ISLAMABAD: March 20 –
Federal Minister for Interior and Anti-Narcotics Mohsin Naqvi called on Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain.
ISLAMABAD: March 20 –
Child marriage remains a threat in marginalized areas, says Punjab CPWB
ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (APP): Child marriage remains a pressing issue, particularly in marginalized areas, where young girls are married off before they turn 18.
Talking to APP here on Wednesday, Punjab Child Protection & Welfare Bureau (CPWB), Sara Ahmad noted that Sindh is the only province in Pakistan with laws against underage marriage. However, she said there are still areas within Sindh where this practice persists.
To combat child marriage, she said there needs to be a shift in societal attitudes towards women. She said that women should be given equal opportunities to reach their full potential.
Sara said that factors like tribal and feudal systems, poverty, illiteracy, and religious beliefs contribute to the widespread presence of child marriage, often leading to forced religious conversions and sexual assault on minors.
She emphasized that child marriage is a global issue, with 15 million girls worldwide getting married before 18, especially in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, including Pakistan where it accounts for 21% of marriages.
Int’l donors applaud humanitarian response to 2022 Floods, ensure continued support
ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (APP):Humanitarian organizations, United Nations agencies, International donors, and representatives from National and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities on Tuesday gathered to discuss lessons and reflections from rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts following the devastating floods of 2022-2023 and the way forward to improve an inclusive humanitarian response to the vulnerable communities in Pakistan.
Organized by an Italian NGO, CESVI, the event was attended by the Ambassador of Denmark in Pakistan, Jakob Linulf, representative of European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Filippo Ortolani, Member DRR National Disaster Management Authority, Idrees Mehsud and Director Operations PDMA Sindh, Imdad Hussain Siddiqui along with representatives of various international and national NGOs, a news release said.
The event served as the close out of a multimillion-dollar relief and recovery project undertaken by CESVI in Sindh and Punjab titled “Humanitarian Assistance for Vulnerable Flood Affected Communities in Pakistan”, funded by ECHO, under which over 40,000 households comprising over 250,000 individuals from flood-affected districts received various forms of aid including cash grants, shelter rehabilitation, WASH kits, livelihood support and capacity building training. The project from 2022-2024 had an outlay of around 8 million Euros.
The event also included a panel discussion participated Florence Rolle (FAO Pakistan), Idress Mehsud (NDMA), Imdad Siddique (PDMA Sindh), Charlos Geha (OCHA Pakistan), Abdul Rehman (USAID Pakistan), Sarah Lumsdo (British High Commission), and Nusrat Nasab (Agha Khan Habitat) in which panelists discussed ways and mean to further improve the aid delivery mechanism in Pakistan and create greater harmony between the various stakeholders. Disaster Risk Management was also a major component of the discussions.
In his address, Ambassador of Denmark, Jakob Linulf expressed gratitude to partners for their support, emphasizing that without their help, it wouldn’t have been possible to assist the flood-affected people. He highlighted that providing clean drinking water was the biggest challenge during the 2022 floods and acknowledged the successful efforts in providing clean water to those in need. He also expressed eagerness to collaborate with the Pakistan Government in the future.
Filipo Ortolani, representing the donor of the project, commended the response of the international community during the 2022 floods, describing it as excellent. He highlighted the collaboration with international organizations and countries to build civic protection mechanisms during crises. Mr. Ortolani mentioned that this collaboration helped a significant number of people during the floods and expressed readiness to provide assistance in any future natural disasters.
Earlier in their opening addresses Farhan Ahmed Khan, Country Director CESVI Pakistan; and Ali Rauf Program Coordinator CESVI Pakistan welcomed the guests and gave an overview of the project and its achievements. Represehtative of a local NGO Partner, Lodhran Pilot Project also briefed the audience on their role in the rehabilitation activities.
CESVI is an organization guided by international humanitarian and development standards. Its programmatic focus is on building the resilience of at-risk communities, following a localization agenda and a humanitarian development and peace-building nexus approach.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting of the Federal Cabinet.
ISLAMABAD: March 20 –
ISLAMABAD: March 20 –
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting of the Federal Cabinet.
ISLAMABAD: March 20 –
British High Commissioner H.E. Jane Marriott called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
ISLAMABAD: March 20 –
President Zardari, PM Shehbaz extend greetings on Nowruz
ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday extended their heartfelt greetings to all those who are celebrating the “ancient and cherished” tradition of Nowruz in Pakistan and around the world.
“I extend my heartfelt greetings to all celebrating the ancient and cherished tradition of Nowruz. May this joyous occasion bring renewed hope, prosperity, and unity to the comity of nations,” the president said in a message.
He called for embracing the spirit of Nawruz and promoting the message of peace, compassion, unity and kindness.
In a separate message, Prime Minister Shehbaz said, “The day marks the arrival of spring and the renewal of nature. This is an occasion to show gratitude for our blessings and share our hopes and aspirations for the year ahead.”
On the joyous occasion, he also thanked the communities those observe Nowruz in Pakistan including the Parsi community for their important contributions towards building a better Pakistan.
“Let this be an opportunity to promote regional, cultural synergies and unity by bridging our differences and fostering inclusivity,” the prime minister remarked.
British High Commissioner H.E. Jane Marriott called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
ISLAMABAD: March 20 –
ISLAMABAD: March 20 –
World Frog Day: 90% decline in yellow-bellied frog due to habitat loss
ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (APP): The population of the commonly found yellow-bellied frog has declined to 90% in the biome due to habitat loss amid unbridled urbanization, use of synthetic elements and non-scientific methods to capture frogs for school and college experimentation.
Vice President, Pakistan Wildlife Foundation (PWF), Safwan Ahmed on the occasion of World Frog Day aimed at increasing awareness on the tailless amphibian conservation told APP that there were some 20 species of frogs existing in the country’s fauna in the groups of 4-5 sprawling from Karachi to the north in Gilgit Baltistan.
Ahmed said there were five to seven species of frogs that alone existed in the Pothohar region of which yellow-bellied frog (Rana tigrina or Hoplobatrachus tigrinus) was commonly found and used for students education on dissection of amphibians.
He noted that there was very less interest found among the scientific community in studying the frogs’ behavior or its population, whereas a few were carried out by the University of the Punjab, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, and Quaid-i-Azam University.
However, due to decrease in the number of Rana Tigrina common pigeon were used instead for experimentation at the educational institutions’ level, he added.
World Frog Day is being celebrated globally since 2014 as awareness day to save the different frog species from extinction that are tailless amphibians with its origins reckoning back to 256 million years.
Around the globe, researchers have identified approximately 6,000 frog species, with 4,800 of them discovered in various regions except Antarctica. Unfortunately, over the past decade, around 170 frog species have vanished due to a combination of human interference and fungal infections, contributing to their declining populations.
The factors such as fungal diseases, habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, and pesticide use, had a severe impact on frog populations worldwide. Addressing these issues through conservation efforts and raising awareness about the importance of preserving ecosystems is crucial in reversing these trends and protecting these vulnerable amphibians.
Children of Gaza spread joy for Ramadan, despite the deadly war
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 20 (APP): Clusters of tents are cobbled together with any available fabric, plastic and wood, as Ramadan decorations, lamps and lanterns illuminate a crowded camp of displaced people in central Gaza, spreading a ray of hope amid the rubble of war, according to a UN report.
While ceasefire talks failed to end the five-month-long conflict that has killed nearly 32,000 Palestinians – most of them women and children – the goal of some youngsters living in the makeshift camp was simple.
The children of Deir Al-Balah decided to lift their spirits in the face of ongoing war and celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, despite all the difficulties resulting from relentless Israeli attacks on Gaza.
“Every year we welcome Ramadan in our homes, but this year is different,” Shahad, a displaced child, told UN News’s correspondent in Gaza, Ziad Talib. “Ramadan has come upon us while we are in the middle of war.”
One of the children in the camp, Shahad, said she was having fun carrying lanterns for Ramadan.
“We agreed to change the atmosphere of war and decorate the camp,” she explained, with a smile on her face and enthusiasm filling her voice.
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Amira, displaced from northern Gaza “from built houses to tents on the dirt”, cherished the happiness as the youngsters sang in a small square between the tents.
“The children’s joy is our joy,” she said.
Despite the grief, loss and distance from family and loved ones, Amira said they decided on their own to celebrate the holy month.
The displaced people and residents in Deir Al-Balah alike are suffering from challenging and difficult conditions, with hostilities displacing more than 1.7 million people amid an ever-worsening hunger crisis, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
As lifesaving deliveries into the besieged enclave are alarmingly insufficient to meet rapidly escalating needs of almost the entire population who depend on food aid, famine warnings came on Monday, with a new report revealing that half the population in Gaza – 1.1 million people – have completely exhausted their food supplies and are suffering from catastrophic hunger and starvation.
“Ramadan is upon us, and we are in the worst situation,” warned Ahmed Abd Rabbo Musleh, who was displaced from Beit Hanoun in the north.
People are trying hard to find something to support their families, especially during Ramadan, with a simple meal costing about 40 shekels (about $11), he said, adding that “we cannot live at these prices.”
Despite the circumstances, Ahmed said he was able to provide food and drink for his family, but “there are those who cannot afford even bread.”
Others agreed, including Ahmed Thabet, who said no one can afford the “exorbitantly high prices” to buy what little food is available.
“Ramadan this year is different from any Ramadan we have experienced throughout our entire lives,” he said.
A displaced woman from the Shujaiya neighborhood east of Gaza City said vegetables for a whole week used to cost about $5, but not anymore.“We were deprived of everything,” she stressed, saying the situation is getting worse every day.
One man said he did not have any money, forcing him to get breakfast from one of the hospices and lamenting that “the situation this Ramadan is unprecedentedly tragic.”
As the winter comes to an end and the war enters its sixth month, hope emerges amid the tents of the Deir Al-Balah camp, where Amira watched a group of children raise their lanterns.
“Despite the war and tragedy,” she said, “we are living through it. We love the children’s joy. We love to change the situation we are living in and raise our morale and the morale of our people.” Meanwhile, children’s voices rise above the tiny square, wishing all passersby Ramadan Kareem.