US, Iran tensions rise over new sanctions

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has said that nearly 300 children die every day in Pakistan because of inadequate healthcare facilities, stressing the need for urgent reforms and greater investment in the country’s health sector. Speaking at a ceremony held at a private hospital in Karachi, the health minister said Pakistan is moving in the right direction but acknowledged that significant challenges remain in improving healthcare services across the country. Mustafa Kamal said the nursing curriculum must be updated to meet modern healthcare standards and international requirements. He added that strengthening the skills of healthcare professionals is essential to improving the quality of medical services. Highlighting demographic challenges, the minister said Pakistan’s population is growing at an annual rate of 2.55 percent, placing increasing pressure on education, healthcare and other public services. He noted that the rapidly expanding population has left millions of children without access to education. The minister said the government’s primary focus is to prevent diseases through vaccination and public awareness rather than relying solely on treatment. He added that Pakistan spends millions of dollars every year on vaccination programmes and warned that the cost could rise to $1.2 billion by 2030 if current trends continue. Mustafa Kamal said a lack of public awareness remains one of the biggest obstacles to successful immunisation campaigns. He noted that vaccination teams often face resistance, with some families refusing to cooperate by not allowing health workers into their homes. He said the government is working to improve awareness about the importance of vaccines and strengthen preventive healthcare programmes to reduce the burden of infectious diseases. The health minister also announced that the government is expected to sign agreements within the next few weeks to begin local vaccine production. He expressed hope that Pakistan would start manufacturing vaccines domestically before 2030, reducing dependence on imports and strengthening the country’s public health system.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, July 26: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has revealed that more than 1,300 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the recent attack on a security checkpost in Tank. The governor made the remarks while speaking to journalists at the Regional Police Office in Dera Ismail Khan. He had attended a security briefing on the law and order situation in the region. Kundi described the attack on the Manji Khel checkpoint as a major and tragic security incident. He said 15 people, including 14 security personnel, lost their lives in the attack. Personnel from the Pakistan Army, police and Forest Department were among those who were martyred, he said. The governor said the huge quantity of explosives used in the attack reflected the seriousness and scale of the militant threat facing the province. He called for a united national strategy to counter terrorism. He said the federal and provincial governments, security forces and the public must work together to defeat militant groups. Kundi said Pakistan was facing security challenges from both internal and external sources. He praised the sacrifices made by security forces to protect the country and its people. The governor also alleged that terrorist groups were using Afghan territory to carry out attacks against Pakistan. He further claimed that weapons left behind in Afghanistan by international forces were being used in attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Kundi said neither the people nor the security forces would be intimidated by such attacks. He praised the courage of injured personnel whom he met during his visit. He said the recommendations presented by regional police officials would be conveyed to the federal government. He also said he would raise the issue of improving compensation and support packages for injured security personnel with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the provincial government. The governor stressed that supporting the families of martyred and injured personnel was a collective responsibility. He assured them that the government would continue to support them. Kundi also called for stronger coordination between the federal and provincial governments. He said Islamabad and Peshawar must work closely to tackle the growing security threat. He urged authorities to expand intelligence-based operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said he would discuss the matter with the provincial chief minister. According to the military’s media wing, militants had attempted to breach the perimeter of the joint police checkpost in Tank. Security forces responded quickly and killed 12 attackers. The attackers also drove an explosives-filled vehicle into the checkpoint’s perimeter wall. The resulting blast caused extensive damage to the infrastructure. The Tank attack comes as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to face a persistent threat from militant violence. In another recent operation in South Waziristan, security forces foiled a suicide attack and killed four terrorists, including the would-be suicide bomber. Kundi said restoring peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and surrounding areas remained a national priority. He praised police personnel for continuing to perform their duties despite difficult security conditions.