KARACHI: A team of wildlife experts from a leading international animal welfare organization arrived in Islamabad on Friday to help eight dancing and baiting bears rescued by local authorities in Pakistan and discuss the possibility of saving and relocating more such animals.
Founded in 1988 in Vienna, Four Paws operates globally with various projects aimed at improving conditions for animals in captivity, rescuing animals from crisis and conflict zones, and promoting humane treatment of wildlife, pets and farm animals.
Its team of experts arrived in Pakistan in response to an urgent request by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board to support the local authorities with the veterinary treatment and neutering of the eight bears.
“It is crucial to assess the health of all bears and our priority to neuter them to prevent unwanted breeding,” Four Paws veterinarian Dr. Amir Khalil, who is leading the action in the country, said in a statement. “That way we can ensure ethical wildlife management going forward.”
“We are grateful for the trust of the Pakistani authorities in our expertise and committed to improve the lives of as many bears as possible,” he added. “We will also support the preparation of enclosures for the new arrivals at the rescue center and ensure proper care for all animals going forward.”
The organization’s president and CEO, Josef Pfabigan, also pointed out Four Paws had witnessed the suffering of bears used for human entertainment in its decades of work.
“Four Paws welcomes the action the Pakistani government is taking against such cruel practices, and we are happy to work together on this important cause,” he said. “With our successful collaboration Four Paws aims to find sustainable long-term solutions for the animals and help law enforcement to effectively put an end to the illegal practices of dancing bears and bear baiting in Pakistan.”
Bear baiting continues to be a reality in the country where these animals are subjected to fights against trained dogs for entertainment, though the practice has long been declared as illegal.
These fights inflict severe physical and psychological trauma on bears, often resulting in broken teeth, pierced snouts and the removal of claws.
Dancing bears are captive or bred bears forced to perform tricks for entertainment. Their training methods include painful measures like hot metal plates and metal rings through sensitive noses and jaws, allowing owners to exert control over the bears.
Bear dancing and bear baiting are age-old traditions in the region, introduced to the local society as a sport by the British.
Four Paws has previously engaged in efforts to improve the conditions of elephants in captivity in Pakistan.
Most notably, the organization worked on the case of Kaavan, an elephant kept in Islamabad Zoo, who was dubbed the “world’s loneliest elephant.”
Four Paws led a high-profile campaign for his relocation to a sanctuary in Cambodia, which was successfully completed in late 2020.
Four Paws team arrives in Pakistan to support bears rescued from human captivity
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Four Paws team arrives in Pakistan to support bears rescued from human captivity
- Bear dancing and baiting are common in Pakistan, inflicting severe physical and psychological trauma on these animals
- Four Paws previously engaged in efforts to improve the conditions of elephants in local zoos in different Pakistani cities
Pakistan serves notices to 12 cosmetic companies for ‘greenwashing,’ misleading marketing
- Competition Commission of Pakistan says these firms falsely claimed their products to be organic, chemical-free
- It asks customers to remain vigilant and report misleading advertising claims, health hazards caused by them
KARACHI: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) announced on Saturday it had served notices to 12 cosmetics companies for running “deceptive marketing campaigns” by engaging in “greenwashing,” falsely describing their products as organic and devoid of any chemicals.
The CCP is a regulatory agency with a fundamental mandate to ensure a level playing field for all market players and to protect consumers from anti-competitive practices, predatory behavior and price-fixing.
The CCP statement also highlighted that Section 10 of the Competition Act, 2010, prohibits misleading marketing practices and emphasizes “accuracy, integrity, reliability and truthfulness” in marketing communication to assist consumers in making informed purchase decisions.
“The Competition Commission of Pakistan has taken cognizance of deceptive marketing by the beauty products’ manufacturers and issued notices to 12 companies regarding their false and misleading claims,” the CCP said.
“CCP’s preliminary probe revealed that these Undertakings were prima facie engaged in ‘greenwashing’, advertising their products as ‘Natural, Organic, Sustainable, Pure, and Chemical Free’ without having any scientific evidence to support their claims,” it added. “Such unsubstantiated marketing claims not only mislead the consumers but also pose potential health risks.”
It added the notices issued by its officials could ultimately lead to responsible marketing practices prioritizing environmental integrity and consumer trust.
The statement also urged consumers to remain vigilant and report false advertising claims along with any health hazards caused as their consequence.
Japan defeat Pakistan in dramatic shootout to win 2024 Azlan Shah Hockey Cup final
- Japan seized an early lead with a field goal in the 12th minute, igniting a fierce contest that ended in a 2-2 draw
- The electrifying shootout phase led to Japan’s convincing 4-1 victory, helping the team clinch the Azlan Shah cup
ISLAMABAD: In a dramatic conclusion to the 2024 Azlan Shah Hockey Cup on Saturday, Japan defeated Pakistan in a penalty shootout after a tense 2-2 draw, dashing the Pakistan team’s hopes that had reached the tournament final for the first time since 2011 following a series of stellar performances.
Six teams participated in the event, including the tournament Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand and Canada. Pakistan won the Azlan Shah Cup title three times in the past and was the second runners-up in the last edition which was also held in Malaysia two years ago.
Prior to facing Japan the second time in the tournament, Pakistan played against New Zealand on Friday in a match that ended in a tie.
“Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for,” the Pakistan Hockey Federation exclaimed in a social media post prior to the match. “The FINAL showdown of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is here, and our beloved Green Shirts are ready to take on Japan ... Let’s rally behind our team with all our support and cheers as they aim for glory on the field!”
In a riveting showdown, Japan seized an early lead with a field goal in the 12th minute, igniting a fierce contest that saw both teams neck and neck until the final whistle.
As regular time expired with the score deadlocked, the match escalated into an electrifying shootout phase.
When the dust settled, however, Japan had triumphed with a convincing 4-1 victory, clinching the cup and retaining their top position on the leaderboard where they already stood tall with 13 points right ahead of the final.
Pakistan, despite a valiant effort, were on the second place with two draws.
Pakistan drafts new social media regulatory law amid free speech concerns from digital activists
- The government says it wants the legislation to curb disinformation, hate speech on social media platforms
- Rights activists fear the authorities may curb online dissent instead of encouraging responsible Internet use
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is working on a draft law to regulate social media to “protect digital rights” of millions of users, encourage responsible Internet use and regulate online content to prevent hate speech and disinformation, confirmed a senator belonging to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party on Saturday.
The authorities have long struggled to regulate the social media content through different legislations, prompting critics to accuse it of trying to quell dissent. The popular social media platform X remains blocked in the country after widespread allegations of election manipulation in the wake of the February 8 national polls.
Earlier this month, the government notified a National Cybercrimes Investigation Agency to probe electronic crimes and is now working on another draft law related to the social media content, making digital rights activists describe it as yet another official attempt to stifle criticism online.
“The government is currently working on a draft law to regulate the social media content as we want to curb disinformation and hate speech being spread through these platforms,” Senator Afnan Ullah Khan told Arab News.
“A committee led by the federal law minister is discussing the draft law as we have to ensure people’s right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression as well,” he continued, ruling out concerns the government wanted to muffle its rivals and critics.
Khan said the draft law would be tabled in parliament within four weeks for discussion and debate.
“The opposition parties or any parliamentarian can object to any clause of the bill once it is presented in parliament for vote,” he said.
“We want to protect digital rights of our users instead of imposing any restrictions, but at the same time we want those to be prosecuted who violate the law by inciting hate speech and pedaling disinformation, or any content against the national security,” he added.
The draft law may propose establishment of a digital rights protection authority to ensure effective enforcement of laws, Khan informed, but “all this will be disclosed to the media and public once the bill is tabled in parliament for discussion.”
Digital rights activists said successive governments in Pakistan had drafted new laws or amended old ones to curb the dissenting voices on social media platforms and file criminal charges against journalists and activists to restrict freedom of speech and expression.
“The government should involve all stakeholders, including civil society and rights activists, while drafting the new law to prevent its misuse,” Sabookh Syed, President of Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan, told Arab News.
“The government may strengthen defamation laws to prevent social media misuse instead of making it a criminal offense that could lead to persecution of activists and violate constitutional guarantees related to free speech,” he added.
Karachi education startup to help Dubai-based association provide online tuition to expatriate children
- The collaboration is expected to benefit the overseas Pakistani community in Dubai, with nearly 20,000 out-of-school children
- The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding in February and plan to operationalize it from next month
KARACHI: The Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD), a non-profit organization dedicated to welfare projects for Pakistanis in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said on Friday its decision in February to collaborate with a Karachi-based education startup would benefit expatriates who have about 20,000 out-of-school children.
PAD, which has been serving overseas Pakistanis in the UAE since 1963, announced plans to work with Learn School Academy, established about four years ago to provide digital schooling to students worldwide.
The Pakistani diaspora in the UAE is the second largest overseas community and one of the oldest expatriate groups in the Arab state.
According to PAD General Secretary Zahid Hassan, about 20,000 expatriate Pakistani children currently remain out of school despite strict reservations by the UAE authorities.
“This project has the potential to make a significant impact on increasing the literacy rate and improving the lives of these children,” he told Arab News on Friday. “PAD aims to facilitate education for overseas Pakistanis in the UAE by partnering with Learn School Academy to provide online tuition to children who are unable to attend traditional schools,” he continued. “With this partnership, we believe we can add even more value for the expatriate community living in the UAE by leveraging our expertise and resources in education.”
The founding CEO of the Pakistani education startup, Wahaj Kayani, explained the high cost of private schools in the UAE was a significant barrier for many Pakistanis to provide education to their children.
“Through this partnership with PAD, we aim to provide a more affordable and accessible solution,” he told Arab News.
“This collaboration is specifically designed to help Pakistani and all other overseas communities gain access to high-quality education at a price point that works for them along with a user-friendly online school model,” he added. “The MoU [memorandum of understanding with PAD] outlines a framework for offering scholarships for online learning, enabling students to benefit from Learn Academy’s curriculum and engaging the platform.”
According to the MoU signed between the two entities, the Pakistani academy will offer a 50 percent discount to PAD, which will bear the fee on behalf of the eligible families to educate their children. Both organizations plan to operationalize their collaboration from the next month.
“We believe this initiative will make a significant contribution to educational attainment in the UAE,” Kayani said. “It will enable students from diverse backgrounds to access quality education, including modern pedagogical approaches like project-based learning. This combination of affordability and innovative learning methods can have a real impact on literacy rates and overall educational achievement.”
Hassan, on the other hand, acknowledged that one project alone could not fully meet the educational needs of the Pakistani community.
“There is a pressing need for more schools to cater to such demands,” he said. “Therefore, PAD is actively exploring the possibility of launching a dream school project in the future to provide a long-term, sustainable solution. Our volunteer education team is fully committed to working on this initiative.”
The project is also Learn School Academy’s first collaboration outside Pakistan.
In addition to the initial launch with PAD, it envisions a deeper and more expansive partnership in the UAE and beyond.
“Looking ahead, we envision replicating this successful model by collaborating with similar organizations in other countries across the globe,” Kayani said. “Our next aim is Saudi Arabia for schooling, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada for Islamic education, which we hope to execute by the start of 2025.”
“Ultimately, our goal is to empower both Pakistani communities abroad and global communities at large by facilitating access to high-quality, affordable education,” he added.
Pakistan extends condolences to Afghanistan after flash floods kill over 150
- Heavy rains on Friday caused flash floods in Afghanistan’s Baghlan, Takhar and Badakhshan provinces
- Pakistan stands in solidarity with people of Afghanistan during this difficult time, the foreign office says
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday extended condolences to the Afghan government over the loss of more than 150 lives in flash floods in northern Afghanistan, the Pakistani foreign office said.
Heavy rains on Friday caused flash floods in Baghlan, Takhar and Badakhshan provinces that have killed 153 people and injured another 138, according to the interim Afghan interior ministry.
Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities sent helicopters overnight to assist civilians after reports emerged that over 100 people were stranded in these areas.
“The Government and the people of Pakistan express their heartfelt condolences on the tragic loss of life and widespread damage to property caused by heavy rains and flash floods in several provinces of Afghanistan,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, injured and the communities affected by this natural calamity and we pray for the early recovery of those missing.”
Pakistan stood in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan during this difficult time, it added.
Pakistan itself experienced its “wettest April since 1961,” the country’s weather agency said this month, with at least 144 deaths in thunderstorms and house collapses due to heavy rains.
April rainfall was recorded at 59.3 millimeters, “excessively above” the normal average of 22.5 millimeters, Pakistan’s metrology department said in its monthly climate report.
While much of Asia was sweltering due to heatwaves, Pakistan’s national monthly temperature for April was 23.67 degrees Celsius (74 degrees Fahrenheit) 0.87 degrees lower than the average of 24.54, the report noted.
In the summer of 2022, a third of Pakistan was submerged by unprecedented monsoon rains that displaced millions of people and cost the country $30 billion in damage and economic losses, according to a World Bank estimate.
