LAHORE: Pakistan’s largest province of Punjab is proposing a ban on all social media platforms for six days due to security concerns during thousands of religious processions which start next week, its information minister Uzma Bukhari said on Friday.
The proposal relates to Muharram’s Ashura processions, 10 days of mourning by minority Shiite Muslims. The event is the holiest in the Shiite calendar and commemorates the 7th century death of political and religious leader Hussain Ibn Ali.
Hussain was grandson of the Muslims’ last Prophet Muhammad.
“It is a recommendation, and no decision has so far been taken,” Bukhari told Reuters, adding that the government had received reports of some sectarian issues on social media which he said could “put the country on fire.”
The measure is aimed at protecting the minority from sectarian violence, the provincial government wrote in a letter to Pakistan’s interior ministry on Thursday.
The letter, which was seen by Reuters, said social media platforms such as “Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Tiktok be suspended across the province of Punjab ... in order to control hate material/misinformation.”
The interior ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Pakistan has blocked access to X since its February election, which the interior ministry said in a court submission in April was due to national security concerns.
Civil and rights groups have criticized the ban as an attack on freedom of speech and access to information in a highly polarized country amid allegations of election fraud.
Jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has said that the suspension of cell phone service on the election day followed by the X ban was an attempt to hurt his supporters, who rely heavily on social media.
A court is due to rule on the last of Khan’s many convictions on July 12, the first day of the latest proposed ban. It was not clear whether the proposal is related to any likely threat of protests by his supporters.
Pakistan’s Punjab seeks social media ban over security concerns during Muharram processions
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Pakistan’s Punjab seeks social media ban over security concerns during Muharram processions

- The measure is aimed at protecting the Shi’ite minority from sectarian violence, the provincial government said
- Civil and rights groups have criticized the ban as an attack on freedom of speech and access to information
Pakistan to launch nationwide polio campaign on May 26 to immunize over 45 million children

- Pakistan has reported seven polio cases this year, while 74 cases were confirmed in 2024
- Pakistan, Afghanistan are the only countries in the world where polio remains an endemic
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will launch a third nationwide anti-polio vaccination campaign to immunize 45.4 million children under the age of five years, the Pakistani health ministry said on Monday.
The statement came after Health Minister Mustafa Kamal’s meeting with Dr. Chris Elias, president for global development at the Gates Foundation, to discuss Pakistan’s fight against the disease, according to the health ministry.
Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine, along with the completion of the routine immunization schedule for all children are essential to ensure strong immunity against the disease.
Pakistan has reported seven polio cases so far this year and has conducted two major vaccination campaigns in the first half of 2025. Last year, the South Asian country had reported 74 cases of the virus.
“The fight against polio has required tremendous sacrifice from all stakeholders including law enforcement personnel who have rendered invaluable services,” Kamal was quoted as saying by the ministry.
“This mission will continue until we reach complete eradication.”
The minister underscored the ongoing close cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, including synchronized national immunization campaigns across both countries, as well as successful nationwide anti-polio campaigns carried out in February and April.
He shared that improved community engagement has led to a reduction in vaccine refusals among parents, expressing optimism that Pakistan is on track to achieve complete polio eradication by the end of 2025.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio remains an endemic.
Dr. Elias commended Pakistan for its sustained efforts and reaffirmed the Gates Foundation’s commitment to supporting the country’s journey toward a polio-free future.
“He expressed hope that the 2025 eradication target would be successfully achieved.” the health ministry said.
In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 polio cases annually. However, by 2018, the number had dropped to just eight. In 2023, six cases were reported, and only one case was recorded in 2021.
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994, but efforts to eradicate the virus have been repeatedly undermined by vaccine misinformation and resistance from some religious hard-liners who claim that immunization is a foreign plot to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western espionage.
Militant groups have also frequently targeted polio vaccination teams and the security personnel assigned to protect them, often resulting in deadly attacks.
Pakistan Hajj mission delivers vital health care to pilgrims with over 300 staffers

- Pakistan’s Hajj Medical Mission has so far treated more than 11,000 pilgrims
- The mission has set up two hospitals, 11 dispensaries in Makkah and Madinah
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Hajj Medical Mission (PHMM), which comprises over 300 doctors and paramedics, has treated more than 11,000 pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah over the past three weeks, the PHMM head said on Sunday.
This year’s Hajj is expected to take place between June 4 and June 9, with nearly 112,620 Pakistanis set to perform the annual pilgrimage. Of these, approximately 89,000 will travel under the government scheme, while 23,620 will go through private tour operators.
“The Pakistan Hajj Medical Mission 2025 consisted of 301 doctors and paramedical staff from both civilian and armed forces backgrounds, including 72 lady doctors and female health workers,” Col. Dr. Shaheer Jamal, the PHMM director, told Arab News over the phone from Makkah.
“We have treated over 11,194 pilgrims so far and are currently attending to an average of about 2,000 pilgrims daily in Makkah and 40 in Madinah, mostly suffering from dehydration.”
The mission includes medical specialists, surgeons, cardiologists, orthopedic specialists, gynecologists, dermatologists, ENT specialists, psychiatrists, pharmacists, public health specialists and physiotherapists, according to Dr. Jamal.
It has established two hospitals, one each in Makkah and Madinah, along with nine dispensaries in Makkah and two in Madinah.
“Separate wards of 30 beds each had been established for men and women in the central hospital in Makkah, while in Madinah, a small hospital with 11 beds was set up,” he said, adding that their teams were working in three shifts to provide 24/7 care to pilgrims.
Other departments at the mission include emergency, isolation ward, pharmacy, pathology, minor OT, dental, and radiology, the official added.
For patients needing further medical assistance, Dr. Jamal said, the mission had reached an agreement with the Saudi German Hospital which has been treating Pakistani pilgrims both in Makkah and Madinah.
“So far, we have referred 30 patients to the Saudi German Hospital in Makkah and Madinah,” he shared.
The PHMM chief said the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Health have extended full support in the establishment of the hospitals and the transfer of medicines and medical equipment to the Kingdom.
He said all medicines had been tested before being brought to Saudi Arabia and were being provided to pilgrims free of cost.
The medical plan for the core Hajj days in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah will follow a multi-layered approach, according to the official. Saudi health authorities will assume primary responsibility of providing comprehensive health care services to all pilgrims.
“However, to support Pakistani pilgrims specifically, the Pakistan Hajj Medical Mission deployed its own medical staff in Mina with the first aid kits to provide initial medical assistance, ensuring timely primary care before referring patients to larger Saudi facilities, if needed,” Dr. Jamal said.
Due to extreme weather conditions, the mission has proactively prepared and is disseminating educational materials specifically designed to guide pilgrims on how to prevent heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses.
“This guidance includes advice on hydration, appropriate clothing, recognizing symptoms, and seeking timely medical help,” he said.
The South Asian country launched its Hajj flight operation on Apr. 29, which will continue till May 31.
Blast kills three, injures 11 in Pakistan’s restive southwest

- The explosives were planted on a vehicle and were detonated at a market next to a security forces’ camp in the Killa Abdullah district
- No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack that came two days after Pakistani Taliban said they had killed four troops
QUETTA: At least three people were killed and 11 others wounded after an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in a border district in Pakistan southwestern Balochistan province, a government official said on Sunday.
The blast took place inside a market next to a security forces camp in Gulistan town of Killa Abdullah district, located close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The explosives were planted on a vehicle and were detonated at around 8:30pm, according to Killa Abdullah Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Riaz Dawar.
“Majority of the shops inside the market were closed when the blast hit the market,” Dawar told Arab News.
“A wall of the security forces’ camp was also partially damaged due to the intensity of the blast.”
The bodies and injured were shifted to hospital. Two of the wounded persons were brought to Trauma Center in Quetta who were in stable condition and undergoing treatment, according to Dr. Arbab Kamran Kasi.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Gulistan town that is situated close to Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.
Pakistan is currently battling twin insurgencies: one led my religiously motivated groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), mainly in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and the other by ethno-nationalist Baloch separatist groups in Balochistan.
The TTP and Daesh have also maintained some presence in Balochistan.
The latest attack comes two days after the TTP said it had targeted a security check post in Balochistan’s Khuzdar that killed four members of the Levies paramilitary force.
In Jan. 2025, Pakistan’s military said security forces had thwarted an attack on a paramilitary force’ camp in Gulistan, killing two suicide bombers among five attackers.
Pakistan to send high-level delegation to key world capitals to expose ‘Indian propaganda’

- New Delhi last month accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindus
- Pakistan denies complicity and reached out to world powers before a limited-scale military standoff with India began this month
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to send a high-level diplomatic delegation to important world capitals to expose ‘Indian propaganda’ against Islamabad, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, days after a ceasefire deal was reached with New Delhi.
New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam town that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindus, on April 22. Islamabad has denied complicity and called for a credible, international probe into the assault.
Tensions over the attack last week led the nuclear-armed neighbors into a military conflict, the worst between them in decades, with both countries attacking each other with drones, missiles and artillery and killing around 70 people on both sides.
The conflict began when India struck what it said were “terrorist camps” in multiple Pakistan cities on May 7, alarming world powers that the standoff could spiral into a full-blown war. US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on May 10, which has since held.
“The delegation will visit London, Washington, Paris and Brussels to highlight India’s disinformation campaign and its attempts to destabilize regional peace,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster said, adding Sharif has tasked ex-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari with leading the body.
“It will also underscore Pakistan’s sincere efforts for peace and stability in the region.”
Members of the high-level body include Dr. Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir, Senator Sherry Rehman, Hina Rabbani Khar, Faisal Subzwari, Tehmina Janjua and Jalil Abbas Jilani.
Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, since gaining independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety but rule it in part.
India has long battled an insurgency on the side it rules by armed separatists fighting for independence or a merger with Pakistan. New Delhi accuses Pakistan of backing the militants, Islamabad says it only offers political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris.
The region has long been described as the “nuclear flashpoint” of South Asia and last week prompted President Trump to offer Washington’s mediation to resolve the issue.
Separately, Pakistan’s Deputy PM Ishaq Dar will travel to China on Monday for a two day visit to discuss “evolving regional situation,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.
“The two sides will also review the entire spectrum of Pakistan-China bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” it said in a statement.
Dar told parliament on May 7, hours after aerial combat between the two sides, that Islamabad used Chinese jets against India, with Beijing’s ambassador called to his office over the deployment.
“At 4am in the morning, the whole Chinese team, led by their ambassador, was present at the foreign office,” Dar told the parliament.
“We apprised them about all the developments taken place until that time.”
US President Donald Trump announced a surprise truce on May 10, which appears to be holding over a week later.
While Islamabad stated earlier this week that the ceasefire would last until Sunday, the Indian army said there was no expiry date to the agreement.
Pakistan Senate chief attends inaugural mass of Pope Leo in show of interfaith harmony

- Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalizing the poor at the inaugural mass
- Ten days after he became first US head of 1.4 billion Catholics, some 200,000 people gathered to see the mass in St. Peter’s Square
ISLAMABAD: Yousuf Raza Gillani, chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, on Sunday attended the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City, Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said, in a show of Islamabad’s commitment to promoting interfaith harmony.
Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalizing the poor at the inaugural mass, attended by dignitaries including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice President JD Vance.
Ten days after he became the first US head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, some 200,000 people gathered to see his inaugural mass in St. Peter’s Square, according to the Vatican.
Gillani’s presence at the mass highlighted Pakistan’s respect for the Catholic community worldwide and its dedication to fostering dialogue and mutual understanding among diverse religious traditions.
“Gillani is scheduled to engage in bilateral meetings with Vatican officials and international counterparts to discuss shared interests, including the promotion of peace, protection of minority rights, and the advancement of interfaith collaboration,” the PID said.
“Pakistan remains steadfast in its advocacy for religious tolerance and coexistence, and Chairman Gillani’s participation in this significant event reaffirms the nation’s role in promoting global understanding and harmony.”
Before the mass began, the Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost delighted the crowds by taking to the popemobile for the first time, smiling, waving and blessing those he passed.
In his homily, the soft-spoken 69-year-old returned to the themes of peace, reconciliation and social justice that have marked his first few days as pope.
“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest,” he said.
After two decades spent as missionary in Peru, the new pope — who was only made a cardinal in 2023 — is unknown to many Catholics.
But many of those gathered in St. Peter’s Square said they liked what they had heard so far.
Maria Grazia La Barbera, 56, a pilgrim from Palermo in Sicily, said Leo was “the right person at the right time” to lead the Church.
“He will certainly do what he promised: knocking down walls and building bridges,” she said.
— With additional input from AFP