Pakistan approves lifetime ID cards with wheelchair logo for people with disabilities

Pakistan approves lifetime ID cards with wheelchair logo for people with disabilities
A disabled woman arrives to collect cash of financial assistance through a mobile wallet under the governmental Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 11, 2020. (AFP/File)
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Updated 28 January 2025
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Pakistan approves lifetime ID cards with wheelchair logo for people with disabilities

Pakistan approves lifetime ID cards with wheelchair logo for people with disabilities
  • NADRA to issue juvenile cards for children with disabilities, identity cards with donor logos for registered organ donors
  • Around 7.5 million people in Pakistan have disabilities, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics report in 2023

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has approved the issuance of national identity cards with lifetime validity for people with disabilities, a press release said on Tuesday.

The unprecedented amendments to NADRA Rules 2002 are aimed at improving inclusivity, simplifying documentation processes and acknowledging the distinct needs of people living with disabilities in Pakistan. 

According to a census report published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in 2023, around 7.5 million people in Pakistan have disabilities. An estimated 1.3 billion people – about 16 percent of the global population – currently experience significant disability. 

“One of the primary changes involves the issuance of distinct identity cards for special persons with lifetime validity,” NADRA said in a statement announcing the amendments.

“Adult special citizens, whether resident or non-resident, duly recognized by respective federal or provincial entities, will be eligible for national identity cards featuring a wheelchair logo with lifetime validity.”

NADRA will also issue child registration certificates or juvenile cards with the wheelchair symbol for children who have disabilities. Pakistani citizens who register as organ donors will be issued national identity cards featuring a donor logo, also with lifetime validity.

“By introducing lifetime validity for these cards, the federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to simplifying procedures and providing recognition to those who contribute to society in unique ways,” the statement concluded.

People with disabilities in Pakistan face many challenges, including discrimination, exploitation, and mistreatment. However, some recent steps have been taken to improve their situation including the passage of the ICT Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2020 and the ratification in 2011 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Disabled Persons Employment and Rehabilitation Ordinance 1981 also provides job quotas for people with disabilities living in Pakistan. 
 


Champions to be crowned as Lahore, Quetta face off in PSL final today

Champions to be crowned as Lahore, Quetta face off in PSL final today
Updated 25 May 2025
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Champions to be crowned as Lahore, Quetta face off in PSL final today

Champions to be crowned as Lahore, Quetta face off in PSL final today
  • The showdown begins this evening at Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium with major prize money on the line
  • Shaheen Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars aim for a third PSL title and a historic win on home ground

KARACHI: Defending champions Lahore Qalandars will face 2019 winners Quetta Gladiators in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) today, Sunday, with both sides aiming to make history in the tenth edition of the country’s premier T20 tournament.

The final will be played under lights at Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium, with the match set to begin at 7:30 p.m. local time. A reserve day has been scheduled for Monday in case of rain.

The winner will walk away with $500,000 in prize money, while the runners-up will receive $200,000.

Either the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Qalandars will become only the second team in PSL history to win three titles, or the Saud Shakeel-led Gladiators will lift their second trophy after a six-year gap.

Qalandars fought their way into the final through the playoffs, knocking out Karachi Kings and Islamabad United, while Quetta topped the points table and beat Islamabad in the qualifier to book their spot.

“I’m thrilled and honored to be leading Quetta Gladiators to an HBL PSL final and we will do our best to lift the trophy,” Shakeel said. “Qaddafi Stadium really has been a lucky venue for us where we have won five out of our six games and will look to continue the winning momentum.”

Afridi said Lahore were aiming for a title hat trick on home turf.

“We are buzzing to feature in our third HBL PSL final in the last four editions and our aim is to complete the treble at our home ground,” he said.

Lahore, who finished fourth in the group stage, will take confidence from their previous outing against Quetta, where they secured a commanding 79-run win before their second encounter was washed out.

Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Naeem have led the charge with the bat for Qalandars, while Shaheen, Haris Rauf and Rishad Hossain have spearheaded the bowling attack.

Quetta, meanwhile, have enjoyed a dramatic turnaround after finishing last in 2023.

Their success this season has been fueled by consistent performances from Hasan Nawaz, Rilee Rossouw and a bowling unit featuring Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Amir.

Both captains promised a highly competitive final to close out what has been a landmark 34-match edition of the HBL PSL.


Gunmen kill journalist in southwestern Pakistan

Gunmen kill journalist in southwestern Pakistan
Updated 24 May 2025
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Gunmen kill journalist in southwestern Pakistan

Gunmen kill journalist in southwestern Pakistan
  • Latif Baloch, who worked for a national news channel and a local newspaper, was killed in Awaran district
  • According to Freedom Network Pakistan, 53 journalists were killed in the country between 2012 and 2022

QUETTA: Unknown armed men stormed a house in Balochistan’s Awaran district in the early hours of Saturday and killed a journalist working for a mainstream news channel and a local newspaper, a Levies official said.

The killing took place in Mashkay, a remote town in the mountainous Awaran district, regarded as a stronghold of Baloch separatist groups, particularly the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF).

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, is home to a separatist insurgency led by ethnic Baloch groups, which Islamabad accuses of being backed by India.

New Delhi denies the allegation.

Earlier this month, Pakistan blamed India for a deadly attack on a school van in Khuzdar district that killed eight people, including six schoolchildren.

Zulqarnain Baloch, a Levies official in Mashkay, told Arab News that unidentified gunmen entered journalist Latif Baloch’s house at 3 a.m. and shot him dead while he was asleep with his family.

“The attackers only targeted him,” he said, adding: “Motives behind the murder are being investigated.”

According to the Press Freedom Network, an advocacy organization for media rights in Pakistan, 53 journalists were killed in the country between 2012 and 2022.

Hameedullah Sherani, the network’s provincial coordinator in Balochistan, said journalists in the province face serious threats while carrying out their work.

“Journalists in Balochistan have been working under threats by the state and non-state actors,” he said. “More than 40 journalists in Balochistan have lost their lives in the line of duty over the last two decades.”

The Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) strongly condemned the killing and called for a high-level investigation.

“The provincial government must arrest the attackers behind the killing of Latif Baloch,” said Khalil Ahmed, BUJ president. “Journalists are already facing severe threats in the sensitive region of Balochistan. The government has to take immediate action for the safety of working journalists.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, remains one of Pakistan’s most dangerous regions for journalists.


Pakistan’s Punjab reports eight deaths, 45 injuries in rain and storm-related incidents

Pakistan’s Punjab reports eight deaths, 45 injuries in rain and storm-related incidents
Updated 24 May 2025
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Pakistan’s Punjab reports eight deaths, 45 injuries in rain and storm-related incidents

Pakistan’s Punjab reports eight deaths, 45 injuries in rain and storm-related incidents
  • Deaths were primarily caused by collapsing dilapidated structures during extreme downpour in different cities
  • A fresh advisory warns of potential damage to weak infrastructure as hail and heavy rain remain in forecast

KARACHI: Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province on Saturday released a preliminary report on damages caused by heavy rain and stormy weather, saying eight people were killed and 45 others injured in different cities as strong winds, lightning and hail battered parts of the country.

The report followed a weather alert issued a day earlier by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), warning of thunderstorms, gusty winds, dust storms and rain in parts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Islamabad.

As the day progressed, heavy rain and hailstorms struck the federal capital and parts of KP after dark clouds gathered overhead. In Swat, torrential rain lashed the region with reports of hail in some areas and surging waters in local rivers and streams.

In Punjab’s major cities, including Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Jhelum and Lahore, the storm brought strong winds and poor visibility, prompting authorities to temporarily shut down sections of the motorway for safety.

“Eight citizens lost their lives and 45 others were injured due to storm and rain-related incidents,” the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab said in a statement. “Fatalities occurred in Rawalpindi (1), Jhelum (3), Sheikhupura (1), Nankana Sahib (1), Sialkot (1) and Mianwali (1).”

The PDMA said deaths were primarily caused by collapsing dilapidated structures or being in unsafe locations during the storm. Heavy downpour damaged several mud and old brick houses in many of these places, while in Lahore, incidents of fallen trees and damaged solar panels were also reported.

According to PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia, all district emergency operations centers have been activated, while the provincial control room is monitoring the situation round-the-clock.

“Citizens are advised to avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather and stay away from electric poles and hanging wires,” he warned.

“People should remain indoors during lightning storms and ensure children stay away from weak or damaged buildings,” he added.

Kathia said financial assistance would be provided to affected families in accordance with the provincial administration’s policy.

A fresh advisory issued Saturday evening by the National Weather Forecasting Center in Islamabad warned of potential damage to weak infrastructure, including electricity poles, trees, vehicles and solar panels, due to thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain expected overnight and into Sunday.

Pakistan has increasingly faced extreme weather events, including droughts, heatwaves and floods, linked to climate change. In 2022, it witnessed unprecedented monsoon rains that submerged much of the country, killing about 1,700 people and causing infrastructure losses exceeding $35 billion.


WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day

WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day
Updated 24 May 2025
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WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day

WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day
  • Markhors are large wild goats native to the mountainous regions of South and Central Asia
  • They are Pakistan’s national animal and are currently listed as ‘Near Threatened’ by IUCN

KARACHI: A leading conservation group in Pakistan on Saturday praised local communities for helping protect the endangered markhor species, saying people’s efforts had reversed population decline and expanded habitat ranges, as the country marked the International Day of the Markhor.

Markhors are large wild goats native to the mountainous regions of South and Central Asia, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and parts of the Himalayan range. They are Pakistan’s national animal and are currently listed as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network, due to habitat loss, poaching and human disturbance.

The World Wide Fund for Nature’s Pakistan office (WWF-Pakistan) credited close coordination between communities, conservationists and government departments in regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan for positive conservation outcomes.

“Through capacity-building programs and engagement of local communities in conservation initiatives, a positive population trend has been observed in the markhor species,” it said in a statement.

Observed annually on May 24, the International Day of the Markhor was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2024 to raise awareness of the species’ ecological importance and the need for its protection.

“Conservation is not just about saving a species, but it is about preserving our shared future in harmony with nature,” said Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General of WWF-Pakistan.

The organization noted the International Day of the Markhor was an opportunity to recognize the ecological value of mountain landscapes, raise awareness of conservation challenges and honor the communities that helped pull the species back from the brink of extinction.


Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty

Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty
Updated 24 May 2025
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Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty

Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty
  • Ambassador Usman Jadoon calls access to clean water a fundamental human right
  • He says India announced treaty suspension to cut off the lifeline of 240 million people

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan told a United Nations forum this week India was using river waters as a political weapon by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), warning that Islamabad would not allow New Delhi to cut off the lifeline of 240 million people or turn water into a tool of coercion.

The remarks came during an Arria-formula meeting of the UN Security Council, an informal session allowing open discussion on pressing international issues. The forum was held as tensions escalated following India’s decision to suspend the 1960 IWT.

While New Delhi has cited a recent militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir to justify the move, Islamabad has denied any involvement and warned that blocking Pakistan’s access to river waters threatens regional stability and violates international law.

Addressing the forum on Friday, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, emphasized that access to clean water was a fundamental human right. He condemned India’s actions, pointing out the suspension of the IWT constitutes a grave violation of international law.

“India’s decision to illegally and unilaterally suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, aiming to impede the flow of water guaranteed to Pakistan under the Treaty, is a grave violation of international law, including human rights law, the treaty law and customary international law,” Jadoon said.

He further criticized statements from Indian leadership suggesting intentions to “starve the people of Pakistan,” describing such rhetoric as dangerous and perverse.

Jadoon called upon India to adhere to its legal obligations and refrain from actions that could disrupt the flow of rivers vital to Pakistan’s population.

“We strongly condemn India’s unlawful announcement to hold the Treaty in abeyance and call upon India to strictly abide by its legal obligations and refrain from stopping, diverting or restricting rivers that are a lifeline for 240 million people of Pakistan,” he continued. “We will never accept any such moves.”

The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has been a cornerstone of water-sharing between the two nations. Its suspension marks a significant escalation in India-Pakistan relations, with potential implications for regional stability and humanitarian concerns.