PESHAWAR: Staying true to his campaign and electoral promises, Prime Minister Imran Khan ensured that the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) was eventually merged with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. When the bill finally became a law in May this year, it gave residents ample reasons to celebrate.
However, today, nearly six months after the merger, several complained that children were being denied their basic right to education, which continues to remain a distant dream. Tribesmen from the volatile region who urged the government to prioritize the education sector said that hundreds of children had dropped out of school as they were forced to study in the open due to a lack of properly-constructed facilities in the South Waziristan, Bajaur and other tribal districts.
Sikandar Mehsud, a tribesman from South Waziristan, said that at least 204 children study under a tree in Shereen Khel -- a small village on the outskirts of Makeen -- once regarded as the epicenter of insurgency and the hometown of former Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan leader, Baitullah Mehsud.
Surrounded by gigantic mountains, the Shereen Khel village boasts a population of roughly 2,000 but has no buildings for its schools. Mir Kalam, a tribesman from the area said that because of this reason he has been teaching children for the past one year without getting any incentives for his services. “I teach children voluntarily to create awareness among them and to make them responsible citizens of the country,” Kalam said.
Back in 2009, when the Pakistani military launched its operations to stamp out militants from the South Waziristan region, it triggered a mass exodus of local families. However, they have since been repatriated to their respective villages in the district, according to Sayed Umar, a coordinator at the South Waziristan FATA Disaster Management Authority.
The children, however, continue to lack access to basic education. “Roughly, around 400,000 children are out of school in the tribal areas but plans are being implemented to enroll them,” Shoaib Khan, a senior official at the FATA Education Directorate, said.
He said that around 1,000 to 1,100 educational institutions are either damaged or non-functional across the region bordering Afghanistan, adding that the government, in collaboration with foreign donors such as the UNDP, had plans to rebuild all the schools and colleges in the area and ensure they were fully functional.
Maulana Jamaluddin, a lawmaker from the region told Arab News that he has been apprised of the issue and has taken it up with the relevant authorities to build a proper facility for children in Shereen Khel. “I have already told the FATA Education Directorate to expedite the process to rebuild the damaged institutions,” he added.
Another example is of the 200 children who have been attending classes in the open fields of Khayati, another dusty hamlet in the Bajaur tribal district. Said Munir, a teacher at the Maktab Primary School in Tehsil Utmankhel, told Arab News that the school has no drinking water, furniture, boundary walls or washroom facilities.
He added that the educational institution -- operational since 1985 – boasted a strength of 400 students which has now been reduced to 160 because the parents did not want their children to study under the open sky. “This school can be turned into one of the best educational institutions if the government provides us with the much-needed facilities such as buildings and infrastructure,” Munir said.
Misbahuddin Khan, a social activist from the Bajaur region said that the school has been functional for the past 20 years despite a lack of infrastructure. However, during harsh weather conditions, children often choose to skip school. “Most of the times in summer and winter, children fall ill because of the hostile weather conditions,” Khan added.
He reasoned that since most of the families have been repatriated, the government should take accelerated measures to work towards the construction of school buildings or to rebuild institutes that were damaged during military operations. Khan said that the FATA Secretariat and FATA Education Directorate have been informed about the problem, but concrete measures have yet to be taken to address the issue.
Another issue at hand, as highlighted by Mehsud, was that despite some educational institutions being housed in a proper facility, the schools or colleges remain non-functional due to a lack of teaching staff. Case in point being the Girls Degree College -- built in 2016 in the Ladha area of the South Waziristan region -- which has a sprawling building but has yet to hire teachers.
Samreen Mehsud, a college student, demanded that the government expedites the hiring process so that girls and women in the area can make full use of the facility at hand. She added that several children are either deprived of an education or forced to go to other cities of the country for higher studies.
Another school in Mamakhel, a small village located in the Orakzai tribal district, is in shambles, too. With two rooms for more than 300 students, a majority of the students were forced to attend classes conducted in tents as the rooms' roof, doors, and windows were damaged.
Not a minor problem: 400,000 children deprived of education in tribal districts
Not a minor problem: 400,000 children deprived of education in tribal districts
- Lack of schools and facilities major reason for students in KP province to opt out
- Residents urge government to prioritize measures for increased levels of literacy in the region
Parvez lifts Bangladesh to 196-6 against Pakistan in third T20I
- Pakistan lead the series 2-0 after first two matches at the same venue
- Parvez smashed four sixes and seven boundaries in his solid 34-ball 66
LAHORE: Parvez Hossain hit a fiery half century to guide Bangladesh to 196-6 in the third and final Twenty20 international against Pakistan in Lahore on Sunday.
Parvez smashed four sixes and seven boundaries in his solid 34-ball 66 and shared a 110-run opening stand with Tanzid Hasan (32-ball 42 with three sixes and as many boundaries) after the tourists were sent in to bat.
Pakistan lead the series 2-0 after winning by 37 and 57 runs respectively at the same venue.
The Parvez-Tanzid stand gave Bangladesh ideal start for their highest T20I total against Pakistan beating the 175-6 they made against them at Pallekele in 2012.
Towhid Hridoy, who scored a 18-ball 25 with a six and two boundaries, then added 49 for the third wicket with Litton Das whose 22 came off 18 balls.
Fast bowlers Abbas Afridi (2-26) and Hasan Ali (2-38) were the pick of home bowlers.
Pakistan reaffirms commitment to macroeconomic stability as Ipsos survey shows rising consumer trust
Pakistan reaffirms commitment to macroeconomic stability as Ipsos survey shows rising consumer trust
- The latest Ipsos survey revealed that 42% Pakistanis now believe the country is heading in the right direction
- The development comes amid stabilization of key indicators, including inflation, exchange rate and forex reserves
KARACHI: Pakistan on Sunday reaffirmed its commitment to macroeconomic stability after Ipsos, a Paris-based global market research and consultation firm, said consumer confidence grew in the South Asian country in the second quarter of this year.
The Ipsos survey revealed a significant surge in consumer confidence, with 42% of Pakistanis now believing the country is heading in the right direction — the highest level recorded in six years.
Perceptions of the economy being strong reached their most favorable levels since August 2019, and optimism overtook pessimism that marked a key psychological shift among the population, according to the survey.
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the “encouraging” data reflected the success of his government’s disciplined and targeted macroeconomic strategy implemented over the last 14 months.
“He highlighted that consumer confidence in making major purchases and investments has doubled compared to the same period last year, indicating that households are beginning to feel more secure in their financial prospects. Similarly, confidence in job security is now at its highest since 2019, a sign that
labor market conditions are gradually stabilizing in response to pro-growth policies and reforms,” the finance ministry said.
“Senator Aurangzeb reaffirmed that the government remains committed to maintaining macroeconomic stability, accelerating structural reforms, and ensuring that economic growth translates into real and inclusive progress for all citizens.”
The development comes amid stabilization of key economic indicators, including inflation, exchange rate, foreign exchange reserves and fiscal discipline, that has led a renewed public trust in Pakistan, which is currently on path to economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program secured in Sept. last year.
Aurangzeb pointed out that this upswing in consumer confidence spans across urban and rural areas, and is particularly evident among youth and women, demonstrating the broad-based nature of the economic turnaround.
He linked this optimism to sustained government efforts to create an enabling environment to enhance private sector growth, exports, social protection and financial inclusion.
“The findings of the IPSOS survey are a timely validation of Pakistan’s economic direction and a clear signal that the country is on a steady path toward recovery and resilience,” the minister said.
India arrests 81 for ‘sympathizing’ with Pakistan
- There has been a clampdown on social media since an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir
- New Delhi blamed Pakistan for backing the militants it said carried out the attack, Islamabad denies the allegation
GUWAHATI: Indian police have arrested scores of people for “sympathizing” with Pakistan, a month after the worst conflict between the arch-rivals for decades, a top government official said Sunday.
The arrests took place in the northeastern state of Assam, where Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said “81 anti-nationals are now behind bars for sympathizing with Pak.”
Sarma, from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist ruling party, said in a statement “our systems are constantly tracking anti-national posts on social media and taking actions.”
One of the persons was arrested after he posted a Pakistani flag on his Instagram, Assam police told AFP.
No further details about other arrests were given.
There has been a wider clampdown on social media since an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, the deadliest on civilians in the contested Muslim-majority territory in decades.
New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the militants it said carried out the attack, charges that Pakistan denied.
India and Pakistan then fought a four-day conflict, their worst standoff since 1999, before a ceasefire was agreed on May 10.
India’s counter-terrorism agency last month arrested a paramilitary police officer for allegedly spying for Pakistan, while authorities have arrested at least 10 other people on espionage charges in May, according to local media.
Sarma is also pushing efforts to stem the contentious issue of illegal immigration.
Assam shares a long and porous border with neighboring Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
Indian media have reported that Assam’s government has allegedly rounded up dozens of alleged Bangladeshis in the past month and taken them to the frontier to cross.
The Times of India newspaper on Saturday reported that Assam was “dumping them in no-man’s land,” suggesting that at least 49 had been pushed back between May 27-29 alone.
The Assam government has not commented on the reports.
Bangladesh, largely encircled by land by India, has seen relations with New Delhi turn icy, after the Dhaka government was toppled in an uprising last year.
Bangladesh has also moved closer to China, as well as to Pakistan.
PM urges trickle-down effect of development schemes in insurgency-hit Balochistan
- Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but most impoverished province, has been the site of a long-running insurgency that has intensified in recent months
- PM Shehbaz Sharif says Balochistan will receive 25 percent share of Public Sector Development Program, which funds long-term projects, in the upcoming budget
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed the need to ensure a trickle-down effect of his government’s developmental initiatives in the southwestern Balochistan province, Sharif’s office said on Sunday, amid a surge in militant attacks in the region.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but most impoverished province, has been the site of a long-running insurgency that has intensified in recent months, with separatist militants attacking security forces, government officials and installations and people from other provinces who they see as “outsiders.”
The Pakistani government says it has launched several development schemes relating to infrastructure, health and education for some 15 million people of Balochistan, which is also home to deep seaport being built by China, gold, copper and coal mines, and has a long coast on the Arabian Sea.
Speaking to tribal elders during his visit to the provincial capital of Quetta, PM Sharif highlighted the series of developmental programs undertaken by his government for the prosperity of Balochistan and called on officials to ensure that their benefits reach the people of the southwestern Pakistani province.
“He praised the people of Balochistan for their historic role in safeguarding national unity and urged them to remain vigilant against foreign-backed subversion and sabotage orchestrated and sponsored by India,” Sharif’s office said.
“The jirga [council of tribal elders] concluded with a unanimous pledge from tribal elders to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Government of Pakistan and armed forces, reaffirming their commitment to the security, stability and development of Balochistan.”
Pakistan and India often accuse each other of supporting militancy. Islamabad blames India of backing the separatist insurgency in Balochistan as well as religiously motivated militant groups, like the Pakistani Taliban, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. India denies the allegations.
Sharif announced that Balochistan will receive 25 percent share from the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP), which funds infrastructure, energy, education and other long-term projects, in the upcoming budget.
“I think that PSDP will be of Rs1,000 billion [in the next budget],” he told the gathering. “So, out of this [amount], a fund of approximately Rs250 billion is for Balochistan alone. That is, 25 percent of the total federal PSDP for Balochistan.”
Addressing the challenge of militancy in the province, Sharif called for engagement at the grassroots level to ensure that militants find no social space.
“This was crucial for the success of counter terrorism efforts and for the long-term peace and stability,” he said.
On the occasion, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who accompanied the prime minister to Balochistan, emphasized that Pakistan’s army was fully alert and prepared to respond decisively to any threat.
“Peace in Balochistan is non-negotiable and that the future of Pakistan is directly linked to a stable, prosperous Balochistan,” he was quoted as saying by Sharif’s office.
Sharif also visited the military’s Command and Staff College in Quetta and addressed student officers and faculty, reflecting his government’s commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s defense institutions amidst evolving regional and internal security dynamics.
“The prime minister highlighted the critical importance of professional excellence, operational readiness, and strategic foresight in the face of emerging and hybrid threats, especially in sensitive regions like Balochistan,” Sharif’s office said.
Pakistan raises alarm over risks to Asia-Pacific stability amid India tensions
- Pakistan, India last month engaged in a worst standoff between them in decades that killed 70 people on both sides
- The conflict raised fears that it could spiral into a full-blown war and bring nuclear arsenals of the archrivals into play
ISLAMABAD: A top Pakistani general on Sunday raised alarmed over risks to Asia-Pacific stability in the absence of regional crisis management frameworks, amid prevailing tensions between Pakistan and India.
Pakistan and India last month engaged in a worst standoff between them in decades that saw the neighbors attack each other with jets, missiles, drones and artillery, killing around 70 people on both sides before the United States brokered a ceasefire on May 10.
The conflict, triggered by an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam town that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, alarmed the world powers and raised fears that it could spiral into a full-blown war and bring the archfoes’ nuclear arsenals into play.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security meeting in Singapore, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman, said the recent India-Pakistan conflict underscored how crisis management frameworks remained “hostage to countries’ belligerence.”
“The recent standoff amply underlines significance of maintaining open channels of communications to avert crises as and when they erupt. Post-Pahalgam [attack], the threshold of an escalatory war has come dangerously low, implying greater risk on both sides, just not in the disputed territory, but all of India and all of Pakistan,” he said.
“In future, given the Indian policies and polities’ extremist mindset, absence of a crisis management mechanism may not give enough time to the global powers to intervene and effect cessation of hostilities.”
Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.
Before the conflict, both nations unleashed a raft of punitive measures against each other, with India suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty that ensures water for 80 percent of Pakistani farms and Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian airlines. India has said the treaty would remain in abeyance.
Gen Mirza said New Delhi’s move to suspend the treaty is in “total defiance of the international laws, since it is an existential threat for the people of Pakistan.”
“If there is any effort to stop, divert or delay Pakistan’s share of water, as clearly spelt out by our National Security Committee, it could be considered as an act of war,” he added.
