal in April, with former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten named white-ball coach.
Kirsten resigned in October for similar reasons.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed Gillespie's resignation.
"The PCB has named former Pakistan paceman Aaqib Javed as interim red-ball head coach following the resignation of Gillespie," a PCB statement said.
Aaqib, who also replaced Kirsten as interim white-ball coach, will now oversee the two-Test series in South Africa, starting in Centurion from December 26.
The second Test will be played in Cape Town from January 3-7.
Pakistan's white-ball squad is currently in South Africa for a three-match T20 series and three one-day internationals.
Gillespie was removed from the selection panel following Pakistan's 2-0 whitewash at the hands on Bangladesh in September and losing the first Test by an innings against England a month later.
Pakistan won the next two Tests against England, taking the series 2-1, on sharply spinning pitches.
Gillespie did not hide his sentiments, saying he was frustrated.
"I think there's always frustrations from time to time," Gillespie said, in an interview with Sky Sports during the second England Test.
"It wasn't what I signed up for, I'll be completely honest."
After the England series, Gillespie served as white-ball coach on Pakistan's tour of Australia but was not given the job for the series in Zimbabwe.
Gillespie was reportedly not happy after the contract of his assistant Tim Nielsen was not renewed by the PCB.
Pakistan have a history of sacking coaches in the recent past. They have had six different coaches in all formats in the last four years.
Pakistan opens foreign players’ registration process for premier cricket league
- Pakistan Super League is a men’s Twenty20 cricket league contested by six city-based franchise teams
- PCB says relegation process and retention of players will be carried out during the ongoing month
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) this week announced it had opened the registration process for foreign players to take part in the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the country’s premier cricket league, slated to be held next year.
Founded in 2015, the PSL is a men’s Twenty20 cricket league contested by six city-based franchise teams. It features a mix of Pakistani and foreign cricket stars who play side-by-side in the franchises.
“The registration window for foreign players to register themselves for the 10th edition of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) along with the trade window is now open,” the PCB said on Thursday. “The category renewals of the players will be announced on Tuesday, 17 December.”
The PCB said that the relegation process and retention of players will be carried out during the ongoing month.
The HBL PSL Players’ Draft is scheduled to take place on Jan. 11, 2015, the board said. The venue and time for the draft will be announced in due course, it added.
“We are thrilled to announce the opening of the registration process for foreign players as well as the trade window,” the PCB said. “This marks an exciting beginning to preparations for the highly anticipated 10th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League.”
Since 2016, Islamabad United have become champions of the HBL PSL thrice, which include the opening (2016), third (2018) and last edition (2024) of the league.
Lahore Qalandars have won twice in 2022 and 2023, while Peshawar Zalmi remained champions of the 2017 edition.
Quetta Gladiators won the 2019 edition while Karachi Kings clinched their maiden title in 2020 and the Multan Sultans emerged as the winners in 2021.
Pakistan Senate unanimously passes resolution condemning Israel’s campaigns against Gaza, Syria
- Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman moves resolution urging international community to protect Palestinian lives
- Senate condemns Israel’s “exploitation of political vacuum” in Syria after the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in the country
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s upper house of parliament, the Senate, passed a unanimous resolution on Thursday condemning Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and Syria, urging the international community to intervene and protect Palestinian lives, state-run media reported.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 44,000 people and injured thousands more since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage.
Israel has also attacked Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government this month and conducted a military incursion into the buffer zone separating the two countries since 1974, despite protests from the UN.
“The Senate on Thursday passed a resolution unanimously condemning Israel’s bombardment extending to many countries,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
The resolution was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman on behalf of all political parties.
As per the resolution, the Senate strongly condemned Israel’s blatant disregard for international law, particularly in its actions against Palestine and urged the Jewish state be held accountable for them.
The Senate also condemned Israel for its “exploitation of the political vacuum” in Syria following Assad’s government.
“This agenda now extends beyond Palestine to violations of the sovereignty of Syria and many other countries,” the resolution said.
Calling for immediate accountability for Israel’s actions, the Senate also condemned the killing of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) team members in the Middle East.
Israel has killed 249 UNRWA staff members in its military campaigns carried out up till November this year, it added.
“Such attacks are a blatant violation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302; which mandates UNRWA’s role in providing critical humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations,” the resolution said.
Pakistan’s upper house of parliament also condemned the targeted killing of over 180 journalists during Israeli bombings in Gaza along with the destruction of critical infrastructure including hospitals, schools and even residential areas.
“The Senate reaffirms Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, recognizing it as a moral, political, and legal obligation. Pakistan reiterates its consistent support for the two-state solution of the Palestinian issue, as enshrined in relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions,” the resolution stated.
The Senate also urged the international community to take action to “protect Palestinian lives, hold Israel accountable for war crimes and ensure compliance with international humanitarian law.”
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other multilateral platforms, demanding international powers and bodies stop Israeli military actions in Gaza.
Pakistan has dispatched a total of 1,273 tons of relief items to the war-affected people of Gaza until Nov. 27, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.
The South Asian nation does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
