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PM SHEHBAZ REAFFIRMS PAKISTAN’S RESOLVE TO ERADICATE POLIO Thursday, 29 January, 2026 | 9 Sha’ban, 1447
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PREMIER SHEHBAZ APPRISES GATES FOUNDATION PRESIDENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY AND COORDINATED TEAMS DRIVING NATIONWIDE ANTI-POLIO CAMPAIGNS
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ACKNOWLEDGES BILL GATES’ CONTRIBUTION AND SUPPORT OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY SAUDI ARABIA
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SAYS OVER 140 MILLION CHILDREN COVERED UNDER ONGOING PSDP-FUNDED INITIATIVES SO FAR g
ISLAMABAD
said, adding that the federal government is working in full coordination with provincial authorities to ensure access for polio teams across the country. He also noted that relevant projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for polio eradication will continue. PM Shehbaz Sharif directed the federal health ministry to formulate recommendations, in coordination with all relevant institutions, to enhance public awareness and ensure the continuous supply of vaccines necessary for polio
Pakistan named founding member of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON agenCieS
The United States President Donald Trump’s newly formed “Board of Peace” on Wednesday announced 26 countries as founding members of the initiative, with Pakistan included among the original participants. The announcement came a week after President Trump formally unveiled the body during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. On Wednesday, the board launched its official account on social media platform X, confirming the list of founding members. “The Board welcomes Pakistan as a founding member of our growing international organization,” the post said. According to the announcement, the founding members include Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, El Salvador, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mongolia, Morocco, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The list reflects broad representation from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caucasus. Notably absent from the founding roster are major European powers such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom, amid strained relations with the Trump administration over issues including Greenland and tariff policies. Ukraine has raised concerns over potential participation alongside Belarus and Russia. While Belarus has accepted the invitation to join the board, Russia was not included, despite President Vladimir Putin’s earlier statement that Moscow was prepared to contribute $1 billion from Russian assets frozen by the previous US administration to support the board’s budget. Meanwhile, President Trump rescinded Canada’s invitation to join the initiative, citing remarks by Prime Minister Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum in which he warned against economic coercion by major powers. Trump announced the creation of the Board of Peace on January 15 as part of his broader Gaza plan, under which a ceasefire agreement was reached. The body was subsequently authorised under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, adopted in November 2025.
GATES FOUNDATION EXPRESSES FULL CONFIDENCE IN PAKISTAN’S EFFECTIVE POLIO MEASURES
SAYS FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVTS WORKING IN FULL HARMONY TO ENSURE ACCESS FOR VACCINATION TEAMS
Staff report
RIME MINISTER Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to completely eliminate polio from the country, stressing that the government is implementing a comprehensive strategy with an effective, coordinated team to achieve eradication at the earliest. Premier Shehbaz expressed the views while meeting Dr. Chris Elias, President for Global Development at the Gates Foundation, who along with his delegation called on the prime minister at the PM House. The prime minister expressed gratitude for the support of trusted partners, particularly the Gates Foundation, and acknowledged the invaluable contribution of Bill Gates in Pakistan’s fight against polio. He also highlighted the assistance extended by brotherly Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia, in ongoing eradication efforts. “Despite significant progress in the fight against polio, urgent measures remain indispensable,” the prime minister
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eradication. Dr. Chris Elias appreciated the prime minister’s personal attention and active role in the anti-polio campaign, noting that Pakistan is taking effective, concrete steps toward the complete elimination of the disease. He emphasized that constructive consultations with federal and provincial governments and relevant institutions will continue to maintain the momentum of the campaign. “Commendable measures have been taken to eliminate the environmental presence of the polio virus and to ensure
access for vaccination teams in all areas,” Elias added, expressing full confidence in Pakistan’s ongoing anti-polio efforts. He also conveyed best wishes from Bill Gates and expressed hope that Pakistan will soon reach the milestone of complete polio eradication. The Gates Foundation delegation included Director Polio Dr. Kathy Neuzil and Deputy Director Polio Michael Galway. Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq, and other senior government officials were present during the meeting. On the occasion, Minister Ahsan Iqbal briefed the delegation on PSDP initiatives for polio eradication, while Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal thanked the prime minister for his leadership and the Gates Foundation team for their continued support. Ayesha Raza Farooq also updated the participants on ongoing anti-polio initiatives across all provinces and cities. PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Dr. Kathy Neuzil on her recent appointment as Director for Polio and extended his best wishes for her continued success.
President, UAE VP pledge stronger economic, trade ties ABU DHABI
Staff report
President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday held a key meeting with Vice President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Pakistan and the UAE. According to a statement from the President’s Secretariat, President Zardari congratulated Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on two decades of his leadership, commending Dubai’s remarkable transformation into a global hub for tourism, finance, and emerging technologies. During the meeting at Zabeel Palace, both leaders discussed leveraging Dubai’s development experience, particularly in ports, logistics, infrastructure, information technology, and digital financial services. President Zardari highlighted Pakistan’s ongoing economic reforms, investment facilitation, and privatisation efforts, exploring avenues for en-
hanced cooperation with the UAE in infrastructure, logistics, food security, and technology-driven sectors. The president also extended an invitation to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to visit Pakistan. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the brotherly ties between Pakistan and the UAE and expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations. The leaders underscored the importance of high-level exchanges, recalling the recent visit of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Pakistan, and acknowledged the UAE’s continued support for Pakistan’s economic development. They also highlighted the valuable contribution of the Pakistani community in the UAE in reinforcing people-to-people links. First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE were present during the meeting.
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Tarar urges opposition to move beyond rhetoric and present constructive alternatives ISLAMABAD
Staff report
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday urged the opposition to adopt a solution-oriented approach, moving beyond point-scoring and criticism to present constructive alternatives for national progress. Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Assembly, and flanked by Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Information on KP Affairs Ikhtiar Wali Khan, Tarar said that one province continues to lag behind due to narrative-driven politics. He stressed the need to replicate modern facilities, such as forensic labs and crime control departments, developed under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, lamenting that politics has been reduced to “singing and poetry” rather than serious policymaking. He said political debate has increasingly shifted to social media rhetoric, where opponents brand each other as traitors or thieves. Tarar emphasized that competition among ruling parties should focus on infrastructure development, counterterrorism, and human development indices, highlighting that skill development is the true measure of global progress. Praising the “dynamic youth” of KP, he underscored the role of student politics in shaping future leaders, describing the Youth Assembly as a “nursery” for policymaking and decision-making under pressure. He proposed shadow cabinets to ensure alternative policies on economic and health challenges. Commenting on the state of politics, he said discourse has turned into a “circus,” with little focus on long-term policy, contrasting today’s rhetoric-driven politics with earlier developmentoriented governance led by feudal lords. He recalled that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif entered politics as finance minister in 1985 before becoming chief minister, prioritizing health and education, and in 2013, respected PTI’s majority in the KP Assembly by allowing it to form the provincial government despite PML-N having the numbers. On media evolution, Tarar noted that print journalism relied on editorial boards, while electronic media introduced regulatory frameworks like PEMRA. In contrast, social media remains largely unregulated, fostering harassment, intolerance, extremism, and violence, though he acknowledged its positive aspects. Highlighting achievements in healthcare, he cited the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute, which has conducted over 1,000 liver transplants and served as a COVID-19 center, and the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, catering to patients from KP, GB, and AJK. He lamented the absence of similar facilities in KP. Defending PML-N’s laptop scheme, Tarar said it was merit-based and crucial during the COVID-19 lockdown for remote learning, contrasting it with PTI’s failure to provide comparable support. He emphasized that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif remains committed to social sector investment, citing Danish Schools that provide poor students facilities comparable to elite institutions like Aitchison, with priority admissions for orphans. He shared success stories, including a girl from Layyah now running her own software house and another Danish School graduate who became a doctor, noting that admissions prioritize double orphans, followed by single orphans.
Kundi blames KP govt for Tirah evacuation as centre rejects operation claims BARA
Staff CorreSpondent
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Wednesday held the PTI-led provincial government responsible for the recent large-scale evacuation of residents from Tirah Valley, saying repeated statements about a possible military operation created fear and forced people to leave their homes unnecessarily. The governor’s remarks came amid
a growing row between the federal and provincial governments over who authorised the evacuation of hundreds of families from Tirah in Khyber district, following speculation about an impending security operation against terrorists. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Bara tehsil, where displaced families from Tirah have taken shelter, Kundi said that seasonal migration from the area usually remained around 20 per cent during winter but had surged to 50–60 per cent this year.
“This time, it is 50 to 60 per cent because statements were repeatedly made suggesting that an operation would be conducted in Tirah. As a result, people vacated their homes,” he said. “In my opinion, people are suffering today due to the failure and weakness of the provincial government.” The governor said the KP government’s “barrage of statements” compelled residents to flee, adding that many realised upon reaching Bara that the situation on the ground did not match the
claims made earlier. He noted that unlike past winters, when families stayed with host communities, many displaced people were now forced to live in tent villages. Kundi stressed that whenever a military operation was planned, it was formally announced and necessary arrangements were made in advance. He also criticised the PTI leadership for politicising security-related issues.
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Pakistan, China enter new phase of economic partnership: Iqbal ISLAMABAD Mian abrar
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday said Pakistan and China were entering a decisive new phase of economic partnership by placing mineral development at the core of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) 2.0, aimed at shifting cooperation from connectivity to productivity, exports and sustainable growth. Addressing the launching ceremony of the China-Pakistan Mineral Cooperation Forum, the minister said the two countries were repositioning their strategic partnership
towards minerals-led industrialisation, with Gwadar emerging as a key gateway to connect Pakistan’s mineral-rich regions with regional and global markets. He said the initiative reflected a deliberate transition from infrastructure-focused cooperation to value-added and export-oriented collaboration as Pakistan and China approach the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. “As we approach 75 years of PakistanChina relations, our partnership stands as a model of continuity, trust and strategic depth. This relationship has never witnessed a season of autumn; it has always flourished in spring and reached new heights every year,” Ahsan Iqbal remarked.
Highlighting achievements under CPEC Phase-I, the minister said the corridor remained the most visible symbol of bilateral cooperation, adding that completed projects had contributed more than 8,000 megawatts to the national grid, upgraded over 1,000 kilometres of road infrastructure, modernised Gwadar and significantly strengthened national connectivity. Referring to his recent visit to Gwadar, he said the China-built international airport had positioned the port city for a central role in Pakistan’s next phase of economic growth. “Gwadar is now ready not only to function as a smart port city but also to serve as a hub for the mining industry by linking Pak-
istan’s mineral resources with global markets,” he said. Ahsan Iqbal noted that CPEC Phase-II was focused on addressing Pakistan’s longstanding structural weaknesses, particularly its narrow export base. “Infrastructure for its own sake is not enough. Our goal is to convert connectivity into productivity, productivity into exports, and exports into jobs and sustainable growth,” he added. Underscoring Pakistan’s untapped mineral potential, the minister said the country possessed around 92 known minerals, with 52 currently being extracted, nearly 5,000 operational mines and annual production of approximately 68.5 million metric tons. Despite this scale, he said mineral exports ac-
counted for only 2–3 per cent of GDP. “This gap between potential and performance is largely due to the lack of value addition,” he said, noting that more than 90 per cent of mineral exports were raw or semi-processed, while only about 40 per cent of the country’s land had been geologically mapped. Referring to extensive marble and granite reserves stretching from Turbat to Chitral, Ahsan Iqbal said outdated blasting and extraction techniques were destroying value. He invited Chinese enterprises to invest in modern cutting and processing technologies, saying Pakistan could emerge as a global hub for world-class marble and earn billions of dollars from the sector.