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US, Sindh province launch $9 million initiative to combat tuberculosis in Pakistan 

US, Sindh province launch $9 million initiative to combat tuberculosis in Pakistan 
In this handout photograph, taken and released by US Embassy in Pakistan, official sign agreement as US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome and Sindh Minister for Health and Population Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho launched a collaborative initiative in Karachi on May 23, 2024, aimed at addressing tuberculosis, a significant health challenge in Pakistan. (Photo courtesy: US embassy)
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Updated 23 May 2024
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US, Sindh province launch $9 million initiative to combat tuberculosis in Pakistan 

US, Sindh province launch $9 million initiative to combat tuberculosis in Pakistan 
  • TB cases have risen in Pakistan by 42.5 percent in last three years with 47,000 people dying of the illness in 2023
  • TB remains world’s leading infectious disease killer, Pakistan ranks fifth among high TB burden countries
Updated 23 May 2024
KHURSHID AHMED   
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KARACHI: US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome and Sindh Minister for Health and Population Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho launched a collaborative initiative on Thursday aimed at addressing tuberculosis (TB), a significant health challenge in Pakistan. 
TB cases have risen in Pakistan by 42.5 percent in the last three years with 47,000 people dying of the illness in 2023, according to official data, undermining the government’s plans to stamp out the disease by 2035 in the face of inadequate resources for screening and treatment.
Despite being preventable and treatable, TB remains the world’s leading infectious disease killer, sickening 10.6 million people and taking 1.3 million lives annually. Pakistan ranks fifth among high TB burden countries. 
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) leads the US government’s global TB efforts, working with partners around the world including Pakistan, prioritizing local community involvement and recognizing its critical role in ensuring sustainable and effective outcomes.
“Funded by USAID, the newly launched program, named the Tuberculosis Local Organization Network (TB-LON), is an investment of $9 million over five years,” the US embassy said in a statement.
“Its primary goal is to provide expert guidance and resources for Pakistan to effectively tackle TB. Through direct engagement with affected communities and individuals, the program will tailor solutions to meet specific needs. TB-LON will treat more TB cases in Sindh and significantly reduce the number of people affected by the disease.”
“Tuberculosis is not just a disease affecting millions in Pakistan; it’s an illness that disrupts lives, livelihoods, and communities,” Blome was quoted in the statemet as saying. 
“Pakistan ranks fifth among countries with the highest rate of TB, but I am proud to say, we are changing that with this groundbreaking $9 million initiative that will provide expert guidance and resources to help eradicate TB, exemplifying our constant commitment to the resilient people of Sindh.”
 Dr. Pechuho expressed appreciation for the ongoing support from the US government and reaffirmed the Sindh government’s commitment to enhancing health care services. 
“We are confident that our joint efforts in addressing critical health challenges will bring a positive change in the lives of people of Sindh,” she added, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts in addressing critical health challenges.
In Pakistan, TB cases registered an increase from 272,990 in 2020 to 474,981 in 2023, with a treatment success rate of more than 90 percent, according to official data. The disease killed 48,000 people in 2021, 46,000 in 2022, and 47,000 people in 2023. Currently, there are a total of 608,000 TB cases registered with the National TB Control Program, according to data collected by Arab News in April this year.

Topics: Pakistan US Ties

Pakistan shuts universities in southwest province over ‘security concerns’

Pakistan shuts universities in southwest province over ‘security concerns’
Updated 5 sec ago
AFP
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Pakistan shuts universities in southwest province over ‘security concerns’

Pakistan shuts universities in southwest province over ‘security concerns’
  • Security across the provincial capital has been heightened, with an increased number of security forces on the streets
  • The decision to reopen the campuses will be made after the Muslim festival of Eid, just two weeks away, an official says
Updated 5 sec ago
AFP

QUETTA: Pakistan’s volatile Balochistan province has ordered the closure of three universities in recent weeks due to “security concerns,” an official told AFP on Tuesday, as separatist attacks surge in the region.
Two universities in the provincial capital of Quetta were ordered to close for an “indefinite period” last week, while on Tuesday, a third was instructed to switch to virtual learning, a provincial administration official told AFP on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
“The decision was made after reviewing the overall security situation,” the official said
“It was decided to switch to virtual learning until further notice due to security concerns.”
The decision to reopen the campuses, which will impact thousands of students, will be made after the Muslim festival of Eid, just two weeks away, the official said.
Security across the provincial capital has been heightened, with an increased number of security forces on the streets and additional checkpoints set up throughout the city following the recent surge in separatist violence.
Last week, ethnic Baloch separatists attacked a train with 450 passengers on board, sparking a two-day siege during which dozens of people were killed.
And on Sunday, at least five paramilitaries were killed in a vehicle-borne suicide attack.
The assaults were claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), one of a number of separatist groups that accuse outsiders of plundering natural resources in Balochistan near the borders with Afghanistan and Iran.

Topics: Security universities

Pakistan to resume Jaffar Express train service today after deadly hijacking

Pakistan to resume Jaffar Express train service today after deadly hijacking
Updated 18 March 2025
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Pakistan to resume Jaffar Express train service today after deadly hijacking

Pakistan to resume Jaffar Express train service today after deadly hijacking
  • Separatist militants last week hijacked Jaffer Express and killed 31 people, including security personnel
  • Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi says drone surveillance will be conducted for train operations in Balochistan
Updated 18 March 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi has announced the resumption of Jaffar Express train service today, Tuesday, Pakistani state media reported, a week after separatist militants hijacked the passenger train in the southwestern Balochistan province.
Fighters of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) separatist group bombed a section of the railway track and stormed the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express train carrying over 400 passengers, in Mushkaaf, a rugged area in the mountainous Bolan range of Balochistan on March 11.
The crisis was resolved the following day when the armed forces carried out a successful operation to rescue the hostages, killing 33 militants in the process. A final count showed 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five passengers had died in the attack.
Abbasi said the track, which had been damaged in the recent attack by separatist militants in Balochistan, has now been fully restored, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“Jaffar Express will resume its operations from today. Drone surveillance will be launched for train operations in Balochistan,” Abbasi was quoted as saying. 
“CCTV cameras are also being installed at railway stations and other sensitive locations across the country to improve security.”
In oil-and-mineral-rich Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and least populated province, ethnic Baloch separatists have long accused the central government of denying locals of a share in the province’s resources. Islamabad and Pakistan’s military strongly reject the allegations.
The military has a huge presence in Balochistan and has long run intelligence-based operations against insurgent groups such as the BLA, who have escalated attacks in recent months on the military and nationals from longtime ally China, which is building key projects in the region, including a port at Gwadar.
More than 50 people, including security forces, were killed in August last year in a string of assaults in Balochistan claimed by the BLA.

Topics: Jaffar Express

Fear, uncertainty grip Afghan Citizen Card holders ahead of Mar. 31 deadline to leave Pakistan

Fear, uncertainty grip Afghan Citizen Card holders ahead of Mar. 31 deadline to leave Pakistan
Updated 18 March 2025
NAZAR UL ISLAM
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Fear, uncertainty grip Afghan Citizen Card holders ahead of Mar. 31 deadline to leave Pakistan

Fear, uncertainty grip Afghan Citizen Card holders ahead of Mar. 31 deadline to leave Pakistan
  • Pakistan has asked all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to leave, warning they would otherwise be deported from April 1
  • ACC is temporary identification document for registered Afghan nationals, providing them with temporary legal status in Pakistan
Updated 18 March 2025
NAZAR UL ISLAM

ISLAMABAD: Hajji Saeed Khan Kochi was only two years old when he arrived in Pakistan more than four decades ago, fleeing the Soviet invasion of neighboring Afghanistan with his family. 

For years, he remained undocumented but signed up for an Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) in 2017 when a documentation exercise for unregistered Afghan nationals was launched to give them temporary legal status in Pakistan. But earlier this month, Pakistan’s interior ministry asked all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to leave the country before Mar. 31, warning they would otherwise be deported from April 1.

The move is part of a larger repatriation drive of foreign citizens that began in 2023, with over 800,000 Afghans expelled from Pakistan since. The government initially said it was first focusing on expelling foreigners with no legal documentation and other categories would be included later.

More than 800,000 Afghans hold an ACC in Pakistan, according to UN data. Another roughly 1.3 million are formally registered with the Pakistan government and hold a separate Proof of Residence (PoR) card, launched in 2006 to grant legal recognition and protection to Afghan refugees. In total, Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland.

“I have lived in Pakistan for decades,” Kochi told Arab News last week in Islamabad. “My entire family, 56 members in all, has built a life here. Afghanistan may be my home country on paper but I have barely visited it a couple of times. I have no house, no land and no relatives there.”

Kochi, in his late forties, said he had built a mud house on the outskirts of Islamabad but moved his family to the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when authorities began cracking down on Afghan nationals last year.

“This mud house was built with immense effort, investment and countless joyous memories,” Kochi added, his voice quivering as he looked at the rubble of his home, which he has demolished. 

“NO PLACE TO CALL MY OWN”

Last year, the government also announced that Afghan citizens residing in Islamabad would require No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to stay, citing allegations that many had participated in an anti-government protest led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in November, which later turned violent. 

Islamabad has in the past blamed militant attacks and crimes on Afghan citizens, who form the largest portion of migrants in the country. The government says militants, especially from the Pakistan Taliban (TTP), are using safe havens in Afghanistan and links with Afghans residing in Pakistan to launch cross-border attacks. The ruling administration in Kabul has rejected the accusations.

Speaking to Arab News, senior journalist and Afghan affairs expert Sami Yousafzai said Pakistan was using Afghan refugees as “leverage” against the Taliban government in Kabul to pressure them into taking action against the TTP and other militants. 

The tactic, he added, was unlikely to succeed and could fuel greater resentment against Pakistan among Afghans, potentially creating more challenges in the future. 

“The Taliban did not come to power through elections, nor did they make any pledges to the people, which is why they do not feel accountable to them,” Yousafzai said.

Eighty-two-year-old Noor Khan, another Afghan refugee who arrived in Pakistan decades ago, echoed Yousafzai’s concerns.

“It’s very simple,” he said. “The Taliban don’t care. They don’t see themselves as responsible for the people’s well-being.”

Khan said deportations would only deepen the suffering of thousands of displaced Afghans, forcing them into an “uncertain and desperate future.”

For eighth-grade student Sharifa, who only shared her first name, the issue was not just about losing her home but also her education since Afghanistan is the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is strictly forbidden to girls and women. According to UNESCO data published last year, 1.4 million Afghan girls have been deliberately deprived of schooling. Access to primary education has also fallen sharply, with 1.1 million fewer girls and boys attending school.

“My parents are ACC holders. If I am sent to Afghanistan, how will I continue my education?” Sharifa asked. “There is no schooling for girls there.”

UNHCR Pakistan spokesperson Qaiser Khan Afridi said many ACC holders required international protection, emphasizing the need for a careful review of their cases.

“Any return of Afghan refugees should be both dignified and voluntary,” he added.

But those like Kochi don’t want to return and for the first time in decades feel like they have no home.

“After so many years,” he said, “I find myself in a world where I have no place to call my own.”

The Afghan embassy in Islamabad has communicated “serious concerns” to t he Pakistan government regarding the “mass expulsion of Afghan refugees within such a short timeframe and the unilateral nature of Pakistan’s decision.”

Topics: Afghan refugees

Emirates Red Crescent, UAE consulate distribute food rations among thousands in Pakistan

Emirates Red Crescent, UAE consulate distribute food rations among thousands in Pakistan
Updated 18 March 2025
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Emirates Red Crescent, UAE consulate distribute food rations among thousands in Pakistan

Emirates Red Crescent, UAE consulate distribute food rations among thousands in Pakistan
  • UAE consulate, Emirates Red Crescent distribute food rations and iftar boxes in rural areas of Sindh, Balochistan and KP
  • Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and increasingly engage in the remembrance of the Almighty in Ramadan every year
Updated 18 March 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The UAE arm of the International Red Cross, the Emirates Red Crescent, is distributing thousands of food rations with the UAE consulate in Karachi among the impoverished in various parts of Pakistan, a statement from the consulate said on Tuesday. 

Every year the Emirates Red Crescent distributes iftar boxes and food rations in Pakistan during the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and increasingly engage in the remembrance of the Almighty. 

“According to UAE Consul General Bakheet Ateeq Al Remeithi, the distribution of ration and iftar boxes is continuing in the rural and backward areas of Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (provinces),” the UAE consulate said in a statement. 

The statement said food rations and iftar boxes were being distributed in Sindh’s Khairpur, Nawabshah, Ghotki, Sukkur and Sanghar districts. Meanwhile in Balochistan, food rations and iftar boxes were being distributed among the poor in the districts of Gwadar, Pasni, Panjgur and other adjoining areas. 

“Thousands of people will continue to be part of this journey of love and happiness on a daily basis during the month of Ramadan, through rations and iftar spreads,” Remeithi was quoted as saying by the consulate. 

He said the first priority of the Emirates Red Crescent is to distribute high quality food and drink items, and iftar boxes and rations prepared in accordance with the highest standards of hygiene. 

“The series of love that begins with the month of Ramadan will double the joy of Eid Al-Fitr,” Remeithi said. 

Topics: Iftar drive Emirates Red Crescent UAE consulate karachi

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UAE arm of International Red Cross launches Ramadan project in Pakistan video
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UAE arm of International Red Cross launches Ramadan project in Pakistan
UAE Embassy distributes Ramadan food packages in Pakistan
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UAE Embassy distributes Ramadan food packages in Pakistan

Pakistan PM to meet Saudi crown prince during official visit to the kingdom starting tomorrow

Pakistan PM to meet Saudi crown prince during official visit to the kingdom starting tomorrow
Updated 18 March 2025
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Pakistan PM to meet Saudi crown prince during official visit to the kingdom starting tomorrow

Pakistan PM to meet Saudi crown prince during official visit to the kingdom starting tomorrow
  • The two leaders will discuss ways to boost trade and enhance partnership in key economic sectors
  • Pakistan’s foreign office says they will also deliberate on global developments, including the Gaza situation
Updated 18 March 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his official visit to Saudi Arabia starting tomorrow, the foreign office in Islamabad said on Tuesday, to discuss ways to further enhance bilateral trade and strengthen collaboration in key economic sectors.
The two countries have enjoyed close defense, diplomatic, political and cultural relations, though they have consolidated their ties further in recent years as Islamabad grappled with a prolonged economic crisis and sought the kingdom’s help.
Pakistan has tried to strengthen business-to-business (B2B) ties with the Kingdom, with both sides announcing during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh last October they had signed 34 memorandums of understanding and agreements worth $2.8 billion to enhance private sector collaboration and commercial partnerships.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 19-22 March 2025,” the foreign office said. “The visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties, enhance economic cooperation and promote investment between the two countries.”
“During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman,” it added. “The leaders will discuss and deliberate upon ways to boost trade, enhance partnership in key sectors and facilitate greater economic collaboration.”
Sharif will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, along with key federal ministers and senior officials. The delegation is expected to engage with Saudi counterparts to explore new avenues of investment and economic cooperation.
According to the foreign office statement, discussions will also cover regional and global developments, including the Gaza situation, evolving Middle East dynamics and broader issues concerning the Muslim Ummah.
Saudi Arabia presents a key export opportunity for Pakistani businesses, given its strong consumer demand and ambitious Vision 2030 economic reforms that emphasize diversification and foreign investments.
Pakistan has a 2.7 million-strong diaspora in Saudi Arabia, which accounts for the highest remittance inflow, a crucial lifeline for the country’s economy.
Last month, Pakistan’s commerce minister, Jam Kamal Khan, inaugurated the country’s first-ever solo “Made in Pakistan” exhibition in Jeddah, informing participants that over 1.7 million Pakistani workers had migrated to the Kingdom in the past five years, making it the top destination for Pakistani emigrants.

Topics: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Pakistan Saudi Ties

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