Thursday, January 5, 2023
#Pakistan #PPP - 95th birth anniversary of Shaheed ZA Bhutto celebrated
Wednesday, January 4, 2023
#HappyBirthdaySZAB - Zulfikar Ali Bhutto!!!! - (January 5, 1928-April 4, 1979)
By M Waqar
January 5, we celebrate birthday of Z A Bhutto, a leader, politician, revolutionary, who after his execution in Pakistan on April 4, 1979, still lives on in the hearts and minds of millions of Pakistanis, and the party that he founded still possesses the largest permanent voting bank in Pakistan.
The possibility of the secular, democratic Pakistan that he had in mind, like Pakistan 's founder, Jinnah has earned ZAB the title of Quaid-i-Awam . Z. A. Bhutto has still more charisma than any politician in Pakistan. Mr Bhutto was inducted into office as the President of Pakistan in 1971 and was removed in 1977, both events took place around midnight; one in the wake of a war and the other in the shadow of a civil war. In between he gave the country what even his sympathizers and admirers would concede was a 'strong' government, he mobilized his country's first mass-based political party around a socialist ideology and highly independent foreign policy. Pakistan's modernizer Zulfikar Ali Bhutto left deep footprints in the sands of history.
To his lasting credit remains the 1973 Constitution of the country, the Shimla Accord of 1972 which brought the longest peace between India and Pakistan, the social reforms to build an egalitarian society, the non-aligned foreign policy, the nuclear programme and the building of the social, economic and military infrastructure of the country. He was a thinker, author and orator. He was deliberate, discreet, and competent; honest, upright and keeper of his covenants. He was a friend of the poor, downtrodden and oppressed. Fearless in his beliefs he refused to bow before any man or power other than the Almighty. His courage was such that he preferred to face death for his beliefs and embraced martyrdom. He had profound faith in freedom and the liberation of humanity. Under his government, Pakistan gave overt and covert support to the African nations than under apartheid and minority rule. He rejected fanaticism. He gave pride to the poor.
Z A Bhutto is the first person in Pakistan who has given voice to the common people. Z. A. Bhutto remains alive in hearts of millions of Pakistanis. It was a miracle that in less than half a decade a defeated nation had become a significant entity in the comity of nations. Pakistan had friends all around the globe from Africa to the far corner of Asia and from Europe to South America. We were regarded as a nation which had proved itself. Pakistani manpower was exported in the Middle East and the statesmanship of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had started bearing fruit. Under Z A Bhutto's rule, a new vision of Pakistan was born. Within a few years of the defeat in 1971, Pakistan began to see itself not as some beleaguered non-entity in South Asia, as the Indian establishment was prone to see it, but as a strategically located middle-sized power straddling the two worlds of South and West Asia, uniquely poised to take advantage of a host of geopolitical possibilities and enjoying widespread support among the Islamic states. He is one of the few Pakistani leaders that energized the nation and gave it a sense of optimism. Z A Bhutto, saw the future of Pakistan.
Like Jinnah he outwitted Indira Gandhi at Shimla and formed alliances with various world leaders, from Sadaat, to Boumediene to Qaddafi to Faisal. Pakistan survives today because of those alliances that enabled him to build the Nuclear bomb. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto understood the geo-political realities of the region. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has earned a place in the pantheon of leaders from the Third World who earned everlasting fame in the struggle against colonialism and imperialism. He had the privilege of interacting with many of those leaders who played a great role in the epic struggle for national independence in the 20th century, including Mao Tse Tung, Ahmed Soekarno, Chou-en Lai, Gamal Abdel Nasser and Salvador Allende. During the period between the end of the Second World War and the end of the Cold War, the world was divided into two blocs: The Capitalist West and the Socialist East. All these leaders aspired to aspects of a socialist pattern of economy. Bhutto shared their faith in a leading role for the public sector as an instrument of self-reliance. Bhutto's foundation of the PPP was a setback for the reactionary forces in a country long dominated by the Right. The slogan of "Food, Shelter and Clothing" shifted the focus of Pakistan politics from theological to economic issues. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had the courage of his conviction to decide to lay down his life rather than compromise or seek appeasement.
There was a sense of purpose and direction in the country in pursuit of peace and prosperity. The economic growth rate increased and money poured in from expatriates who got the universal right to passport. The Muslim countries donated roughly $500 million annually to Pakistan, freeing it of international financial institutions. The people got jobs and opportunities. Women of the country were emancipated entering the police force, Foreign, Civil Service and subordinate judiciary for the first time in the country's history. There is a story that the American President John F. Kennedy was much impressed with the then Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. When they met, Kennedy walked with him in the Rose Garden and said, "Bhutto, if you were an American, you would be in my Cabinet". To which Zulfikar Ali Bhutto smilingly replied, "No, Mr. President. If I were an American, you would be in my cabinet". Z A Bhutto, was highly skilled negotiator and an international statesman, he secured the agreement between USSR and Pakistan, he signed an agreement with China on demarcation of the Sino-Pak boundary. When he became President, Pakistan had innumerable problems, but he was not a man to be cowed down by knotty problems, he was in fact, a dynamo of inexhaustible and boundless creative energy, he was born to solve problems , he had to tackle the problems of shattered country by a methodical system of fixing priorities. Bhutto the adroit politician and statesman tackled the difficult problems of his country one by one with devotion, determination and patriotic zeal and solved them successfully. Since his assumption of power this great man of vision and destiny, equipped with resolute will, extraordinary intelligence and seething patriotic zeal fought successfully against the landlords, capitalists, industrialists, religious fanatics, corrupt bureaucrats, saboteurs, foreign intriguers and spies, he stood like a rock against all odds and achieved national unity, he worked hard for the emancipation of the exploited working class and illiterate masses. His cruel and barbaric murder by military despots caused revulsion across the globe, Z A Bhutto dedicated his life to remove the sorrows from the hearts of the poor and the oppressed, to remove the tears from the children of his poor nation. He lived consciously to make history and to leave a legacy in the form of the development of his nation, his fight was a fight against the policies of IMF, which serve to perpetuate the backwardness of the developing nations.
Long Live Bhuttoism….
Bilawal pays homage to Salman Taseer on his death anniversary
“We pay red salute to the struggle of Shaheed Salman Taseer. He sacrificed his life in advancing the philosophy of the PPP,” he said. “Salman Taseer spoke about the rights given to the weak sections of the society, especially the minorities, in the Constitution of Pakistan,” he added. Bilawal said that Salman Taseer was an asset to the PPP, adding that the PPP held his sacrifice in high regard.
https://dailytimes.com.pk/1047404/bilawal-pays-homage-to-salman-taseer-on-his-death-anniversary/
Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is a symbol of the power of the people in Pakistan
https://ppp.org.pk/pr/28589/
#Pakistan #PPP - Zardari felicitates supporters on ZAB's birth anniversary
Former President Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday felicitated the supporters of the Party on the birth anniversary of the founding chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Quaid-e-Awam was still ruling over the hearts of millions of people even after 43 years of his judicial killing, he said in his message issued by his office.
Mr Zardari said the graves of the murderers of the people’s leader, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and those who were involved in his assassination conspiracy were deserted.
Former president said Quaid-e-Awam was a gift bestowed upon the people that had been oppressed and exploited for a long time and added that Quaid-e-Awam taught the people how to think, speak and live with dignity.
He said the Quaid-e-Awam clashed with the powerful forces of the world for Pakistan’s nuclear capability.
Asif Ali Zardari said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave right to have a passport to every citizen, so they could make their country proud in any corner of the world.
https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/686876-Zardari-felicitates-supporters-on-ZAB%E2%80%99s-birth-anniversary
#Pakistan #PPP - 95th birth anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto being observed today
The 95th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister and founder of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) is being observed today (Thursday) throughout the country.Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was born on January 5, 1928 in Larkana. His father, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, was the dewan of the princely state of Junagadh. Educated at Berkeley and Oxford, Bhutto trained as a barrister at Lincoln s Inn. He entered politics as one of President Iskander Mirza s cabinet members, before being assigned several ministries during President Ayub Khan’s military rule.Zulfikar Ali Bhutto founded Pakistan People’s Party in 1967. He served as the 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. He became prime minister of Pakistan on 14 August 1973 after parliament unanimously approved a new constitution in 1973.The PPP won the 1977 parliamentary elections; however, a conservative alliance alleged widespread rigging and civil disorder escalated across Pakistan. On 5 July 1977, chief of army staff General Zia-ul-Haq deposed Bhutto in a bloodless coup, and had the former prime minister controversially tried and executed by the Supreme Court in 1979 for authorising the murder of a political opponent, Ahmad Raza Khan Kasuri. Former President and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday felicitated the supporters of the party on the birth anniversary of the founding chairman of Pakistan People’s Party Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.Quaid-e-Awam was still ruling over the hearts of millions of people even after 43 years of his judicial killing, he said in his message issued by his office on the birth anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.Asif Zardari said the graves of the murderers of the people’s leader, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and those who were involved in his assassination conspiracy were deserted. Former president said Quaid-e-Awam was a gift bestowed upon the people that had been oppressed and exploited for a long time and added that Quaid-e-Awam taught the people how to think, speak and live with dignity. He said the Quaid-e-Awam clashed with the powerful forces of the world for Pakistan’s nuclear capability. Asif Ali Zardari said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave right to have a passport to every citizen, so they could make their country proud in any corner of the world.
https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/686904-95th-birth-anniversary-of-Zulfikar-Ali-Bhutto-being-observed-today
Monday, January 2, 2023
Coal mine contractors hold protests in Pakistan’s Quetta
All forms of traffic between Dera Ghazi Khan in Pakistan’s Punjab and Quetta were suspended on Sunday as hundreds of coal mine contractors blocked the Quetta-Loralai route in the Duki area by setting fire to tyres and erecting barricades, Dawn reported on Monday.
They were protesting the administration’s alleged failure to apprehend those extorting money from contractors and coal mine owners. They claimed that these individuals also opened fire on their trucks delivering coal from Duki and other Balochistan mining regions to Punjab.The protests halted traffic on both carriageways and the demonstrators claimed that despite the filing of FIRs. The accused in the case have still not been taken into custody, Dawn stated.
Sunday, January 1, 2023
Will Child Education Get Due Consideration Of Pakistani Ruling Elites In 2023? – OpEd
By Sher Khan Bazai
Ready or not, 2023 is here, and it’s time for everyone to celebrate particularly our children.A great time to reflect on all that 2022 brought to our children in the field of education and all the new beginnings 2023 will usher. In fact, it is a dismal scenario on several counts particularly child education, as we enter the new year.
The challenges, Pakistan is confronted with are multiple but the most dangerous threat is the specter of facing the economic collapse. Pakistan is now among the most vulnerable states. Political turmoil and social unrest are touching the bottom rocks. There has been a dramatic escalation in terrorist attacks over the past few months, with targeted killings, suicide bombings and attacks on security installations becoming a daily affair in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan that has been hit by the latest wave of terrorism. What is most worrisome is the apparent alliance between the TTP and some Baloch separatist groups. We are once again at the crossroads as we enter the new year. The prospects do not seem to be too promising but my focus will be on child education in the preceding year and in the beginning of the new year 2023.
In this regard, the most relevant and best quote, I have ever read in literature is:
“A child is meant to learn, not earn.”
God — ever optimistic — creates children to learn but Man puts useful education beyond their reach.
Further relevant to today’s topic is the saying of a prominent scientist, Albert Einstein, had said, “every child is born genius but most of them do not function at their genius level is because they are not aware of how creative and smart, they really are. Their creative capabilities are the same They actually grow in a strength as they are used”.
Now the question is how the Pakistani state uses the genius of or behaves with their children. Under article 25-A of the 1973 constitution, the state is bond to provide free and compulsory primary education to all children but contrary to that Unfortunately, 75 years after independence, about 40% of our children in the land of pure are out of school system, which means we are the killers of the genius of those out of school children, we the killer of their aspirations, of their future and above all we are the killers of dreams of their parents.
In 21st century and on the eve of new year 2023, almost four in 10 Pakistanis children remain illiterate, consigned to a life of hardship and poverty. Worse still, literacy rate isn’t even improving in-spite of spending billions. In 2022, our net enrolment rate in primary schools was only 64 per cent — down from 67pc in 2015. Punjab and Balochistan maintained their ratios at 70pc and 56pc respectively. Yet Sindh’s net enrolment actually went down from 61pc to 55pc and KP’s ratio (even excluding the former tribal agencies) went down from 71pc to 66pc. Half of all school-aged children are not in school.
Most kids in Class 5 read and do sums at the level of pupils in Class 1. Which is to say that these kids, after five years in school, are functionally innumerate and illiterate. Hence, if truth be told, we get nothing from the money we spend on education. It’s fair to say that provincial education ministries — especially in Sindh and Balochistan — are not set up to educate kids. Their primary purpose seems to be to serve their self interests, provide jobs to their near and dear irrespective of merit against the vacant positions of teachers. Education is a mere by-product for them because education ministers needs to be educated first specially in Balochistan.
Although we don’t spend enough on education, no amount of money will improve our education outcomes under the existing system. To improve education outcomes in Pakistan, we must shut down this corrupt system of elitism, patronage, and build a new one based on merit, free from political interference and corruption and providing equal opportunities to all children.
The biggest blow to happen to school education in 2022 was the continuation of the rollout of the PTI’s Single National Curriculum (The SNC project is, of course, the PTI’s poorly thought-through populist attempt promising the erasure of social class differences and levelling access to opportunities for all.
The SNC became an exercise in reinforcing the most regressive elements in public school textbooks which garnered near universal criticism from qualified education experts. Several politicians from political parties making up the PDM stood against the SNC when they were not in power but now Education is not their agenda or priority. Time available to them is limited, they are busy in solving their personal interests, therefore, they slightly tweaked the name of the SNC and continued as a ‘reformed’ initiative. Which shows that course correction is not the priority of the present political dispensation too.
Look at the priorities of Punjabi elite class about a year ago, the Punjab government announced the training and hiring of 70,000 Arabic teachers. Earlier this month the Punjab chief minister announced the hiring of another 100,000 “religious scholars” in public schools. All this while Punjab public schools are suffering from a chronic shortage of mathematics and science teachers because their children are getting education in elite schools and they are making the children of the lesser Gods more religious, so that, they should not challenge their exploitation and plunder.
Look at the performance of ever green PPP government In Sindh, the Intermediate Board Karachi announced results of higher secondary school exams in the current year and, according to a news report, in 38 colleges (25 public and 13 private) not a single student in pre-engineering, pre-medical or general science groups could pass. The quality of education in Sindh may have reached its nadir. Irrespective of whether it is learning poverty in the wake of extended Covid school closures left unaddressed or any other reason that is to blame, no one is interested in permanent solutions. Next year, be prepared to see the fallout from the destruction of schools and disruption to education caused by the 2022 floods up and down the country. Sindh during the 1970s was far better than 50 years later, now, is the residue of rapaciousness, a landfill of political neglect. And Karachi — once our capital city — competes with Mumbai as a vast slum with small spots of luxurious living in for the elite class.
Likewise, the state of education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is also deteriorating particularly in rural areas. A total 40,606 children (62% male, 38% female) were surveyed in villages in K-P. Out of those, 9% girls and 7% boys between the ages of six and 16 were “out of school”. Aser defines out-of-school children as those who never enrolled and those who dropped out. Only 8.8% children in class two could read a class-two level story in the local language. Of those surveyed in grade 10, 91% could read the story, reflecting that all 16-year-olds were unable to read the grade 2 text.
According to Education Sector Reform Unit, the problem with enrolment lies in access. “The underpinning issue is access because there are more primary schools and the results are traditional drop-outs, it’s a lack of access to secondary schools.”
In Balochistan the situation is worse than other federating units. State of education is home to the worst indicators with a whopping 81 percent of girls having failed to complete primary school; the figure for boys is 52 percent. In addition, 75 percent of girls had never set foot inside a classroom as compared to 40 percent of boys.
One of the most significant issues facing education is the deterioration of school facilities across the province. The non-provision of essential facilities has badly affected the school education sector. Out of the total of 15000 government-run schools with an enrolment of about 1003661 students, more than 1940 schools are running without proper buildings, about 8000 schools have no boundary walls, and some 11850 schools lack drinking water. Further, 12300 schools have no electricity, and 950 schools are run without libraries, science labs, or IT labs. The provincial government has turned back to meet the demand for missing facilities due to a lack of commitment and financial resources.
More than 3200 schools are non-functional due to a shortage of about 2500 teachers, and the teachers already engaged in teaching have received no professional training in content knowledge and pedagogical skills because of a lack of budgetary allocation
The federal and provincial governments together spend about Rs1,000 billion on education annually. That’s almost twice the cost of running the civilian federal government and by far the biggest item after defenceand debt-servicing. And that’s just public-sector spending.
Private spending is more than this number. And what do we get from all this money? Nothing.
Dr. Faisal Bari lamented that out of 100 million Pakistani students, only 6pc reach the university stage. The remaining 94pc drop out. The problem is graver at the postgraduate level. For a population of 220m, Pakistan has only 220 universities offering variable standards of learning and facilities for research. (India has 5,288, Indonesia 2,595, China 2,565, Iran only 46).
The country’s education system, like always, is headed towards a downfall. Hollow promises and empty hopes of betterment in education sector, economic progress and prosperity have long plagued us and have been plaguing us since 1947.
Who to blame and who to hold accountable? The federal government blames the provincial governments, the provincial governments blame the federal and this ping pong game continues since beginning. The sufferers are the children of lesser Gods.
All our elites comprise of landlords, bureaucrats, military top brass, industrialists, retired judicial officers, ousted prime ministers and politicians, tend to educate children In highly costly schools within the country or settle their children abroad for education and themselves once they’re done ‘serving’ us. They are least concerned about children of the general public.
In 2023, we need new people, younger rejuvenated spirits to lead us through these turbulent times. The present ones don’t even know what snapchat is! How do we expect them to lead a country where 63% of its population is between 16 and 33 years of age? Countries around the world are increasingly digitizing and going paperless. Robots and Artificial intelligence are taking over. They have turned to key boards but our children are still struck to the black boards and rote learning in the schools.
Let us redefine our priorities, outdated and counterproductive policies and strategies, values, thought process and ourselves as humans. Let us voice our resentment for the outdated education system imposed upon our children. As a nation, Let’s begin 2023 with questioning our long-held views and inculcate rebellion first within us then against the corrupt elites system, for positive change based on inclusiveness and providing unbiased and equal opportunities to all in every institution particularly our children in education sector. Let the heavens tremble, let the hearts of men stand open, let grace and glory be harvested. Onto 2023, where we broaden our horizons, become more informed, learn more, read more and above all provide equal opportunities to all children for proper education. Let’s exalt our thrones, let’s rise. A happy new year to the old, “long life and treasure; and to the young, all health, good education, safety, pleasure with bright future.
https://www.eurasiareview.com/01012023-will-child-education-get-due-consideration-of-pakistani-ruling-elites-in-2023-oped/
Pakistan and the US Join Hands Against the Pakistani Taliban
By Umair JamalPakistan will be wary of becoming a staging post for U.S. counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan as this would worsen its already testy ties with the Taliban regime. The United States has offered to help Pakistan in dealing with the terror threat posed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Recent developments indicate that a conversation between Pakistan and the U.S. in this regard may have begun, allowing space for coordinated action against TTP and other militant groups.Addressing a news briefing last week, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said that Pakistan remains an important security partner. Highlighting concerns regarding militant threats in the region, he said terrorist groups are “present in Afghanistan, in the Afghan-Pakistan border region that present a clear threat as we’re seeing not only to Pakistan but potentially to countries and people beyond.” “We’re in regular dialogue with our Pakistani partners. We are prepared to help them take on the threats they face,” he added. Ahead of the State Department’s comments that indicate an eventual partnership between the two countries, U.S. Central Command chief, General Michael Erik Kurilla, visited the Torkham-Afghanistan border crossing and hailed Pakistan’s gains in the fight against terrorism. During his meeting with Pakistan’s top military leadership, Kurilla also discussed prospects to strengthen the military-to-military relationship and opportunities for addressing the TTP threat. A government source told The Diplomat that Gen. Kurilla’s visit was aimed at conveying to Pakistan that the U.S. understands, perhaps even sympathetic to Pakistan’s security concerns emanating from Afghanistan and remains ready to assist. The source further said that both countries broadly agree that Afghanistan under the Afghan Taliban should “remain peaceful” and that international militant groups, including the TTP, should not establish sanctuaries there. It seems that the TTP fears that the U.S. may be working with Pakistan to take action on its leadership inside Afghanistan. “America should stop teasing us by interfering in our affairs unnecessarily at the instigation of Pakistan — this cruel decision shows the failure of American politics,” TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud told CNN in an interview. The recent suicide bombing carried out by the TTP in Islamabad and the U.S. embassy’s alert for citizens in Pakistan underscores that the militant outfit sees the forthcoming cooperation between Islamabad and Washington as a development of concern and may want to hamper it. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari who returned from a week-long visit to the U.S. earlier this week, revealed that Washington is willing to offer Pakistan financial assistance to improve border security for preventing cross-border attacks from Afghanistan. However, the details of the funding for border security have not been made public yet. In a surprise development recently, the U.S. Senate approved $200 million for programs on gender equality in Pakistan and also highlighted the need to combat terrorism in the country. It is unclear how these funds will be used but the omnibus bill passed by the Senate for 2023 mentions that funds appropriated for the country under the heading “Foreign Military Financing Programme” can be “made available only to support counterterrorism and counter insurgency capabilities in Pakistan.” Besides, reports suggest that Pakistan may also be interested in obtaining more military hardware from the U.S. to enhance its border patrol capabilities to better detect the movement of the TTP and other militant groups along the Afghan border. Additionally, both countries may push to readjust their intelligence cooperation to deal with terror threats emanating from Afghanistan. It is unclear if the cooperation against the TTP and other extremist groups will also include taking the fight inside Afghanistan.The U.S. has reiterated many times that it will take action if terrorists regroup in Afghanistan. The killing of al-Qaida leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in a U.S. drone strike in Kabul was one instance of such action.However, if history is any lesson, Pakistan should know that entering into a broad-based counterterrorism partnership with the U.S. carries its own risks. It is unclear how far Pakistan’s leadership will be willing to go with regard to such cooperation with the U.S. to tackle the TTP and other groups.In the past, Washington has pushed for a partnership with Islamabad that goes beyond targeting TTP and perhaps involved action against groups like al-Qaida, Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) and other terrorist groups that the U.S. considers a threat. Pakistan, on the other hand, may only be interested in enlisting U.S. support to weaken the TTP in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Arguably, Pakistan wouldn’t be interested in becoming a staging post for U.S. counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan and beyond, as such a scenario could push Pakistan’s already troubled relationship with the Afghan Taliban to a point of no return. The situation has the potential to create more security complications for Pakistan as Islamabad could end up having more enemies than just the TTP on the Pak-Afghan border region. This increases the potential of a backlash on a greater scale. On the whole, Pakistan and the U.S. share interests in tackling militant threats on the Pak-Afghan border. But the real issue rests with the scope of the cooperation as Pakistan’s military policy will need to walk a fine line between tackling TTP and avoiding broader backlash. https://thediplomat.com/2022/12/pakistan-and-the-us-join-hands-against-the-pakistani-taliban/
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Friday, December 30, 2022
#Pakistan - The unrelenting hepatitis challenge
Pakistan continues to struggle to meet its targets for eliminating hepatitis.
P |
akistan may have to revise its targets for the elimination of hepatitis B and C by 2030. The country is falling behind its global promise of ensuring a fitting response to eradicating viral infections under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The major goals of WHO’s Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) on viral hepatitis are to reduce hepatitis incidence by 90 percent and mortality by 65 percent by 2030.
To achieve this target, Pakistan needs to treat 850,000 patients per annum. However, this year its capacity to treat viral hepatitis stands at 75,000. This makes it unlikely to meet the target within the stipulated timeframe.
“The number of patients receiving treatment has declined in recent years after all healthcare resources were diverted to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Pakistan, however, is gradually catching up with its plan to treat 150,000 patients next year,” says Dr Shahid Magsi, project director of the Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme.
The Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination (CGHE) recently launched Pakistan’s National Hepatitis Elimination Profile (N-HEP). The country, as per previous estimates, has the second highest burden of HCV with 9.8 million people living with chronic HCV globally. “With recent advances in Egypt, Pakistan may now be the highest-burden country,” it noted.
Pakistan and Egypt are among 21 member states of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO), where more than 15 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C and 21 million with hepatitis B. Pakistan and Egypt together account for 80 percent of this disease burden in the region.
“Egypt, however, has adopted a very robust model of screening/ testing people, provision of medicines to patients and then following-up to ensure compliance that has put the country on course to eliminating hepatitis C by 2030,” says Prof Dr Kashif Malik, consultant gastroenterologist and head of Department of Gastroenterology at Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore.
Pakistan’s commitment to eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030 has to be revised as the country’s response has been limited to targeted population in pockets alone unlike Egypt’s screening and treatment on a mass scale.
Prof Kashif Malik, who is also the president of the Pakistan Society of Hepatology, says that Pakistan does not have the latest consolidated data and demography of hepatitis prevalence to plan a response to the challenge. The last national survey, conducted in 2005-06, registered a prevalence of 5 to 6 percent of hepatitis C and 2 to 4 percent of hepatitis B in the country. The prevalence of hepatitis in Pakistan on an average has reached 10 percent. Saying the current prevalence is likely to double, he emphasises the need to establish a national registry for taking a census of hepatitis in Pakistan.
As many as 12 million people are suffering from hepatitis in the Punjab having a population of around 120 million. However, as per the Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme data, less than 20 percent of the estimated 12 million infected people have been registered at hepatitis clinics established at DHQ, THQ hospitals and teaching hospitals across the Punjab. Out of 2.242 million registered patients, roughly 20 percent (416,392 HCV patients and 46,427 HBV patients) are getting treatment at these facilities. This suggests that a majority of the registered patients are not accessing treatment while others remain unaware.
A large number of people in Pakistan suffering from chronic hepatitis remain unaware of their condition.
A large number of people in Pakistan suffering from chronic hepatitis remain unaware of their condition. Chronic hepatitis is known as a silent killer because symptoms may develop decades after exposure, when significant damage to the liver has already occurred. This irreversible stage of advanced liver disease, known as cirrhosis, can lead to liver cancer and/ or liver failure and death.
“According to an estimate, only 10 percent of people with hepatitis B are aware of their diagnosis and only 21 percent of people with hepatitis C, the world over, are aware of their infection,” says Dr Aasim Yusuf, consultant gastroenterologist at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore. He says that the treatment of liver cancer is both clinically challenging and resource intensive, emphasising the importance of prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B and C.
Unlike water and food-borne hepatitis A and E, hepatitis B, C and D are transmitted by infected blood and body fluids. Hepatitis D occurs only among patients suffering from hepatitis B. The major causes of these infections are unsafe injection practices, transfusion of un-screened blood, quackery or unsafe surgical/ dental practices, mother to child, ear/ nose piercing, barber/ beautician’s contaminated instruments and unsafe sex, etc. Lack of awareness, absence of screening programmes, non-affordability and paucity of treatment facilities make matters worse.
Acute hepatitis – hepatitis B in general and A & E in particular – has a duration of one to six months as hepatitis A & E are self-limiting. Chronic hepatitis, usually hepatitis C, goes beyond six months with no symptoms. It is only detected after screening at an early stage or development of complications at a later stage.
Hepatitis E among pregnant women is life-threatening with up to 30 percent chances of death. Therefore, it is extremely important for women to eat and drink healthy during pregnancy and get the available vaccines for hepatitis E and B.
Dr Israr ul Haque Toor, a consultant gastroenterologist at the Lahore General Hospital and president of the Punjab chapter of the Pakistan Society of Gastroenterology, says that Pakistan has one of the highest numbers of injections per patient ratio in the world, as on an average, eight injections are administered per person per year in the country. The number is linked to the risk of hepatitis B and C infection.
He says that the vaccine against hepatitis B is available and that the government has included it in the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI). Although, the EPI has considerably reduced the incidence of hepatitis B in urban areas, it is still an epidemic in South Punjab, Balochistan, interior Sindh and rural parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Therefore, he says, coordinated and sustained efforts are needed to identify missing millions, who are suffering from hepatitis without being aware of it through screening and start their treatment in order to defeat the disease.
According to the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination (CGHE), Pakistan’s Covid-19 response has led to a large increase in the capacity for PCR testing, electronic health reporting and improved coordination across provinces and the federal capital as far as the pandemic is concerned. Otherwise, generally, there is a lack of coordination across federal, provincial and local governments with regards to hepatitis response. In the absence of a centralised oversight, there is also a lack of effective monitoring and evaluation of the provincial hepatitis control programmes.
CGHE claims that approximately half of all blood donors are not screened for HCV, HBV, and HIV in Pakistan; a scale-up of point-of-care testing is needed for early detection in order to disrupt the cycle of infection and transmission.
As the world commemorates the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness on December 27, given the lack of political commitment and resources, the prospects of Pakistan’s target of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030 being met do not appear bright.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/1023040-the-unrelenting-hepatitis-challenge
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#Pakistan #PPP - Establishment's change of role made 'selected' a political orphan: Bilawal
PPP chairman asks Imran to return to parliament; links PTI chief to rising terrorism.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and the likes of him have become "politically orphaned" after the establishment decided to remain apolitical, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said Tuesday.In his address at a gathering in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh held to mark the 15th death anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal said: “This is the reason why there is a hue and cry in Bani Gala, this is the reason why they have resorted to the politics of violence, and this is the reason why he [Imran] hides and addresses workers via video link.”
The establishment had decided last year that it would remain apolitical and not interfere in politics, but since then, Imran has been on maligning spree against former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, accusing him of toppling his PTI government.
“Imran, in his rallies, has been using words that are tantamount to Article 6 [treason] and inciting the establishment to help him,” the foreign minister said, asking the PTI chief to return to parliament as neither he nor his party “could bear” what’s coming to them.
The foreign minister went on to say that he did not want his political opponents to endure what his party workers had to go through. “But we also have to run the system, this cannot go on.”
Terrorism and Imran
In his address, the foreign minister also linked the uptick in terrorism to Imran's election as the prime minister and slammed the PTI chief for trying to reason with terrorists during his tenure.
"Benazir Bhutto lost her life fighting terrorism. We also initiated operations against terrorists, but who gave this cricketer [Imran] permission to negotiate with terrorists?" he asked.
Bilawal asked upon whose authorisation the ex-PM "bowed down to the terrorists and indulge in negotiations with them". "Who freed terrorists from jails? Who allowed terrorists to live here and neither accept the Constitution nor lay down their weapons?"
The PPP leader added: "Today, terrorism is rising once again […] as a cricketer was turned into a prime minister."
The coalition government, he said, would use all-out measures to break the back of terrorists.
'Act like a human being'
Bilawal also said that during the PTI’s tenure, Pakistan suffered the worst economic crisis and to save his seat, “Imran committed a suicide attack on the economy”.
He added that “for the first time”, Pakistan is facing a threat of default, but the coalition government steered clear of it.
The PPP chief also said that floods were “a doom’s day before the doom’s day”. The country suffered losses worth $30 billion during the climate catastrophe and one-third of the land was inundated, he added.
“Land extending to 5 million acres was destroyed. 50% of educational institutions in Sindh were affected,” Bilawal said, adding that had such deadly floods hit any other country, political activities would have taken a back seat, but in Pakistan, it did not happen.
He once again slammed Imran for continuing to bicker against the government and holding rallies despite the people suffering at the hands of the climate catastrophe.
The FM said countries cannot run in such a manner and asked his political opponent “to act like a human being”.