Health Secretary’s Gujrat visit triggers major health shake-up

  Islamabad: Pakistan is facing a growing HIV crisis, with an estimated 369,000 people living with the virus while only about 84,400 cases are formally registered, according to a government Task Force report. Health experts and concerned citizens have warned that the real situation may be much worse because the country still lacks reliable and complete disease data. The warning came during a National Dialogue on HIV and AIDS organised by Lok Sehat, where doctors, public health experts, medical organisations, civil society groups and representatives of communities affected by HIV discussed the growing problem. Lok Sehat Convener Dr Zafar Mirza said the government must stop trying to control the disease by controlling or hiding data. He demanded that reliable information about HIV and other blood-borne diseases should be made available and that the government should take greater financial responsibility for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria instead of depending heavily on international donors. The issue has become more serious because HIV infections are increasingly being reported among children and people outside the groups traditionally considered at higher risk. The Task Force report estimates that 369,000 people are living with HIV in Pakistan, but only around 84,400 cases are formally registered and about 60,789 people are receiving antiretroviral treatment. The report says the recent appearance of HIV among children in low-risk rural communities points to serious weaknesses in infection control, blood safety, healthcare regulation, and medical management. The situation in Taunsa Tehsil of Dera Ghazi Khan has raised particular concern. The Task Force report says 127 children were confirmed to have HIV during a five-month period between December 2024 and April 2025. Around 79 percent of those children were below five years of age, with the median age only three years. Investigations largely ruled out transmission from mothers because nearly all mothers of the infected children tested negative for HIV. The report identified unsafe blood transfusions and contaminated injection practices as major drivers of the Taunsa outbreak. It also found problems involving blood donor screening, unregulated healthcare providers, reuse of disposable syringes, excessive use of injections, poor sterilisation and weak infection prevention systems. Dr Zafar Mirza said repeated use of syringes and needles was a major suspected route of HIV transmission among people receiving healthcare. He called for proper training of healthcare workers and public awareness so patients and families understand the importance of using new syringes and needles. He also urged doctors to avoid unnecessary injections when oral medicines are medically suitable. The problem is not limited to one area. Former National AIDS Control Programme and IHRA chief Dr Quaid Saeed said 13 HIV outbreaks had been reported in Pakistan during the last 18 years, but only two, including the outbreaks in Jalalpur Jattan and Ratodero, had been extensively investigated. He called for proper investigations into every outbreak. The Task Force report also says the Ratodero outbreak in Sindh in 2019 affected more than 1,000 people, most of them children under 12. Investigations linked the outbreak to contaminated syringes, unsafe injections, unregulated blood transfusions, quackery and serious weaknesses in infection prevention and control. Experts also raised concerns about the treatment of people living with HIV. Dr Zafar Mirza said stigma remains a serious problem, including within parts of the medical profession. He said there had been cases where doctors refused to treat patients after learning that they had HIV. He stressed that HIV does not spread through ordinary contact such as shaking hands or being near an infected person. He called for stronger public awareness through television, newspapers and social media to correct false beliefs and reduce discrimination against patients. In Islamabad, infectious diseases expert Dr. Naseem Akhtar said many of the HIV cases seen at her centre involved people who inject drugs, deportees, transgender persons, men who have sex with men, and female sex workers. She said some cases had also been found among children. Dr Asma Naseem said the situation in Karachi was also worrying, particularly because of a rise in HIV cases among children. She said children with HIV were being brought to the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation with kidney failure, describing the trend as highly concerning. The experts said weak regulation of healthcare facilities was another major part of the problem. Dr. Zafar Mirza called for stronger healthcare commissions, blood transfusion authorities, and other regulators, along with better funding, trained staff, and modern technology. The government Task Force has recommended nationwide surveillance of syringes, stronger regulation of medical devices, and a phased move towards auto-disable syringes. It has also proposed tougher action against unsafe medical practices. Another major recommendation is the creation of a national real-time HIV surveillance dashboard. The system would collect information from treatment centres, blood transfusion centres, provincial disease surveillance units and other health facilities so that new cases could be reported quickly at the national level. The Task Force has also proposed stronger testing and care for children, including early infant diagnosis, trained counsellors and paediatric HIV specialists in areas facing outbreaks. It has recommended social protection for children living with HIV, including support for medicines, nutrition, education, transport and psychological care. The proposed reforms also include stronger laws, mandatory reporting of HIV cases and outbreaks, better sharing of health data between provinces and agencies, and accountability for public and private healthcare providers where negligence contributes to disease transmission. The government report says a high-level National HIV Technical Working Group is also proposed, with experts including Maj. Gen. (R) Dr. Azhar Mehmood Kayani, Dr. Zafar Mirza, Dr. Abdul Wali Khan, Dr. Amjad Mahmood, Dr. Adnan Khan, Dr. Huma Qureshi, Dr. Hasan Abbas Zaheer, Brig. Dr. Nuzhat Mushahid, Dr. Saira Afzal, Dr. Fatima Mir, Dr. Saba Jamal, Dr. Rana Jawad Asghar and Dr. Khalid Rehman. Dr Zafar Mirza also raised concern over Pakistan’s dependence on international funding. During the briefing, he said that around 90 percent of spending on HIV, tuberculosis and malaria over the previous five years had come through the Global Fund. He argued that Pakistan should gradually take full

  At least 10 terrorists affiliated with the India-backed group Fitna al-Hindustan were killed during an exchange of fire with security forces in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district, according to security sources. The sources said the operation was launched in the Shor Parod mountainous region after intelligence reports indicated the presence of militants linked to Fitna al-Hindustan, which Pakistani authorities describe as an Indian proxy group. During the operation, security personnel engaged the militants in an intense exchange of fire. At least 10 terrorists were killed, while several others sustained injuries, according to the security sources. The operation was carried out as part of ongoing efforts to counter militant activity in the province. Security officials reiterated their resolve to continue intelligence-based and targeted operations against terrorist groups until the threat of terrorism is eliminated from the country. They said security forces would remain vigilant and take action against militants involved in attacks and other violent activities. The latest development comes three days after another major security operation in Balochistan in which at least eight terrorists affiliated with Fitna al-Hindustan were killed following the premature detonation of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED). According to security officials, the explosive device detonated while the militants were reportedly preparing it in Surab district. The premature blast killed several terrorists and disrupted what was believed to be an attempt to prepare an attack. Security forces subsequently launched an operation in the area. During the operation, personnel detected the movement of terrorists who were attempting to flee from the area. The security forces pursued the militants and killed 10 of them, according to officials. The incidents highlight the continuing security challenges faced by Balochistan, which has witnessed repeated militant attacks and counterterrorism operations in recent years. Pakistan has experienced a significant increase in terrorist activity, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan. Both provinces have remained major areas of concern for Pakistani security authorities because of the frequency and intensity of militant attacks. According to a report published by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), KP and Balochistan continued to be the country’s primary hotspots for violence during the second quarter of 2026. The report identified Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the worst-affected region during the period. It said the two provinces together accounted for nearly 96% of all violence-related fatalities recorded across Pakistan during the quarter. Of the total number of deaths reported, more than 61%, or 475 fatalities, occurred in KP. Balochistan recorded 265 deaths, accounting for approximately 34% of the total. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also registered the highest number of violent incidents during the quarter. According to the CRSS report, the province recorded 151 incidents, representing 57% of all such incidents reported nationwide. Balochistan followed with 94 violent incidents, making up around 35% of the national total. The figures underline the concentration of militant activity and violence in the two provinces. Security forces have continued conducting operations in both regions to disrupt militant networks, prevent planned attacks and target individuals involved in terrorism. The latest operation in Khuzdar is part of these continuing counterterrorism efforts.