GB Chief Minister forms 12-member cabinet

Pakistan has been ranked among the countries with the highest number of viral hepatitis cases worldwide, with the country standing fifth globally in total hepatitis burden, according to the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA). The warning was issued on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, highlighting the growing public health challenge caused by hepatitis B and C infections. PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said Pakistan has one of the world’s largest burdens of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), with around 10 million people suffering from chronic Hepatitis C. In addition, an estimated 3.8 million people are living with chronic Hepatitis B (HBV), bringing the total number of people affected by viral hepatitis in the country to approximately 13.8 million. According to the PMA, Pakistan’s hepatitis burden is higher than many countries and is exceeded only by China, India, Indonesia, and Nigeria. The national prevalence rate of Hepatitis C is estimated between 4.8 and 7.5 percent, while Hepatitis B affects around 1.1 to 1.7 percent of the population. Health experts warned that untreated hepatitis can lead to serious complications, including liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, which collectively claim more than 37,000 lives in Pakistan every year. Dr Shoro stated that Pakistan contributes a significant share of new global Hepatitis C infections due to unsafe medical practices. He highlighted that thousands of new infections occur annually because of the reuse of unsterilized syringes, unsafe medical equipment, and unscreened blood transfusions. Other major causes of hepatitis transmission include unsafe surgical procedures, dental treatments, tattooing, body piercing, shaving with contaminated razors at barber shops, and practices carried out by unqualified healthcare providers. Low coverage of the mandatory Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine has also remained a concern. President Asif Ali Zardari said hepatitis remains one of the country’s most serious public health challenges but emphasized that it can be prevented and treated through early detection, timely medical care, and collective efforts. He stressed the need for strict regulation of unsafe healthcare practices and awareness campaigns to protect citizens. National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also highlighted the importance of prevention, early diagnosis, and access to quality treatment. He said strengthening the healthcare system and improving public awareness are essential steps toward reducing the disease burden. Health authorities and public representatives called for greater cooperation between government institutions, healthcare providers, and communities to control hepatitis transmission and improve treatment access across Pakistan.

  Zoe Saldaña has built an impressive career in Hollywood, achieving milestones that only a small number of actors can claim. From becoming an Academy Award winner to appearing in some of the world’s most successful film franchises, the actress has established herself as one of the industry’s most recognisable stars. However, Saldaña now appears ready to explore a completely different side of filmmaking by considering a move into directing. During an appearance at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, Saldaña spoke about her desire to eventually take control behind the camera. Addressing the festival audience, the actress said she believed there would come a point when simply watching other directors work would no longer be enough for her. Saldaña joked that after observing directors for so long, she might eventually feel compelled to take over the camera herself. Her comments reflected her growing interest in expanding her creative role within the film industry and exploring storytelling from a director’s perspective. The actress also expressed confidence in her own instincts, particularly when discussing women and their ability to recognise what they believe is right. With a humorous tone, she suggested that women often feel confident in their opinions because they are correct a significant amount of the time. For Saldaña, directing could provide an opportunity to test those instincts and prove what she can accomplish outside her established acting career. Her remarks came as she was being honoured at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival. Saldaña received a Special Honorary Pardo at the event, recognising her contribution to cinema and her successful career across a wide range of projects. During her appearance, the actress also reflected on her childhood and the experience of growing up between different cultures. Born in the Dominican Republic, Saldaña said her background and experiences of feeling like an outsider have played an important role in shaping the way she approaches acting and develops her characters. She recalled the challenges of being separated from a New York environment where she had been exposed to people from different backgrounds and cultures. According to Saldaña, living in a diverse environment allowed her to encounter different perspectives and understand the world beyond a single cultural identity. She later moved to a much smaller and more culturally homogeneous island, an experience she described as difficult during her formative years. The transition brought significant challenges, particularly because she encountered a society with a more unified religious and cultural identity. Despite the difficulties, Saldaña believes those experiences ultimately became valuable to her as an actor. She explained that the challenges of growing up between different cultural environments helped her develop a broader understanding of people and identities. That perspective, she suggested, became particularly useful when portraying some of her most famous characters, including Neytiri in the Avatar franchise and Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. For Saldaña, growing up between cultures provided both struggles and opportunities for personal development. She believes being exposed to different ways of life enriched her understanding of human experiences and gave her additional emotional depth as a performer. Now, after years of success in front of the camera, Saldaña appears interested in turning those experiences into a new creative challenge. Her potential move into directing could mark an important new chapter in her career, allowing her to bring her perspective, cultural experiences and storytelling instincts to filmmaking from behind the camera.