RAWALPINDI: Two decades ago, Dr. Amina Imran could not have foreseen her future as a speech pathologist at a local hospital in Rawalpindi.
A devoted housewife, her life changed course when her first child, Haleema, faced articulation challenges after her birth in 2005 and was diagnosed with a speech disorder. The situation intensified when her second daughter, Maidah, encountered the same issue.
Now, with over a decade in this profession, Imran observes that speech and language disorders, ranging from articulation difficulties to complex comprehension issues, are rampant in Pakistan, affecting over 22 million people.
Children with special needs face unique challenges that require early diagnosis and intervention, though many do not receive the essential care they need due to limited resources and a shortage of qualified speech-language pathologists.
“As a dedicated housewife, I never envisioned myself in a professional role, but my daughters’ needs brought me into this field,” she told Arab News in a conversation this week. “I used to take them to a rehabilitation center and always felt something was lacking. So, I decided to pursue training and therapy myself to better help my daughters.”
Imran joined the MS in Speech and Language Pathology program in 2011 and completed the certification in the next two years.
Subsequently, she joined Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital in Rawalpindi and became the head of the department in 2017.
During her career, she has helped numerous young and old people, with many of her patients testifying to her dedication and significant contributions to their lives.
“Raising awareness is crucial,” Imran said while discussing strategies to deal with speech impediments. “The earlier we intervene, the better the outcomes for these children. Every child deserves the opportunity to communicate effectively and confidently.”
She said parents should try to determine if their children require professional help at an early stage.
“From four to six months onwards, we do expect that the child turns head to the mother’s voice, the child does have expressions on the face,” she explained. “If the child’s behavior is deviating from the age-appropriate parameters, the red alarm should ring in your mind, consult a professional.”
Samia Bibi, an internationally certified speech and language pathologist and clinical director at Tarteeb Rehabilitation Center said there was growing awareness among parents about addressing such issues in Pakistan, thanks to dedicated professionals like Imran.
“Speech therapy is a guiding light for those, especially children, who are struggling with speech disorders,” she said. “It enhances communication skills and improves the quality of life.”
Muhammad Omer, a teenage student, who benefitted by therapy sessions carried out by Imran said she transformed his ability to engage with others in public settings.
“After struggling with speech delivery and stammering issues, I lacked confidence and found it hard to interact with people,” he told Arab News. “I didn’t want friends. But after my parents consulted the speech-language pathologist and I started therapy, my perspective changed.”
“Now, I feel better and even speak confidently in front of audiences,” he added. “It makes me happy and positive.”
Imran said speech therapy was not limited to children, mentioning that she helped a retired secondary school principal, Hisan Ullah Malik, who faced challenges with eating, swallowing and minor paralysis affecting his speech after pneumonia.
Malik told Arab News being a teacher required him to communicate clearly with students.
He said that his son sought help from a specialist, who referred him to Imran.
Malik informed six months of speech and language therapy, including mouth exercises and massages, greatly improved his speech.
“She has been a savior for me,” he said, urging others to consult professionals in such cases.
Imran also emphasized that people should not view children with special needs as a problem and ensure they receive comprehensive support to improve their quality of life.
She added that parents must address societal stigma and promote early intervention so that children receive timely help and manage to overcome speech and language disorders.
Empowering voices: How one mother’s journey is transforming speech therapy for children in Pakistan
https://arab.news/j6bb9
Empowering voices: How one mother’s journey is transforming speech therapy for children in Pakistan
- Dr. Amina Imran decided to become a speech pathologist at a local hospital after her daughters faced articulation challenges
- She says children with special needs should be able to get early intervention since it can help them overcome speech impediments
Authorities in Pakistan’s northwest push for ceasefire as Kurram clashes kill 64
- KP administration sends a high-level delegation to the restive region to consult local elders
- Provisional spokesman denies the delegation’s helicopter came under fire while landing
PESHAWAR: The death toll in days-long sectarian clashes in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district has risen to 64, authorities said on Saturday, as the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) announced it was striving for a ceasefire and would develop its strategy to address the situation in consultation with local elders.
The violence in the restive tribal district bordering Afghanistan began on Thursday when gunmen attacked a convoy carrying members of the minority Shiite community, killing 41 people.
Clashes intensified over the next 24 hours, with sporadic gunfire reported in multiple areas of Kurram, leaving 23 more dead and at least 86 wounded, according to local officials.
“The provincial government is making serious efforts for a peaceful and sustainable resolution of the Kurram conflict,” KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who chaired a meeting via video link to discuss the situation, was quoted as saying in an official statement. “A ceasefire in the area is essential to move toward resolving the conflict.”
“The provincial government will formulate its plan of action in light of consultations and proposals from local elders,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the KP administration dispatched a high-level delegation to Kurram to assess the situation and engage with tribal leaders. Local media widely reported that the delegation’s helicopter came under fire while landing, a claim the provincial authorities denied as “baseless.”
“We landed safely and held meetings with tribal elders and officials of the district administration in Kurram,” said provincial government spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif in a video statement. “There was no such incident [of firing on the helicopter].”
Former parliamentarian Sajid Hussain Turi, who was part of the delegation, also dismissed the reports as “propaganda,” urging media outlets to verify information before circulating.
The delegation met with Shia elders in Parachinar, the district’s main town, to seek proposals for ending the violence and is scheduled to meet Sunni elders in Sadda on Sunday, officials said.
The clashes mark one of the deadliest incidents in Kurram in recent years, following outbreaks of sectarian violence in July and September that killed dozens.
Gandapur described Friday’s attacks as “deeply regrettable and condemnable” and said the government would fulfill any legitimate demands from both sides to prevent further bloodshed.
“Establishing peace in the region is currently the provincial government’s top priority,” he added.
Shop owners in Parachinar have announced a three-day strike in protest against the violence, as residents report an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty across the district.
Pakistan’s anti-terror body warns of militant threat to opposition protest in Islamabad
- NACTA alert says Taliban militants have entered Pakistan, may target Imran Khan’s party rally
- PTI has urges people to join Sunday’s protest in the capital to secure Khan’s release from prison
KARACHI: Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has warned of potential militant attacks targeting former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s protest march, according to a classified alert shared with provincial officials earlier this week.
The alert, issued on Thursday but revealed in the media on Saturday, cited intelligence from “multiple sources” indicating that militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had entered Pakistan from Afghanistan and infiltrated major cities.
Referring to the TTP as “Fitna Al Khawarij (FAK),” the alert warned that its fighters could target participants of the PTI protest.
“Sources have confirmed that FAK elements are planning to conduct such activities in public/political gatherings; most likely upcoming PTI protest/march as opportunity to exploit for their vested interest,” the alert, in possession of Arab News, said.
A senior NACTA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed its authenticity.
The PTI has called on its followers to march on Islamabad on Sunday to demand Khan’s release, as he has been imprisoned for over a year.
The march also aims to protest alleged electoral manipulation in February’s general elections and to highlight concerns over judicial independence, which the government has denied.
The Taliban have not officially responded to the alert regarding their potential involvement in attacks. However, the militant group has previously maintained that it has a policy of not targeting ordinary citizens.
The government has already urged the PTI to call off the protest, citing an Islamabad High Court ruling that instructed authorities to engage with the party and ensure no disruptions in the capital ahead of a major foreign delegation visit next week.
According to Pakistan’s foreign office, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko will arrive in Islamabad on a three-day visit starting Monday to discuss economic collaboration between the two countries.
KSrelief officials join global delegation meeting PM Sharif to boost Pakistan’s polio fight
- Shehbaz Sharif says his government will not rest until the ‘scourge of polio’ is completely eradicated
- Pakistan has reported 52 polio cases since the beginning of the year, mostly from KP and Balochistan
KARACHI: Officials from Saudi aid agency KSrelief, as part of a Global Polio Eradication Initiative delegation, met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss strengthening Pakistan’s vaccination campaigns, tackling polio challenges and securing support for a polio-free future, according to an official statement released on Saturday.
Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. The South Asian nation’s polio eradication campaign has faced serious challenges, with a significant spike in reported cases this year amid militant attacks on polio teams, prompting officials to reassess their approach to combating the crippling disease.
Pakistan reported two new polio cases from Dera Ismail Khan in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province a day earlier, bringing the total number of cases to 52 since the beginning of the year.
“Pakistan hosted a high-level delegation from the GPEI for a second time this year from Nov. 20-22,” the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program (PPEP) said in a statement, adding that the meeting reflected the highest level of political commitment to eradicating polio in the country.
The delegation included two senior KSrelief officials along with World Health Organization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UNICEF representatives.
The prime minister expressed gratitude to the delegation for supporting Pakistan, emphasizing that the country considers the eradication of polio a top priority.
“A strategic National Emergency Action Plan is being implemented to reverse the virus surge, and all chief ministers and secretaries are providing direct oversight and working in coordination to fight the current polio outbreak,” Sharif was quoted as saying.
“The Government of Pakistan will not rest until we have ended the scourge of polio from our borders,” he added.
The delegation also visited metropolitan Karachi during their stay in the country, where its members met with female frontline health workers to discuss the challenges they face and explore ways to address them, the statement said.
Of the 52 polio cases reported in 2024, 24 were from Balochistan province, 13 from Sindh, 13 from KP, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad, the federal capital.
Poliovirus, which can cause crippling paralysis, particularly in young children, remains incurable and continues to threaten human health as long as it is not eradicated. Immunization campaigns have succeeded in most countries and have made significant progress in Pakistan, but persistent challenges remain.
In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported approximately 20,000 cases annually, but by 2018 the number had dropped to eight. Six cases were reported in 2023, and only one in 2021.
Government rules out talks with Imran Khan’s party, threatens arrests ahead of Islamabad protest
- PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur asks all Pakistanis to come out and join the protest in the capital on Sunday
- Interior minister has informed the top PTI leader the government will not allow the ‘illegal’ demonstration
ISLAMABAD: The government denied any negotiations with former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Saturday, which plans to protest in Islamabad tomorrow, with the country’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, warning of arrests if anyone came out to join the demonstration.
The PTI has called for a “long march” to the capital to demand Khan’s release, as he has been in prison for well over a year, and to challenge alleged rigging in the February general elections. The party also seeks to highlight its concerns about judicial independence, which it claims has been undermined by the 26th Constitutional Amendment, a charge denied by the government.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the government to engage in talks with PTI leadership regarding the protest, emphasizing the need to avoid disruptions during the three-day visit of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko starting Monday. The court hoped the PTI would have “meaningful communication” with the government, acknowledging that law and order would be the administration’s priority if there was no breakthrough.
Subsequently, Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, met with PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan to inform him that the government could not allow the protest under the current circumstances.
“There is no communication on any level,” Tarar said, adding that Naqvi’s contact with the PTI leader was limited to informing him of the IHC order that “declared protests, rallies, sit-ins and marches illegal.”
“The court’s directive is clear, and anyone who attempts to protest will be arrested and face legal consequences,” he continued. “There is no confusion on our part.”
Authorities have taken extensive measures to preempt potential disruptions, sealing off motorways and key roads leading to Islamabad with shipping containers.
However, Chief Minister of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Ali Amin Gandapur, a close aide of the jailed former prime minister, reiterated the call to all Pakistanis to join the protest during the day.
“It is imperative for us to leave our homes to protest the illegal incarceration of Imran Khan and stage a demonstration at D-Chowk on Nov. 24,” he proclaimed in a video message, referring to a high-security area located right next to sensitive government installations like Parliament, Presidency and the PM House.
“We all have to reach there and not leave until our demands are met,” he continued, saying the PTI wanted Khan’s release along with the return of its mandate in the last general elections, which the party said was rigged to keep it out of power.
He pointed out the PTI wanted an end to “fascism inflicted on us” and protection of the constitution in the country.
“Since the protest call is from Imran Khan, we will not go back until our demands are met,” he added.
The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) stated on Friday that it had shut down major highways based on intelligence reports indicating that protesters might carry sticks and slingshots and attempt to disrupt public order.
“To protect lives and ensure public safety, major arteries have been sealed,” an NHMP statement said, adding that violators would face strict action.
Additionally, a ban on public gatherings has been imposed in Punjab until November 25, while the Metro Bus service between Islamabad and Rawalpindi will remain suspended on November 24.
Pakistan’s parliament earlier this year passed legislation regulating public demonstrations in the capital, including designated protest areas and specific timings for rallies. Violators risk imprisonment of up to three years for illegal gatherings and up to 10 years for repeat offenses.
The interior ministry has also deployed paramilitary forces, including Punjab Rangers and Frontier Corps personnel, in Islamabad to maintain order during the PTI’s planned demonstration.
Tarar also stated during his remarks that the government would not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands.
UK announces £108 million to support Pakistani businesses tackle climate change
- Funds will help businesses develop climate technologies, support Pakistan’s private sector
- UK government says program will support the creation of over 100,000 Pakistani jobs
ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom (UK) government this week announced £108 million in funds to support Pakistani businesses adapt to climate challenges, saying that it would help them develop technologies and meet significant investments required to tackle climate threats.
The announcement was made at the culmination of the two-day visit by British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer to Islamabad on Friday.
The British government said the funding will support a first-of-its-kind investment facility to deliver climate technologies and private sector support in Pakistan. The program will be delivered in partnership with the International Finance Corporation.
“The UK and Pakistan are committed to tackling tomorrow’s threats today,” Falconer was quoted as saying by the British government on Friday.
“That’s why we’re investing in the expertise needed and supporting local businesses, alongside the Government of Pakistan, to get ahead of the challenges that climate change poses to the Pakistani people and the world.”
According to the Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan is among the countries most at risk from climate change. The 2022 floods, which experts linked to global warming, impacted over 33 million people, resulted in more than 1,700 deaths and caused an estimated $33 billion in damages.
Pakistan’s economic struggles and high debt burden put a strain on its resources and impinged its ability to respond to the disaster.
Pakistan has also been grappling with increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, including droughts, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall. This year, the country experienced its heaviest April rainfall since 1961, with 59.3 millimeters recorded. Additionally, several regions faced severe heatwaves in May and June.
“The program will leverage the £108m the UK puts in to mobilize 5-6 times that amount of investment from the private sector and will support the creation of over 100,000 Pakistani jobs,” the British government said on its official website.
Pakistan and the UK enjoy strong military, economic and educational ties, with the latter hosting a large Pakistani diaspora.
Recent high-level visits by military leaders from both countries have signalled a deepening of defense ties and cooperation. The strong relationship is built on a shared history and the significant presence of a Pakistani diaspora in the country.
