Driving change: Pakistani teen takes girls to school in rickshaw in impoverished desert region

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Updated 22 April 2023
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Driving change: Pakistani teen takes girls to school in rickshaw in impoverished desert region

  • Tharparkar district is ranked 21 out of 24 districts for school infrastructure, facilitation and dropouts
  • Thar Foundation came up with a program to train a young girl to drive a rickshaw and take girls to school

ISLAMKOT, Tharparkar: The young girl adjusted the red sash, the words “head girl” written on it in bright yellow letters, patted down her school uniform and then revved up her rickshaw.

Meet Aasia Bheel, 16, who drives herself and other girls to their school located about 15 kilometers from their village in Pakistan’s Tharparkar desert region, known for its vast arid lands, harsh climate and droughts.

Tharparkar, in the southern Sindh province, ranks 21 out of 24 districts in the province for school infrastructure, facilitation and dropouts. The district is considered one of the poorest in Sindh and Pakistan, with 87 percent of its population living below the poverty line, according to data from the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific.

Thus, like many other girls from the area, Bheel had to drop out after completing primary school in her village, Mansingh Bheel, 30 kilometers away from the nearest city of Islamkot, as there was no secondary school in her town. Other girls in her village also dropped out as they could not commute to schools outside their hometowns due to financial reasons or because their parents were not interested in making the effort to educate them.

Help came from The Citizens Foundation (TCF), one of Pakistan’s leading organizations in the field of education for the less privileged, which operates over 1,800 schools across the country, and the non-profit Thar Foundation, which was established in 2014 to address socio-economic challenges in the desert region.

“When I joined TCF Jiwan Das School, there was no transport facility to go there, and it was very difficult for me to reach my school on time,” Bheel told Arab News. “After a few months, the Thar Foundation found a solution to the problem, trained me to ride a rickshaw, and gave me one of these vehicles to help other dropout girls.”




16 Years old Asia gives daily pick and drop to girls of her village in Tharparkar, Pakistan on April 6, 2023. (AN photo)

Initially, only five girls would ride with Bheel but then she started working on convincing more parents on how educating their daughters would improve their lives.

“They agreed,” she said. “Now more than 15 girls accompany me to school in my rickshaw.”

Thar Foundation education officer Sonia Chachar said aiming to solve the problem of girls’ commuting to school, the non-profit came up with the solution to find someone from within the community to drive girls. The Foundation then visited many villages to identify a girl who would be most suitable to implement the idea.

Ultimately, they met Bheel and convinced her parents to let her become part of the project. The Foundation gave her a month's training as a driver, got her a driving license and then gave her a rickshaw to provide pick and drop facility to village girls.

“There is often a trend in villages that ... girls stay at home after the fifth grade,” Chachar said.

“Because secondary school was far away [from Bheel’s hometown], few girls could continue their education. Keeping that in mind, the concept of this [program] was to train a village girl to drive a rickshaw so that she could go to school herself and provide pick and drop facility to dropout girls of that village so that those girls too may continue their education.”

All the girls in last year’s fifth-grade enrollment were now going to the TCF Jiwan Das School and continuing their education, Chachar added. The Thar Foundation’s program to provide access to education to young girls in the region is now in its second year.




Asia Bheel, front right, with her classmates at her school in Tharparkar, Pakistan on April 6, 2023. (AN photo)

Apart from the Foundation, Bheel’s 50-year-old father, Harchand Bheel, who uses the rickshaw after school hours to earn a living for the family, also supported his daughter’s quest for education.

“Initially, no one was willing to send their daughters to school,” he said. “Villagers used to send boys to school but not girls. They also forbade me from sending my daughters to school, saying it was not our custom … But I said I would educate my daughters.”

Bheel was herself quite adamant that she would continue her education.

“My daughter was very much determined to study, she said 'baba, send me to school so that I may become a doctor or an engineer’,” the girl’s father said.

“Her thinking is quite positive and she guides me too. My daughter goes to school every day, she is very intelligent and the monitor of her class.”


Pakistan, UK discuss strengthening cooperation in railways sector

Updated 5 sec ago
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Pakistan, UK discuss strengthening cooperation in railways sector

  • Pakistan Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi meets British High Commissioner Jane Marriott in Islamabad
  • Pakistan’s railway sector faces several challenges which caused train derailments, fatal accidents

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott on Wednesday discussed bilateral cooperation between the two nations with a special focus on railways, state-run media reported.

Pakistan’s railway sector faces several challenges such as an aging infrastructure, outdated tracks, locomotives and signal systems. Poor maintenance and a lack of modern safety measures often contribute to train derailments and accidents. Notable tragedies include the 2005 Ghotki train disaster, which killed over 130 people and a 2021 train collision that left at least 65 people dead.

As opposed to that, the UK has one of the densest railway networks in Europe with almost all major towns and cities connected by rail.

“Pakistan and the United Kingdom have emphasized joint measures to further strengthen their bilateral trade and economic relations, with special focus on the railways sector,” state-run media reported following Abbasi’s meeting with Marriot in Islamabad.

State broadcaster Radio Pakistan said Abbasi called for “a comprehensive strategy” between Pakistan and the United Kingdom to develop and modernize the former’s railway sector.

“He said Pakistan is ready to fully benefit from UK’s expertise in modernizing the railways infrastructure in the country and improving performance of this sector,” Radio Pakistan said.

Abbasi said the two countries would continue to work together on mutual interest railways projects that will benefit their economies and improve public transportation.

Pakistan has recently attempted to improve its railway infrastructure to ensure economic growth and development.

In March, Pakistan and United Arab Emirates (UAE) officials agreed to expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the railways sector.

Abbasi had said Pakistan Railways is continuously working to improve its services through long-term agreements with domestic and international suppliers, emphasizing that Islamabad offers a business-friendly environment and presents significant opportunities for investors.


Pakistan reports second death of 2025 from deadly brain-eating amoeba

Updated 04 June 2025
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Pakistan reports second death of 2025 from deadly brain-eating amoeba

  • Naegleria fowleri, with a 98 percent fatality rate, spreads when contaminated water enters through the nose
  • Victim, a Karachi resident, used water at home and nearby mosque for ablution, says Sindh government

KARACHI: A 23-year-old man died in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi this week after contracting Naegleria fowleri, the Sindh Health Department said on Wednesday, marking the second death of the year from the deadly brain-eating amoeba.

Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba, has a fatality rate of over 98 percent. It is transmitted when contaminated water enters the body through the nose and cannot be spread from person to person.

Pakistan has witnessed a rise in Naegleria fowleri cases in recent years, with more than 100 reported deaths since the first confirmed infection in 2008. Five fatalities were recorded in 2024 alone.

In the latest case the deceased, a resident of Karachi’s Orangi Town area, was hospitalized on May 30 after suffering from symptoms on May 28. He died on June 3 after the presence of Naegleria fowleri was confirmed in the patient on June 1. 

“Upon investigation, it was noted that the patient had not participated in any water-related activities,” the Sindh Health Department said. “His only exposure was regular use of water at home and use of water at a nearby local mosque to perform ablution.”

Symptoms of Naegleria fowleri infection include severe headache, altered sense of taste, high fever, sensitivity to light, nausea and vomiting. Death typically occurs within five to seven days of infection.

The health department confirmed this was the second death in Pakistan from Naegleria fowleri in 2025. The first death was reported in March when a 36-year-old woman died from the same disease. She was also a resident of Karachi. 

A 2021 study by the Sindh Health Department found that 95 percent of water samples in Karachi, Sindh’s provincial capital, were unfit for human consumption.

Experts say the contamination leads to the spreading of the brain-eating amoeba among the city’s residents.


Pakistan clinches 14 medals at Asian Indoor Rowing Championship in Thailand

Updated 04 June 2025
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Pakistan clinches 14 medals at Asian Indoor Rowing Championship in Thailand

  • Pakistan rowing team wins 10 gold medals, three silver and one bronze
  • Championship features athletes competing on indoor rowing machines

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan bagged 14 medals, including 10 gold ones, at the recently concluded Asian Indoor Rowing Championship in Thailand, state media reported this week.

The Asian Indoor Rowing Championship was organized by the Asian Rowing Federation from May 26 to 31 in Pattaya, Thailand, to showcase the talents of indoor rowers from across Asia.

Unlike traditional rowing competitions held on water, this championship features athletes competing on indoor rowing machines, such as the Concept2 ergometer, simulating the rowing experience in a controlled environment.

“Competing against 25 countries, the Pakistani squad stunned traditional powerhouses such as India, Iran, Thailand, South Korea and Japan,” Radio Pakistan said in a report on Monday.

“Despite being a small contingent, the Pakistani rowers delivered an outstanding performance that defied expectations.”

According to a local news outlet, Pakistan won 10 gold, three silver and one bronze medal.

Key contributors included Pakistani rowers Abdul Jabbar and Muhammad Shahzad, who won one gold and one silver each.

Tayyab Iftikhar earned one silver medal and one bronze, the report added.

Radio Pakistan said the athletes received a grand welcome from the Pakistan Rowing Federation (PRF) upon their return to the country.

It highlighted that the athletes’ performance marked “a new era for rowing” in Pakistan. PRF President Hamdan Nazir and Chairman Rizwan-ul-Haq also praised the players for their outstanding achievements.


Pakistani man accused of killing young TikTok influencer appears in court

Updated 04 June 2025
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Pakistani man accused of killing young TikTok influencer appears in court

  • Umar Hayat is accused of killing TikTok influencer Sana Yousaf for rejecting friendship offers 
  • Pakistani judge orders Hayat to be presented again on June 18 for pretrial proceedings

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani man accused of killing a 17-year-old TikTok influencer after she rejected his offer of friendship made his first court appearance Wednesday, officials and police said.

Suspect Umar Hayat, 22, who also creates content on TikTok, was arrested Tuesday by Islamabad police in Faisalabad, an industrial city in eastern Punjab province.

He is accused of shooting Sana Yousuf, who had more than one million followers on social media. The killing earlier this week in Islamabad drew widespread condemnation.

TV footage showed Hayat with his face covered as he was brought to court, where police requested additional time to complete their investigation and file formal murder charges.

The judge ordered that Hayat be presented again on June 18 for pretrial proceedings.

Yousuf, originally from the scenic northern region of Chitral, was known for promoting traditional Chitrali music and dress through her videos. She also advocated for girls’ education. TikTok has more than 60 million users in Pakistan, many of them young women and teenagers.

Hours before her murder, she had posted a photo celebrating her birthday with friends.


Pakistan’s Punjab issues solar panel installation guidelines following accidents 

Updated 04 June 2025
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Pakistan’s Punjab issues solar panel installation guidelines following accidents 

  • Over 70% of 124 accidents reported across Punjab during May 24 thunderstorms were related to solar panels, says disaster management authority
  • Guidelines include installation of solar panels by those certified by federal government, using wind-rated mounting systems that withstand pressure 

ISLAMABAD: The disaster management authority in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province on Wednesday issued new guidelines for the installation of solar systems, citing that over 70 percent of accidents related to solar panels were reported during a thunderstorm last month. 

Thunderstorms killed at least 21 people and injured more than 100 others in Punjab late last month as moist currents penetrated upper parts of Pakistan, according to national and provincial disaster management authorities.

Earlier this week, the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a fresh alert for rain and strong, dusty winds across the province from June 2 to June 5. 

“During the thunderstorm on May 24, there were 124 small and large accidents in Punjab,” PDMA spokesperson Mazhar Hussain told Arab News. 

“When this was analyzed, it was revealed that over 70 percent of the accidents have been caused by solar panels or related structures,” he added. 

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said new guidelines and a regulatory framework were prepared by stakeholders, including the province’s energy department and the local government department.

“These instructions are aligned with the national framework provided by the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB), and include essential safety protocols, installation standards and the responsibilities of certified installers,” Kathia explained. 

According to the guidelines seen by Arab News, the PDMA has directed users to procure the services of AEDB-certified installers to ensure a professional solar system design and so that the panels are properly mounted, sealed and structurally reinforced.

Along with other technical details, the PDMA stresses people to use wind-rated mounting systems attached to mountings by stainless steel nut bolts. The authority directs that these bolts be fastened using stainless steel spring washers. 

It also says people should consider windstorm-safe anchors or extra brackets in the province’s regions prone to storms. 

“The mountings itself should be properly secured with base/floor to ensure it can withstand windstorms and other climatic vagaries,” the document stated.

Kathia said only professionals approved by the AEDB will be authorized to install solar energy systems. He said this move was aimed at ensuring technical standards were maintained and risks associated with faulty or unregulated installations were reduced.

“In addition, all structures across Punjab that may be vulnerable to future damage are being surveyed by the respective deputy commissioners,” the PDMA official said.

He added strict compliance would be ensured in close coordination with district administrations to avoid such accidents in the future. 

Khalil Ahmed, owner of a solar installation company in Punjab’s provincial capital Lahore, supported the PDMA’s decision.

Ahmed said people often hire non-professional installers to save a small amount of money, putting both their systems and safety at risk.

“Ensuring that only AEDB-certified professionals handle solar installations is not just a matter of compliance, it’s a matter of public safety,” he told Arab News.

Proper mounting, structural reinforcement, and weatherproofing are essential to prevent accidents and protect both lives and property, he added.