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By Amir Ismaiel August 12 is observed around the world as International Youth Day. The day is observed on the recommendation of the United Nations to highlight the problems faced by young people, recognise their important role in economic and social development, and ensure their meaningful participation in decision-making. The theme of International Youth Day 2026 is “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.” The theme recognises that young people live in different national, local and social conditions, but their basic hopes are almost the same everywhere. They want a dignified life, equal opportunities, good employment, quality education and a safe and secure future. Pakistan has 64% of those who are under the age of 30, out of the 64% half of the numbers are in educational institutions and rest of them are out with some of the reasons. We are among the countries that spend the least on education, allocating around 2% of its total budget to the education . India spends around 4% while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh allocate around 2% or less. The United Nations recommends that 4% should be allocated to education. Pakistan has more than 190 universities including private and government over 100 sub-campuses, with nearly two million students studying in higher education. Providing four to five million jobs for these students in the coming years will be essential. University students face many problems in their daily routine on campus, These include rising fees, low quality of education, a lack of research opportunities, shortage of hostels and transport, inequality and harassment. At the school level, more than 15 million children are still out of school, these stats are same for years . Poor educational facilities, shortage of furniture, lack of clean drinking water, shortage of teachers and limited funding are among the main reasons. The state of higher education is also worrying. Only one Pakistani public university, Quaid-i-Azam University is among the world’s top 500 universities, while around 10 Indian universities are included in the same list. These figures raise serious questions about government priorities and the gap between official claims and the actual condition of education. Theme of International Youth Day directly connects with the problems faced by Pakistani youth. Quality education, decent employment, mental health and meaningful participation in decision-making have remained major issues for young people for decades. These problems have also increased frustration, intolerance and extremism among youth . When an educated person fails to achieve his or her goals because of a lack of merit and fair opportunities frustration naturally grows. Unfortunately, youth in Pakistan still lack a clear vision for their future and meaningful government support. The Prime Minister’s Youth Programme has mainly focused on initiatives such as laptops and scholarships, but there is a need for a much broader plan covering employment, career development, mental health and future opportunities for youth . Holding one or two youth conferences during the year cannot be enough to address these issues.Climate change has become a major challenge for the world, but Pakistan still needs a stronger plan to involve young people in dealing with it. There is also a lack of awareness and practical programmes through which young people can contribute to tackling climate change. Mental health is another serious issue. The United Nations continues to highlight the importance of addressing mental health problems among young people, but in Pakistan the issue has not received the attention it deserves. In many countries, educational institutions have dedicated departments and support systems for students’ mental health and wellbeing. Pakistan needs similar facilities. Reports of serious mental health problems and suicides among students should be treated as a national concern. Today’s students wants to see solutions to its problems through its own participation and leadership. Across Asia, the growing role of Generation Z in political and government affairs has been remarkable. India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have witnessed major youth movements in which youth have challenged governments and demanded political and social change. Youth are also important stakeholders in educational institutions. Around the world students participate in student unions and societies, which help them develop both academic and personal skills. Debates, dialogue, sports and other activities help students build confidence, leadership and communication skills. In countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, students are generally allowed to form unions and societies in educational institutions. These organisations are supported by universities and provide students with opportunities to develop leadership and democratic skills. Many people who later become successful in medicine, science, social sciences, sports, politics and other fields gain valuable experience through such activities during their student years. The well-known historian Dr Mubarak Ali wrote in his book Tareekh Ke Naye Zaviye that when ideological politics began among young people in the subcontinent, nationalism was one of its early forms. Students became divided between the political right and left. However, this ideological debate also encouraged students to read and study different ideas. They began to understand society and its structure through different political and social perspectives. This process helped young people develop stronger intellectual and political awareness. Democratic societies recognise the right of students to participate in political and democratic activities. In Pakistan, however, student unions have faced restrictions for almost three decades. They were banned mainly because of allegations of political violence and clashes on campuses. As a result, universities lost an important platform for political discussion, debate on social issues and dialogue on national affairs.The culture of student unions in the 1990s are very different from the environment today. In the age of artificial intelligence, social media and digital communication, educational institutions can develop a new and more responsible model of student representation. Pakistan needs to create an environment where youth can discuss their problems through dialogue and democratic participation. Students should be represented in educational decision-making bodies and given a meaningful role in consultation. Instead of taking their problems to the streets, young people should have proper platforms where they can present their concerns directly to policymakers and

US researchers have claimed to have developed new viruses with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) that did not previously exist in nature. The development is being described as an important breakthrough in the scientific community. According to a study published in the scientific journal Science, researchers from Stanford University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard used a naturally occurring phage as a basis and employed AI to generate thousands of genetic designs. A phage is a type of virus that infects bacteria. The researchers chemically synthesized around 300 of these genetic designs and tested them in a laboratory. Of these, 16 viruses proved to be viable. According to the study, a combination of the AI-designed viruses was more effective than naturally occurring viruses at eliminating E. coli bacteria. The researchers said the approach expands the scope of synthetic genomics and could pave the way for more effective phage therapies against rapidly evolving pathogens. However, experts have expressed concerns about potential biological security risks alongside the possible medical benefits of the development. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto and Toronto General Hospital said AI-designed viruses could have certain benefits such as creating specialized bacteriophages that could help tackle antibiotic-resistant infections. He warned that the same ability to design complete and functional viruses could pose a serious biological security threat if used to create harmful pathogens. Therefore, strong safety regulations, screening and monitoring are necessary alongside the technology. Professor Fatima Wafai of the University of New South Wales in Sydney said the current research does not pose a direct threat to humans because phages infect only bacteria. However, she noted that the methods used in the research could potentially be misused for harmful purposes. Tom Ellis, an expert in synthetic genome engineering at Imperial College London described the research as impressive but said it also demonstrates that AI is still far from being able to design complex genomes, cells and large viruses. He explained that the phage genome used in the study is very small and relatively simple while the genome of the virus that causes COVID-19 is approximately six times larger. The complexity of designing larger genomes increases rapidly. According to Ellis, the research does have implications for biological security. However, modifying naturally occurring viruses remains a more serious and immediate threat than creating new pathogens with AI. Hsu Li Yang, director of the Asia Centre for Health Security in Singapore also said that it may be possible to use AI to make viruses more dangerous. However, he cautioned against exaggerating the implications of the research. He clarified that the study does not mean that anyone with basic scientific or laboratory knowledge can now create life-saving or dangerous viruses at home. Considerable technical expertise is still required to physically produce a virus in a laboratory after it has been designed. Experts say the research is both medically promising and concerning from a biological security perspective as it demonstrates a technology that could potentially be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes.

I have been suffering from this mental illness for so many years, and I don’t know what to do. Sixty-five percent of my life has been spent suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. My mother is Mahrukh Butt, and she is with me here in Lahore. I don’t know when these sufferings will end. It has crossed the limits, you know. I am in Lahore, Pakistan right now. The day before yesterday I was so unwell. I was in Lahore at my home, and I heard voices for more than five hours, and I was getting a severe headache, and I was going through hell, and I still am. I don’t know what to do. The sufferings have no intention of stopping. We are born into this world with no fault of our own, and there is only misery in this life. I hear voices almost every day for hours, and as you know, I have been having compulsions for more than fifteen years now, and that is not a joke. They tell me that if I don’t do the compulsions, then something bad will happen to me. I want to go to Karachi with my friend Alina Mehmood, who is six years older than me and used to come to our house in Islamabad when my father was alive, when we used to have parties at our house in Khudadad Heights. The party used to start at ten at night and go on till four in the morning, and the music was playing, and everything was rocking. I will go to Karachi by plane, and that will cost over forty thousand rupees, and I will go to Dolmen Mall and also to Liberty Books, though it is very expensive. The music in the background reminds me of London and Bangkok. My relative Hassan Raza Sherazi has gone to England, and I will go straight to Islamabad when he comes back, as a matter of fact. The thing I love to do is travel by plane. I love going to Thailand, and also writing books and articles. We went to New York City twice, to my father’s friend’s house in the suburb of Millburn. I love to write articles for Pakistani newspapers, although I get no money for doing so, as a matter of fact. A few months ago, I was in my bedroom here in Lahore, and I was waiting for the aliens to come and abduct me, but no one came. They had to take me to their planet or to the moon, although the American government is actually covering up aliens and these sorts of conspiracy theories, and they do not want the public to know the reality and the truth behind aliens. But I know that they exist. I am in Lahore, Pakistan right now. I spent twenty-five days in Islamabad, Pakistan, and now I have shifted into my house in Cantt. I really want to go to Karachi, Pakistan, as I need a break.

In the United States, the growing shift from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes and other nicotine products could potentially lead to a decline in cancer rates in the future. A new study published in JNCI Cancer Spectrum analyzed data from US federal health surveys collected between 2015 and 2023. According to the study, traditional cigarette smoking declined significantly across almost all age groups during this period with the decline being particularly noticeable among people aged 18 to 34. In contrast, the number of people using only alternative nicotine products particularly e-cigarettes, increased. The study’s lead researcher, Professor Kenneth Michael Cummings of the Medical University of South Carolina said the trend suggests that many smokers are completely switching to vaping rather than using both products simultaneously. The study found that the proportion of people who used both cigarettes and e-cigarettes remained around 2% to 3% throughout the study period. Scientists also developed a Population Harm Reduction Index to compare traditional cigarette smoking with the use of non-combustible nicotine products. According to the researchers, an increase in the index indicates that more people are using alternatives to traditional cigarettes that may expose them to lower levels of potentially cancer-causing chemicals. The study found that people aged 55 and above were much less likely than younger people to quit smoking and switch to alternative products even though older adults could gain significant immediate health benefits from quitting smoking. According to the study, vaping has now become more common than cigarette smoking among young people aged 18 to 24. Professor Cummings said the greatest concern is that older people who have smoked for many years are not switching to lower-risk, non-combustible nicotine products as quickly. This is the group that could potentially gain the greatest immediate health benefits from quitting smoking. According to the report, the study was funded by the US National Cancer Institute and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) while the vaping industry provided no financial support.

Health experts say that quitting tobacco and reducing salt intake can help lower the risk of dementia, a condition associated with cognitive decline and memory loss. According to experts, these measures can help keep blood pressure within a healthy range and maintain stable blood sugar levels which may contribute to dementia prevention. A new study conducted in the United States found that if people adopt three healthy habits during middle age — maintaining normal blood pressure, keeping blood sugar levels under control and avoiding smoking — the onset of dementia could potentially be delayed by around 13 years. Researchers at New York University also found that dementia tends to develop later in women than in men regardless of their risk factors. More than 900,000 people in the United Kingdom are currently living with dementia. The condition is among the leading causes of death in the country accounting for more than 74,000 deaths every year. Most cases of dementia occur in people over the age of 65 while the risk of developing the condition approximately doubles every five years after the age of 65. However, growing scientific research suggests that dementia is not necessarily an inevitable part of ageing and that it can be prevented to a significant extent. Adopting a healthy lifestyle, such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy body weight, can reduce the risk of dementia by more than 45%. A recent study by scientists at NYU Langone Health further suggests that if people maintain key health markers during middle age, they may be able to delay the onset of dementia by more than a decade.

LAHORE – Health experts say that if you want to live up to 100 years, you should adopt some important habits that most people tend to overlook. A study published last week claimed that the maximum possible human lifespan could reach 194 years. Scientists at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow say that if researchers can discover a way to limit cell death associated with aging, the human body may be able to function healthily for a longer period. Lifestyle factors cannot stop the natural biological aging process but they can help protect the body’s cells from premature death. The result may be not only a longer life but also a healthier and more active one. According to Dr. Claire Neyland, a general practitioner associated with the Preventive Healthcare Clinic (HOOQE), the real goal of longevity is not simply to add more years to life but to maintain a healthy and fulfilling life during old age. Dr. Neyland says planning for a long and healthy life should not begin at the age of 50 or 60. It is never too early to prepare for the future. By adopting healthy habits today, people can lay the foundation for a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life as they grow older. She said that eating a balanced diet, getting adequate sleep and exercising regularly are not the only things that matter. There are also some lesser-known but highly important daily habits that adults of all ages should incorporate into their routines. She explained that people generally spend most of their time sitting on chairs rather than on the floor. Sitting on the floor may help strengthen the lower body while also improving flexibility and balance. Moving from a sitting position on the floor to standing is a simple movement but it can quietly indicate whether the body is aging in a healthy way. On average, a person spends around 10 hours sitting each day which can have negative effects on the thigh bones, hip joints and pelvic-floor muscles. Sitting on the floor and getting back up requires leg strength, hip flexibility, balance and physical coordination. If these abilities are not regularly used, they can gradually weaken with age. People who maintain these abilities generally remain more independent and have a lower risk of falling. Falls are among the major causes of hospitalization and even death among older adults. According to Dr. Neyland, this habit can easily be incorporated into everyday life. For example, people can sit on the floor while watching television, play with children on the floor or do stretching exercises while sitting on the floor. If it is safe, they can also practise standing up without using their hands for support. Even performing this exercise a few times a day may help maintain mobility, flexibility and agility as the body ages.

Senior Pakistani actress and film maker Rubina Ashraf has spoken about postpartum depression and the emotional challenges women may face during pregnancy and after giving birth. Rubina Ashraf recently appeared as a guest on the television show Good Morning Pakistan where she discussed women’s mental health and the importance of emotional support during pregnancy and motherhood. She said that in the past, mental health problems linked to pregnancy and childbirth were often not taken seriously.  Society usually treated childbirth as a normal responsibility of every woman without fully understanding how difficult the experience could be for some mothers. The actress explained that pregnancy brings many physical changes to a woman’s body including changes in the skin weight and overall health. Along with happiness these changes can sometimes cause stress anxiety and emotional pressure. She added that a lack of proper care and support during this period may make a woman more vulnerable to serious emotional difficulties including postpartum depression. Rubina also highlighted the importance of a husband’s love care and understanding during pregnancy and after childbirth. She said that managing physical changes household responsibilities  and caring for a newborn can be challenging so emotional and practical support from a partner can make a big difference. Her comments also highlight the need to take women’s mental health seriously and ensure that new mothers receive proper care understanding and support.