LONDON: Record immigration caused the population of England and Wales to rise by 610,000 to 60.9 million in mid-2023, the largest annual increase in 75 years, official data showed on Monday.
What statisticians term ‘natural’ population growth — the difference between births and deaths — fell to just 400, the lowest since 1978, while net international migration rose to 622,000, up from 548,500 in the previous 12 months.
A net 13,800 people also moved from England and Wales to Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Britain’s Office for National Statistics said the population increase in England and Wales was the largest since 1948, when a post-World War Two baby boom and the return of British military personnel serving overseas caused a rise of 1.5 million.
The population for the whole United Kingdom was 67.6 million in mid 2022. Data for 2023 is not yet available.
Economic output has not kept up with the rising population. Based on provisional population figures, gross domestic product per head in 2023 was 0.7 percent lower than a year earlier.
Net migration to the United Kingdom hit a record 764,000 in 2022 and fell 10 percent to 685,000 in 2023, but is more than double its level in 2015, just before the Brexit referendum.
Reducing immigration was a key goal of many Britons who voted to leave the European Union.
Britain’s previous Conservative government said it wanted to reduce net immigration, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party pledged in the election campaign to do so too by making the economy less reliant on foreign workers.
Post-Brexit changes to visas sharply reduced the number of EU migrants to Britain, but new work visa rules led to a surge in immigration from India, Nigeria and Pakistan, often to fill health and social care vacancies.
At the end of last year the government tightened rules to stop low-paid social care workers from bringing dependents.
England and Wales population rises by most in 75 years amid influx from Pakistan, elsewhere
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England and Wales population rises by most in 75 years amid influx from Pakistan, elsewhere
- Post-Brexit changes to visas sharply reduced the number of EU migrants to Britain
- But new work visa rules led to a surge in immigration from Pakistan, India and Nigeria
Senior Pakistani general applauds Arshad Nadeem’s historic Olympic performance
- Pakistan’s javelin ace met General Sahir Shamshad Mirza at Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi
- Nadeem stunned the world with Olympic record-breaking throw of 92.97 meters, clinching gold medal
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza praised Pakistan’s javelin ace Arshad Nadeem in a meeting on Tuesday, saying his heroic performance made it possible for the country to secure first-ever Olympic gold medal at the Paris games where he also set a new record.
Nadeem stunned the world with a mammoth throw of 92.97 meters on August 8 at one of the biggest global sporting platforms, putting rival athletes under pressure by setting a high benchmark that none of them could achieve.
Pakistan had last won an Olympic gold medal in 1984 when its men’s field hockey team triumphed in Los Angeles.
General Mirza met Nadeem at the Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
“Chairman JCSC lauded Arshad Nadeem’s efforts for securing Pakistan’s first-ever gold medal in a singles’ event and setting up a new Olympic record,” Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing, said on Tuesday.
The Pakistani general also appreciated Nadeem’s diligence and devotion in achieving the “momentous milestone” in the country’s sports history, the statement continued, adding he also wished the athlete the very best for his future endeavors.
Nadeem, who used a bamboo stick in 2012 to make the first javelin himself, became visible to the world as an international athlete when he won bronze at the 2016 South Asia Federation sports event in India.
He threw his first 90-meter throw at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which earned him a gold medal.
Last week, the Pakistani army chief hosted a ceremony at the General Headquarters in Nadeem’s honor where he highlighted the athlete’s “inspirational journey” from a small settlement in the eastern Punjab province to winning an Olympic gold medal, saying it reflected the importance of hard work and determination.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also hosted the Pakistan sports star at his official residence in Islamabad where he announced a cash prize of Rs150 million for him and said his administration would name a road after him in the capital city of Islamabad.
Bus carrying Pakistani religious tourists overturns in Iran, killing 28
- President Zardari expresses sorrow over incident that took place near Iranian city of Yazd
- Every year, thousands of Pakistanis travel to Iran, Iraq and Syria to visit shrines
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday expressed sorrow over a tragic bus accident involving Pakistani nationals traveling in Iran for religious tourism, which claimed at least 28 lives, and instructed the foreign ministry to arrange the repatriation of the deceased.
According to the Iranian media, the accident happened when a bus carrying Pakistani nationals overturned near the city of Yazd, leading to a major loss of life and injuring 20 passengers.
Every year, thousands of Pakistanis travel to Iran, Iraq and Syria to visit shrines in these countries.
“The president expressed his condolences over the loss of precious lives,” said a statement released by his office in Islamabad. “He instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to arrange the repatriation of the deceased and to ensure timely assistance for the injured.”
Earlier in the day, Iran International reported the development in a social media post.
“A bus carrying Pakistani Shia pilgrims has overturned near the Iranian city of Yazd,” it announced in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“The death toll has risen to 28, according to local emergency officials,” it added. “20 others have also been injured.”
The media outlet reported that over 25,000 Pakistanis had entered Iran to continue their journey to Karbala, Iraq, to participate in the 40-day mourning rituals at the shrine of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Meanwhile, local media quoted Shia scholar Syed Qamar Abbas Naqvi as saying the death toll had risen to 35, with 15 people injured. However, the figure could not be independently verified.
According to Pakistan’s Geo TV, 10 of the injured hailed from Khairpur, with the remaining victims from Kashmore in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.
Social media erupts as hit-and-run suspect in Pakistan’s Karachi skips court appearance
- Natasha Iqbal, wife of a prominent businessman, is accused of killing a man, his daughter in an accident
- Social media users question the police for their inaction against what they call a woman with affluence
KARACHI: Police in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi faced intense social media backlash on Tuesday after the main suspect in a high-profile hit-and-run case that claimed two lives the previous day was not brought to court, with her lawyer citing a psychiatric report declaring her mentally unfit.
CCTV footage of the accident was widely circulated on social media, showing a Toyota Land Cruiser allegedly driven by Natasha Iqbal, the wife of well-known businessman Danish Iqbal, hitting a motorbike from behind, resulting in the death of a female student and her father. Five others were also injured in the incident.
The vehicle’s alleged driver is the CEO of Metro Capital (Private) Limited and JSDN Electric Limited, two companies owned by her husband under the Metro Power business group.
The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many accusing the police of giving preferential treatment to the wealthy.
“Until the distinction between the elite and the common public is eliminated in the eyes of law enforcement agencies and responsible individuals, the rule of law will remain a dream, and the common people will continue to die unjustly on the streets,” a local lawyer, Barrister Usman Cheema, said in a social media post after sharing the details of the case. “Fear the time when the public, fed up with this oppression and unjust discrimination, is forced to take the law into their own hands.”
A social media influencer, Rabi Pirzada, said on X, formerly Twitter, she was certain the woman driving the vehicle would not be punished.
“Only the underprivileged are punished in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” she added.
Following the arrest of Natasha Iqbal, she was taken for medio-legal examination at the Jinnah Hospital to determine if she was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident.
Subsequently, she was also sent to the psychiatry ward for further evaluation.
Her lawyer, Amir Mansoob, presented a police report in court that included a doctor’s note saying the suspect was “confused and not in a good state of mind.”
He claimed she had been under psychiatric treatment for five years, adding, “such patients are kept in an isolation ward and do not remember anything.”
Following the submission of the doctor’s report, the police did not produce the suspect in court.
However, a source familiar with the case alleged the police and health officials were involved in “a cover-up,” as the blood and urine samples had not been submitted for analysis to the laboratory despite a delay of more than 24 hours. The source suggested the delay could negatively impact the test results, supporting the defense’s claim that she was mentally unwell.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Investigation Aleena Rajpar confirmed the samples had not been dispatched further, informing that they would be sent for analysis on Wednesday morning.
She attributed the delay to a public holiday in Sindh province, marking the birth anniversary of Sufi saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, adding, “The police are proceeding according to the law and merit. The lab was closed today, but the samples will be submitted tomorrow.”
Karachi Police Chief Javed Alam Odho, however, said it was not the police’s responsibility to submit the samples to the lab, noting that the hospital was responsible for this task.
Odho also said the police had taken the accused for a medico-legal examination on Monday night.
Meanwhile, Deputy Executive Director of Jinnah Hospital Dr. Yahya Tunio denied the police chief’s assertion.
“We don’t deal with medico-legal cases,” he told Arab News. “The police surgeon takes care of them. It’s their responsibility to collect, send and secure the sample.”
Dr. Summaiya Syed Tariq, the police surgeon, confirmed her department had collected the urine and blood samples of the accused, adding they had been handed over to the investigation officer.
“The lady was brought to us under police custody to rule out intoxication,” she said, noting that she was “very aggressive at the time of examination” and was referred to the Department of Psychiatry for emergency treatment.
“Blood and urine samples were handed over to the investigation officer,” she said, a claim which the SSP had also confirmed.
Pakistan reports 15th polio case of this year in Balochistan’s Kharan
- This is the 12th polio from the Balochistan province this year
- Two cases have been reported from Sindh and one from Punjab
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday reported one new polio case in the Kharan district of its southwestern Balochistan province, health authorities said, bringing the total number of polio cases this year to 15.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed the poliovirus in a 23-month-old child from Kharan.
This is the first case from Kharan and the 12th from the Balochistan province this year, while two cases have been reported from Sindh and one from Punjab, underscoring the constant threat the current outbreak poses to children’s wellbeing.
“Balochistan is facing an intense outbreak of WPV1 following disruptions to polio vaccination campaigns last year, and vulnerable children are now suffering the consequences of missing a crucial vaccine which offers protection from this terrible disease,” Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s focal person on polio eradication, said in a statement.
“The virus is extremely efficient in finding those children with weak levels of immunity and showing us where we have consistently missed children, not just in polio campaigns but also for routine immunization.”
She said the affected child was subsequently diagnosed with malnutrition and passed away.
“Over the past few weeks, we have been gearing up for the next polio campaign working with our provincial teams to strategize on localized approaches to reach missed children and strengthen routine immunization rates,” the official said.
“We have been very focused on identifying our weak points and working to plug these gaps ahead of the next campaign and we should soon see progress in reversing virus spread.”
Pakistan’s polio program has conducted an extensive self-critical assessment in consultation with all provinces and is implementing a comprehensive roadmap to interrupt virus transmission, particularly in polio high-risk districts of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces, according to officials.
Anwarul Haq, coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center, said they had begun preparations for a vaccination campaign in early September to rapidly raise vaccination rates and build population immunity in polio hotspots.
The campaign is being conducted in synchronization with a polio campaign in Afghanistan to ensure enhanced immunity across the region.
“Poliovirus has been found in 59 districts so far, with the most detections in Quetta and Karachi blocs of Balochistan and Sindh,” he said.
“High-risk districts are a high priority for us, and we will make all efforts to ensure that no child is missed during this campaign.”
Wet outfield delays toss in Pakistan-Bangladesh Test at Rawalpindi stadium
- Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood is all set to lead the team for the first time at home
- Pakistan are currently ranked sixth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25
ISLAMABAD: A wet outfield delayed the toss in the first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, with umpires set to inspect the situation since some wet patches are still present on the outfield following early morning rain.
Having released their only spinner, Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan will enter the Test with an all-pace attack — a ploy they last used five years ago against Sri Lanka at the same venue.
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood will lead the team for the first time at home, with coach Jason Gillespie’s first assignment as the red-ball head coach. Tickets for the match are available online.
“The series against Bangladesh is very important for us as we prepare for a busy season ahead, and we are determined to perform well,” Shan said ahead of the first Test.
“It is an honor and a privilege to lead the side at home. With captaincy comes great responsibility, and I will do my best to take this team forward.”
Pakistan are scheduled to play nine Test matches this season with seven of these to be played at home, including two against Bangladesh, three against England in October and two against West Indies in January next year, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The two away Test matches against South Africa will be played in December and January.
Pakistan are currently ranked sixth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. They have played two away series in the championship, winning 2-0 against Sri Lanka and losing 3-0 to Australia.
Bangladesh, who rank eighth, will be hoping to overturn their no-win record against Pakistan, having lost 12 of the last 13 Tests, with just one draw. The second will start on Aug. 30 at the same venue.
Bangladesh captain Najmal Hossain Shanto said he was grateful to the PCB for arranging practice sessions for his side in Lahore.
“We had a couple of sessions there and I am hopeful the players will do well in the series,” he said. “We know that Pakistan has great potential. The series is part of the ICC Championship and we know every game is very important.”
Bangladesh team preparations were severely hampered by political turmoil at home. The unrest that led to the overthrow of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina kept the team’s foreign coaches indoors, strictly following adviseries from their embassies, while mass protests stopped the team from assembling for practice sessions.
Teams
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed.
With input from AP
