Author: Mehrab Shah Afridi

By Mehrab Shah Afridi TIRAH : Zalmi Foundation announced a donation of Rs20m to support families displaced from the Tirah Valley, as humanitarian needs grew amid a difficult situation.The foundation said the funds would be used for immediate relief, including food, healthcare and shelter, to help families struggling after being forced from their homes. It said the assistance aimed to meet basic needs and ease daily hardship.In a statement, the foundation expressed solidarity with the displaced communities and said the contribution reflected its commitment to stand with people in need during times of crisis.Zalmi Foundation said it had long believed…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Ghana took a significant step to deepen their long-standing bilateral relationship during the first-ever Bilateral Political Consultations held in Accra, Ghana. The meetings, which brought together senior officials from both countries, underscored a shared commitment to expanding cooperation across a wide spectrum of sectors. The Pakistani delegation was led by Additional Foreign Secretary Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan, while the Ghanaian team was headed by Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu. Both sides engaged in extensive discussions on enhancing political, economic, defence, and cultural ties, reflecting decades of friendly…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday inaugurated ‘Shikra’, a new monitoring system at the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports designed to track passport applications, printing, and departmental performance in real time. The upgrade includes a 24/7 monitoring room and a call center, which have now been made operational. On the minister’s directives, the system for issuing Emergency Travel Documents has also been fully digitized. Officials briefed Naqvi on the Secure Hybrid Intelligence for Knowledge-Based Response Analytics (Shikra) system. The minister praised the DG Immigration and Passports and his team for introducing a modern, technology-driven…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: The opposition alliance, Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Aain Pakistan, held consultations on a nationwide strike and the observance of a “Black Day” on 8 February. The meeting, chaired by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, was attended by Senator Raja Nasser Abbas, Barrister Gohar, Muhammad Zubair, Ammar Ali Jan, and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. According to a statement issued by the alliance, the discussions finalized plans for marking the day at both national and international levels and coordinating the proposed strike. The statement described 8 February as a day of collective humiliation for the Pakistani nation, asserting that the public’s fundamental rights and…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Somalia agreed to deepen cooperation on counter-terrorism and other security-related matters during a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Friday. The discussions were held between Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, and a Somali delegation led by Interior Minister Ali Yusuf. The two sides reached an understanding to adopt a joint strategy against terrorism and extremism. They also agreed to enhance collaboration in areas including training, border management, and disaster response. Somali officials said they hoped the visit would strengthen ties between the two countries and provide opportunities to learn from Pakistan’s experience in policing…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: The tenth two-day Ministerial Meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization on Disaster Risk Reduction concluded in Islamabad Thursday, bringing together ministers, senior officials, and representatives from regional and international organizations to discuss collective strategies for disaster resilience. The meeting ended with member states reaffirming their commitment to strengthen regional cooperation, enhance disaster preparedness, and coordinate action in response to emergencies. According to the National Disaster Management Authority, these commitments were reflected in the Islamabad Declaration 2025, which aligns with the Izmir Treaty, ECO Vision 2025, and the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction. Speaking at…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: A new report has laid bare the weaknesses in the government’s education emergency policy, revealing that more than 25 million children in Pakistan remain out of school. The Institute of Social and Policy Sciences (ISPES) said total spending on education in the country has reached 500 billion rupees, yet a growing share is being shouldered by ordinary families rather than the state. For the first time in the nation’s history, household expenditure on education has surpassed the government’s own education budget. According to the fifteenth edition of the ISPES report, parents are now carrying 56…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has signed loan agreements worth $603m with the Islamic Development Bank to support flood recovery efforts, expand access to education and strengthen long-term development, as senior bank officials reaffirmed their commitment to the country during a high-level visit. The agreements were signed by the Islamic Development Bank’s vice-president, Dr Rami Ahmad, and Pakistan’s economic affairs secretary, Muhammad Humair Kareem. The financing is aimed at helping flood-affected communities recover from hardship while supporting education initiatives and major infrastructure projects. A central component of the package is a comprehensive poverty alleviation program valued at about $134.2m,…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated the Asaan Khidmat Center in Islamabad, a one-stop public service facility aimed at simplifying access to government services for citizens. Under the new initiative, more than 60 public services will be available at a single location, including facilities from Nadra, the police, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the deputy commissioner’s office, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines. Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the prime minister said the Asaan Khidmat Centre would bring “immense convenience” to the public by reducing delays and bureaucratic hurdles. He…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has emphasized that ensuring access to quality medical care is a top priority, and that urgent measures are needed to prevent the spread of diseases. Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad where vehicles were handed over by the World Health Organization, Kamal highlighted the pressures facing Pakistan’s healthcare system. “Our health sector faces multiple challenges, and the burden on hospitals and clinics must be managed more effectively. We are working to modernize the system, but that includes not only medical care but also sanitation and drainage,” he said. Kamal stressed…