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Islamic Development Bank announces $100 million loan to make Pakistan polio-free

A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child at a neighborhood of Lahore, Pakistan, on October 2, 2023. (AP/File)
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Updated 05 December 2023
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Islamic Development Bank announces $100 million loan to make Pakistan polio-free

  • The South Asian country has already received $60 of this amount, the IsDB president says
  • Pakistan, Afghanistan are only two countries in world where polio continues to threaten lives
Updated 05 December 2023
KHURSHID AHMED   

ISLAMABAD: The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has announced a $100 million loan to support Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts, the Pakistani health minister and the Bank said, on the sidelines of the ongoing COP28 United Nations climate summit in Dubai. 

This loan builds on a previous support from the IsDB and includes a $35 million principal buydown from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, according to an IsDB statement.  

The new funding complements previous loans and will be used to secure and deliver millions of polio vaccines needed to protect all children across Pakistan against the debilitating yet preventable virus. 

"I am very pleased to announce that the IsDB approved US$100 million financing in the 4th Phase of Polio Eradication Program for Pakistan in April 2023, which brings the IsDB total financing for Polio eradication in Pakistan to US$ 587 million, making the Bank one of the largest providers of finance to the national polio eradication program in Pakistan," IsDB President Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser was quoted as saying in the statement.  

"Under this latest phase, I am happy to note that US$60 million of this amount was disbursed in mid-November 2023. We and our partners remain committed and are working hard to win this battle against this disease. We really are at the last mile in this long journey as only 5 cases of wild poliovirus have been reported in the country in 2023.”  

The IsDB president thanked the Pakistani government, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for their steadfast commitment to polio eradication. 

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of ten years. It invades the nervous system, and can cause paralysis or even death.  

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio continues to threaten the health and well-being of children.  

“We welcome the support of the IsDB and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in contributing to the critical effort of ending polio in Pakistan,” Pakistan Health Minister Nadeem Jan said, addressing the ‘Reaching the Last Mile’ forum related to polio at COP28. 

“Interrupting poliovirus transmission remains a core focus for the Government of Pakistan, and thanks to the heroic efforts of community health workers, global partners and contributors like the IsDB and the foundation, we have pushed the virus to the brink of eradication.” 

An official of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said they saw this loan as an important step forward for the eradication of polio in Pakistan.  

“We are pleased to partner again with the IsDB and the Government of Pakistan to ensure funding opportunities to provide the needed resources to reach every child with polio vaccines,” said Chris Elias, president of the Global Development Division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  

“With continued support to health workers and the efforts from partners like the IsDB, I am confident we will end polio in Pakistan.” 

The IsDB said this new loan would enable Pakistan's polio program to reach all children and communities with the life-saving vaccine.  

"It will also help meet the country’s commitment of US$155 million towards its national polio program supported by the partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)," it added. 

Topics: Pakistan Polio

Pakistan says will engage with prominent Baloch rights movement provided no ‘ulterior motive’

Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan says will engage with prominent Baloch rights movement provided no ‘ulterior motive’

  • Baloch Yakjehti Committee has held multiple protests, marches to capital to highlight enforced disappearances in Balochistan
  • Military variously accuses rights movements like BYC of being “terrorist proxies,” says “disappeared” are linked to separatists
Updated 27 February 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government will engage with prominent Baloch rights activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch and her Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) movement provided it does not have an “ulterior motive,” the government’s spokesperson on legal affairs Aqeel Malik said this week. 

Baloch has been a fierce critic of Pakistan’s powerful military, whom rights activists, politicians and families blame for enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in the impoverished, southwestern Balochistan province. Security forces deny this. 

The BYC, founded by Baloch in 2020, has organized several large protests in Balochistan and led marches to, and sit-ins in, the Pakistani federal capital, Islamabad, mainly against “enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings” which officials deny. 

The military has a huge presence in Balochistan bordering Afghanistan and Iran, where insurgent groups have been fighting for a separate homeland for decades to win a larger share of benefits for the resource-rich province. The army has long run intelligence-based operations against insurgent groups, 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.

International rights bodies like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as well as opposition political parties have also long highlighted enforced disappearances targeting students, activists, journalists and human rights defenders in Balochistan. The army says many of Balochistan’s so-called disappeared have links to separatists. Military spokespersons have also variously accused rights movements like the BYC of being “terrorist proxies.”

Speaking to Independent Urdu on Wednesday, Malik said there were “a few unanswered questions” related to Dr. Mahrang Baloch and the BYC. 

“The reason is that she leads a big movement but no one knows who is backing or supporting it,” Malik said.

“This is a very important question. If her movement is truly for the rights of Balochistan, and there is no ulterior motive to it, then the government will definitely engage.”

The government’s spokesperson said the state should engage with all Pakistanis regardless of which Pakistani province they belong to. 

“If there are any such factions, we will engage with them and are doing it already,” he said. 

Malik’s comments come days after BYC’s prominent leader Sammi Deen Baloch said her group was open to engaging in direct talks with “those who have the power” to end human rights violations in Balochistan, when asked if the group would hold talks with the military. 

“Those who have the authority to resolve our issues, whose voices are heard, they can be any person, any institution or any representative … we say that that empowered person should come forward,” she told Arab News in an interview when asked if her group was open to talks with the army. 

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks by separatist groups in Balochistan in recent months. More than 50 people, including security forces, were killed in August last year in a string of assaults in Balochistan that were claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army, the province’s most prominent separatist outfit.

Topics: Baloch Yakjehti Committee

Pakistan PM to take notice of cricket team’s dismal state of affairs— aide 

Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan PM to take notice of cricket team’s dismal state of affairs— aide 

  • Hosts Pakistan crashed out of ICC Champions Trophy tournament after losses to New Zealand, India last week 
  • Rana Sanaullah laments poor standard of cricket at basic levels, exorbitant salaries of cricket board officials 
Updated 27 February 2025
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will take notice of the dismal state of affairs of cricket in the country, his adviser on political affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Thursday, after the national cricket team’s early round exit from the ICC Champions Trophy tournament this week. 

Hosts and defending champions Pakistan crashed out of the group stage of the Champions Trophy tournament after successive losses to New Zealand and India in their first two matches last week. 

Angry cricket fans have raised questions on Pakistan’s embarrassing elimination, pointing to selection flaws, lack of cricketing talent and intent to play modern cricket.

“So the prime minister will definitely take notice of all these things and we will also tell him that this should be discussed in parliament and cabinet,” Sanaullah told Geo News. 

The prime minister’s aide highlighted the dismal conditions of cricket at club, university and district levels, saying that the board should take drastic measures to improve basic cricket. 

He criticized the PCB’s decision to appoint mentors last year on a Rs5 million [$17,885] salary per month without explaining to them their job responsibilities. 

“They [mentors[ have been heard admitting to the media that they are unaware of their responsibilities, so they’ve been taking Rs5m monthly for not working,” Sanaullah said. 

He lamented that the same was the situation in other sports associations of Pakistan. 

“They are retired people who take up these positions there to enjoy the perks and privileges and facilities,” he said. 

“I think all these things need to be looked at and we need to bring basic changes there.”

Topics: Pakistan cricket team

Pakistan’s Sindh to procure 1,000 ‘pink’ electric motorcycles to encourage women empowerment

Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan’s Sindh to procure 1,000 ‘pink’ electric motorcycles to encourage women empowerment

  • Women driving motorcycles is rare in conservative Pakistan, where many are deprived of education, work opportunities 
  • Applicants must be students or employed, have two-wheeler license and be residents of Sindh, says Chief Minister’s House
Updated 27 February 2025
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: The provincial government in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Thursday announced it would procure 1,000 pink electric motorcycles for women to encourage female mobility and provide them with sustainable transportation, a statement from the Chief Minister’s House said. 

Women driving motorcycles is rare in conservative Pakistan, where men in many households are the breadwinners while women tend to chores at home. Women driving cars or riding pillion on two-wheelers driven by a male relative is more socially acceptable in the country. 

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a meeting of the provincial government’s senior ministers, advisers and special assistants to review provincial matters on Thursday. During the meeting, Shah was told that the Transport and Sindh Mass Transit Authority (T&MTD) plans to launch a program aimed at enhancing female mobility through sustainable transportation.

“This initiative will introduce approximately 1,000 electric motorcycles for women, which will be allocated through an open and transparent balloting process,” the CM House said.

“The initiative requires Rs300 million to be obtained outside the budget.”

The cabinet also noted that an increasing number of women worldwide are opting for electric motorcycles as their primary mode of transport for daily commuting. 

“Key factors driving this demand include greater mobility, cost-effectiveness compared to cars or public transport, eco-friendliness, and minimal maintenance,” the statement said. 

The CM House said electric bike provide women independence, promote economic empowerment, break gender stereotypes and improve safety and security for them.

Applicants must be permanent residents of Sindh, a student or a “working female,” and hold a valid two-wheeler driving license. 

The applicant also cannot sell the electric motorcycle for a period of seven years, the statement said. 

Topics: Electric bikes

UAE-based company founded by Pakistanis to back AI-first ventures with $100 million investment

Updated 27 February 2025
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UAE-based company founded by Pakistanis to back AI-first ventures with $100 million investment

  • Disrupt.com says $100 million commitment to focus on AI, cybersecurity, Web3.0, automotive technology and retail innovation
  • Company says it partners with ambitious entrepreneurs to build, scale and invest in high-potential, globally focused tech startups
Updated 27 February 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: A venture builder company with its headquarters in the UAE and founded by Pakistani entrepreneurs, Disrupt.com, announced a $100 million commitment to build and back AI-first ventures worldwide on Thursday. 
Founded initially in 2008 as “Gaditek” in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi by three entrepreneurs named Aaqib Gadit, Uzair Gadit, and Umair Gadit, venture builder and investor Disrupt.com says it partners with ambitious entrepreneurs to build, scale and invest in high-potential, globally focused technology startups. 
“Today, Disrupt.com— founded by Aaqib Gadit, Uzair Gadit, and Umair Gadit— has announced a $100 million commitment to build and back AI-first technology ventures worldwide,” the company said in a statement. 
Disrupt.com said that since it began operations, the company has deployed over $40 million into its portfolio, supporting a mix of startups that it “built from scratch, co-built with external founders, and invested in as strategic backers.”
“The $100 million commitment announced by Disrupt.com will focus on five key areas: artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, Web3.0, automotive technology, and retail innovation,” it said.
Web3 is an umbrella term for technologies like blockchain that decentralize data ownership and control on the Internet.
“By targeting pre-seed to Series A stage startups with strong organic growth potential and clear paths to profitability, the venture builder aims to create sustainable businesses that will shape the future of industries worldwide,” it added. 
Aaqib Gadit said now is the time to start “doubling down” on investing in the next wave of startups that will shape the future of the world. 
“With Web 3.0 in its infancy and AI storming into our lives, the opportunity to problem solve and create businesses that will fit the needs of how people live and work is up for the taking,” he said in a statement shared by Disrupt.com.
Uzair Gadit said the big moves in AI and tech always come from either China or the US.
“We believe that MENA and Pakistan have a key role to play in this transformation,” he said. 
Disrupt.com says its portfolio already includes ZigChain, a Web3.0 platform with 500,000+ users and hundreds of millions in managed assets, and PureSquare, a cybersecurity venture. 
The company says it has also made strategic investments in AI-focused startups such as Agentnoon, an organizational transformation platform, and Ahya, a climate action scaling tool.

Pakistan approves FIFA’s proposed amendments to lift international suspension

Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan approves FIFA’s proposed amendments to lift international suspension

  • FIFA suspended Pakistan on Feb. 6 after South Asian country rejected electoral reforms 
  • Pakistan hopes move would pave way for team to play in Asian Cup qualifiers in March 
Updated 27 February 2025
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Thursday unanimously approved FIFA’s proposed constitutional amendments in an extraordinary meeting in Lahore, the body said, as it attempts to return to international soccer again.
FIFA hit Pakistan on Feb. 6 with a third international suspension in less than eight years after the federation rejected electoral reforms. 
Attendees at the Extraordinary Congress called by the PFF in Lahore included officials from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.
“The congress members endorsed the FIFA proposed amendments in the best interest of Pakistan football, paving the way for the national team’s participation in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers following the expected lifting of FIFA’s suspension,” the PFF said in a statement.
The global football governing body warned the suspension would only be lifted subject to the PFF Congress “approving the PFF Constitution’s version presented by FIFA and the AFC [Asian Football Confederation].”
The PFF said it was hopeful the suspension would be lifted in time for Pakistan to play Syria on Mar. 25 in its first qualifier for the 2027 Asian Cup.

Topics: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Pakistan football FIFA

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