WHO, Pakistani officials cite ‘immunity gap’ as key factor behind surge in polio cases

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Updated 19 November 2024
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WHO, Pakistani officials cite ‘immunity gap’ as key factor behind surge in polio cases

  • WHO official says resurgence developed over time due to ‘compromised campaign quality’
  • Pakistan has reported 49 cases this year, mostly from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

ISLAMABAD, PESHAWAR, KARACHI: The World Health Organization (WHO) and Pakistani officials have identified “immunity gap” as a key factor behind the resurgence of polio in the country, as Pakistan on Friday reported its 49th case this year from the southwestern Balochistan province.

Polio is a highly contagious disease that can cause irreversible paralysis, particularly in young children, and remains incurable, posing a persistent threat as long as the virus is not eradicated.

Most cases in Pakistan have emerged from the conflict-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Along with neighboring Afghanistan, Pakistan remains one of the last two countries in the world where polio is endemic. After significant progress in reducing cases, Pakistan has seen a resurgence since late 2018, underscoring the fragility of earlier gains.

Health officials explain that an “immunity gap” occurs when a large segment of the population lacks sufficient resistance to the poliovirus, leaving communities vulnerable to infection and outbreaks despite immunization efforts.

“The ongoing transmission and resurgence of the poliovirus was largely attributed to a widespread immunity gap that has developed over time,” WHO told Arab News.

The global health body attributed this “to a compromised campaign quality because of security-related challenges, community resistance, boycotts and demands of local communities, suboptimal routine immunization coverage and internal displacement of mobile and migrant populations.”

It added that high-quality vaccination campaigns were needed to bridge the immunity gap, highlighting that the WHO had organized back-to-back large-scale campaigns in September and October that vaccinated around 45 million children.

“These will follow another campaign in December to effectively plug the immunity gap,” the WHO said. “The mobile and migrant populations were redefined and mapped with revitalized focus on their vaccination.”

Health officials from the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces also echoed the same concerns, saying that immunity gaps played a major role in the resurgence of poliovirus.

KP’s Special Health Secretary Abdul Basit said the provincial government was undertaking efforts to “plug remaining immunity gaps” from the region by ensuring timely immunization of children.

A tribal elder from South Waziristan, Malik Anwar Wazir, told Arab News the increasing number of polio cases raised question about the government’s polio eradication efforts.

He termed the decades of infighting and unrest in parts of KP and tribal areas responsible for “inconsistent health care initiatives.”

“Mass exodus or displacement of families because of militancy hinder vaccination drives,” he added. “Most of the families in the tribal belt and parts of KP move for safer areas due to constant war, which creates problems for full immunization dose.”

Dr. Aftab Kakar, a health official in Balochistan, said international donors funding Pakistan’s polio eradication program had expressed concerns and given the authorities in the province new targets to prevent poliovirus transmission by June 2025.

“After being declared a polio-free province for almost years, we received the first transmission of poliovirus from Kandahar [Afghanistan] in September 2023,” he said. “If our children were immunized and well nourished, the virus would not have survived and spread all over the province.”

This year, 24 polio cases have been reported in Balochistan, 13 in Sindh, 10 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one each in Punjab and the federal capital, Islamabad. In the early 1990s, Pakistan recorded approximately 20,000 cases annually, but the number dropped to eight in 2018, six in 2023 and only one in 2021.

Pakistan’s polio eradication program, launched in 1994, has significantly reduced the number of cases over the years. However, the country continues to face major challenges, including militancy, with polio workers frequently targeted in attacks, particularly in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The program has adapted to address climate disasters, such as floods, but continues to experience disruptions. Additionally, there are gaps in supplementary immunization activities, particularly in areas where the virus remains active.


Pakistan, US hold new round of trade talks amid tariff tensions, eye wider cooperation

Updated 18 July 2025
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Pakistan, US hold new round of trade talks amid tariff tensions, eye wider cooperation

  • Pakistan’s finance chief, US officials discuss trade in traditional and non-traditional sectors
  • Finance ministry says both sides optimistic ongoing trade talks will yield positive outcomes

KARACHI: Pakistan and the United States explored ways to broaden their trade partnership beyond textiles, a statement released in Islamabad said on Friday, as their officials held high-level talks in Washington to finalize a trade deal and address recently imposed US tariffs.

The meeting between Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer followed a virtual discussion between Aurangzeb and Lutnick last month, during which both sides agreed to push negotiations forward “at the earliest.”

The talks come after the US imposed a 29 percent “reciprocal tariff” on Pakistani exports under President Donald Trump’s trade measures announced in April, a move Islamabad said could undercut its fragile, export-led recovery.

“Finance Minister Aurangzeb emphasized that the US remains Pakistan’s largest trading partner and underscored Pakistan’s interest in expanding cooperation in both traditional and non-traditional sectors, including the IT & tech sector, minerals and agriculture, to foster a mutually beneficial relationship,” Pakistan’s finance ministry said in a statement.

It added officials from both countries were pleased with the progress made so far in deepening trade and economic relations, which they described as a key pillar of the broader Pakistan-US partnership.

They reaffirmed their shared commitment to finding new ways to strengthen cooperation across all areas where both countries stand to benefit.

Nearly 90 percent of Pakistan’s exports to the US are textiles, a sector that is most vulnerable to the duties.

The US is Pakistan’s top export destination, with shipments totaling $5.44 billion in FY2024. From July 2024 to February 2025, exports rose 10 percent compared to the same period a year earlier.

Pakistan is also seeking to diversify its trade destinations and export base to mitigate risks related to its international trade.

“Both parties expressed optimism that ongoing trade talks would yield positive outcomes, benefiting the economies of both countries,” the ministry said in its statement.


Spotify names Pakistani artist Afusic to Radar program 

Updated 18 July 2025
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Spotify names Pakistani artist Afusic to Radar program 

  • Breakout single ‘Pal Pal’ tops 64 million streams as artist’s listenership surges
  • Spotify says Afusic’s audience has grown over 1,200 percent since April 2025

ISLAMABAD: Spotify has named rising Pakistani musician Afusic as its featured artist for the third quarter of 2025 under its global Radar program, spotlighting the viral star’s rapid ascent in the country’s evolving music scene.

Afusic — the stage name of Affan Khan — gained widespread recognition this year after his single “Pal Pal” went viral on the platform, amassing over 64 million streams. The song’s success has placed him among a new wave of artists reshaping Pakistan’s independent music landscape.

As the Pakistani music industry undergoes a digital transformation, platforms like Spotify have played a key role in spotlighting emerging talent and connecting local voices with global audiences.

“Spotify’s Radar Pakistan returns this quarter, spotlighting Afusic as its latest featured artist,” Pakistani agency Asiatic Public Relations said in a statement on Friday. “This milestone marks a significant moment in his rapidly rising career with his viral track ‘Pal Pal’ being featured on the Radar Pakistan playlist.”

According to Spotify data shared by the agency, Afusic’s audience has surged by more than 1,200 percent since April 2025, with his music landing on nearly 270,000 playlists globally.

Streams have spiked over 440,000 percent since the song debuted in the platform’s Fresh Finds Pakistan playlist in February.

“In the past 28 days alone, the demographic breakdown of his global audience reveals a strong connection with younger listeners — 60 percent male and 40 percent female — led by the 18–24 age group, followed closely by 25–34-year-olds,” the statement said.

Afusic called the Radar selection a “huge moment.”

“Radar is an incredible platform that shines a light on independent artists and helps us reach new audiences, while also giving fans a chance to connect with who we are beyond the music,” he said. “I’m truly grateful for the support Spotify has shown me — watching ‘Pal Pal’ grow from Fresh Finds to Hot Hits Pakistan shows just how powerful this journey can be.”

Afusic joins past Radar Pakistan alumni including Hasan Raheem, Taha G, Shae Gill, and Rovalio, all of whom have gained both domestic and international acclaim in recent years.


Police say no toxins detected in Pakistani actress Humaira Asghar Ali’s body

Updated 18 July 2025
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Police say no toxins detected in Pakistani actress Humaira Asghar Ali’s body

  • Ali’s decomposed body was found in her apartment on July 8, nearly nine months after her death
  • Police say while it appears to be a natural death, the possibility of murder has not been ruled out

KARACHI: Pakistani police said on Friday no toxic substances were found in the body of Humaira Asghar Ali, a 42-year-old actress whose remains were discovered in Karachi last week, nine months after her death.

Ali, originally from Lahore, had been living alone in a rented apartment in Karachi’s Ittehad Commercial area for nearly seven years while pursuing an acting career.

Her decomposed body was discovered on July 8 when a court-appointed bailiff broke into her apartment to vacate the property over unpaid rent.

“The chemical report confirms that no sedative, psychotic, narcotic or poisonous substance was detected in the samples,” said Mahroz Ali, Senior Superintendent of Police, citing findings by the Industrial Analytical Center at the University of Karachi’s HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry.

The forensic analysis included tests on hair, lung and liver samples, and found no evidence of foul play from toxic substances.

According to Deputy Inspector General of Police, Syed Asad Raza, police believe Ali died sometime between the evening of October 7 and 8, 2024.

Speaking in an interview with Arab News last week, Raza said the considerable delay in discovering the body has complicated the investigation.

“We are pursuing four possibilities: natural death, accidental death, suicide or homicide,” Raza said. “At present, natural or accidental death appears more likely based on the available evidence.”

The room where the body was found served as both a painting studio and a passage to the washroom.

Raza noted Ali may have slipped and fallen while doing laundry.

A tub filled with washed clothes was discovered in the washroom, suggesting she may have been in the process of household chores at the time of the incident, though there was no blood around her.

“There were no fractured bones, no signs of bleeding and no evidence of a physical struggle,” Raza said. “Typically, in cases of foul play, there are signs of resistance, but we didn’t find any.”

Despite the absence of overt signs of foul play, Raza said investigators are not ruling out any possibilities, including third-party involvement.

“It’s a remote possibility, but we are continuing to investigate that angle,” he said.

Police have collected and sent digital devices found at the scene, including mobile phones and tablets, for forensic analysis, he added.


Pakistan says Kashmir tourist attack probe ‘inconclusive’ as US blacklists militant group

Updated 18 July 2025
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Pakistan says Kashmir tourist attack probe ‘inconclusive’ as US blacklists militant group

  • US designated The Resistance Front a ‘terrorist organization’ for briefly claiming responsibility for Pahalgam attack
  • Islamabad says New Delhi has ‘a track record of exploiting such designations to push anti-Pakistan propaganda’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Friday a probe into the April killing of 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir remained inconclusive, hours after the United States designated a Lashkar-e-Taiba-affiliated group as a terrorist entity, and accused India of using such listings to spread an anti-Pakistan narrative internationally.

The group in question, The Resistance Front (TRF), also known as Kashmir Resistance, was blacklisted by Washington on Thursday as a “foreign terrorist organization” and “specially designated global terrorist” in connection with the April 22 attack in Pahalgam.

In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the group had claimed responsibility for the assault before withdrawing its statement, and described TRF as a “front and proxy” of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based outfit banned under US law.

Responding to the development, Pakistan’s foreign office said it had “zero tolerance” for militant entities, though any link between TRF and Lashkar-e-Taiba “belies ground realities,” noting the latter was a defunct group that had been banned in Pakistan.

“Investigations into the Pahalgam incident, that happened in the internationally recognized disputed region of IIOJK, are still inconclusive,” the statement read, using Pakistan’s official abbreviation for Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“Pakistan has effectively and comprehensively dismantled concerned outfits, arrested and prosecuted the leadership, and deradicalized its cadres,” it continued.

The foreign office also said India had a track record of leveraging such terror listings to deflect global scrutiny from its human rights record in Kashmir and elsewhere.

“India has a track record of exploiting such designations to push anti-Pakistan propaganda with a view to divert international attention from its irresponsible and rogue behavior, including ongoing human rights atrocities, especially in IIOJK,” the statement said.

Pakistan cited its cooperation with international partners against extremist groups and the arrest of high-profile militants, including Sharifullah, the alleged mastermind of the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul that killed 13 US service members and about 170 Afghan civilians.

In April, after India blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack, Islamabad called for a neutral and impartial investigation.

The attack triggered days of cross-border hostilities, with India targeting what it described as “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan on May 7. The escalation — involving missiles, drones and artillery — left dozens dead before a ceasefire was announced on May 10.

The foreign office said Pakistan urged the international community to adopt “objective and non-discriminatory policies” on counterterrorism and called for other groups, such as the Majeed Brigade of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), to be designated under US law.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the BLA and other separatist groups operating in the volatile southwestern province of Balochistan of being Indian proxies, a claim New Delhi denies.

With input from Reuters


Pakistan and Libya to expand defense industrial collaboration after top military meeting

Updated 18 July 2025
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Pakistan and Libya to expand defense industrial collaboration after top military meeting

  • The understanding comes during the Libyan armed forces commander-in-chief’s visit to Pakistan
  • Defense ties between both countries remain robust with Pakistan training Libyan military officers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Libya have agreed to pursue defense industrial collaboration and exchange technical expertise to tackle security challenges, according to an official statement issued on Friday after a meeting between the top army commanders of the two countries.

The meeting took place in Rawalpindi between Libyan Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Saddam Khalifa Haftar and Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to the military media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Defense ties between the two countries date back to the Cold War era, when Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi famously called Pakistan “the fort of Islam” at the 1974 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Lahore and later supported its arms procurement efforts.

In the post-Qaddafi period, the two nations signed a series of memoranda of understanding focused on labor, education and political consultations, laying the groundwork for broader cooperation.

“Meeting encompassed discussion on matters of mutual interest, evolving regional dynamics, security challenges and matters pertaining to defense cooperation,” the ISPR said in a statement after the meeting.

“Both leaders agreed to undertake defense industrial collaboration and exchange of technical expertise to address contemporary security challenges.”

Haftar was presented a guard of honor by a Pakistan Army contingent upon his arrival at the General Headquarters, where he laid a floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Corner.

The ISPR statement maintained the visit by Libya’s top military leadership marks a significant step in reinforcing the longstanding defense partnership between both countries.

Pakistan and Libya established diplomatic relations in 1951 and have maintained friendly ties rooted in shared Islamic heritage and cultural bonds.

Bilateral trade reached approximately $19 million in 2022–23, while defense ties remain robust, with Pakistan having trained Libyan officers in aviation, infantry and technical fields in the past.